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Informujemy, iż administratorem Pani/Pana danych osobowych jest PROLANG Sp. z o.o. z siedzibą we Wrocławiu; adres: ul. Ostrowskiego 9 lok. 211, 53-238 Wrocław, Spółka wpisana w Sądzie Rejonowym dla Wrocławia-Fabrycznej we Wrocławiu, VI Wydział Gospodarczy Krajowego Rejestru Sądowego pod numerem KRS: 0000738905; NIP 894-313-04-47; z kapitałem zakładowym w wysokości 10 000,00 zł. Pani/Pana dane osobowe przetwarzane są wyłącznie w celu realizacji usługi szkoleniowej. Posiada Pan/Pani prawo dostępu do treści swoich danych osobowych oraz ich poprawienia, a podanie ich treści jest dobrowolne.

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Employees are the most valuable resource of any company. Nowadays, probably no one doubts that investing in their development brings a number of tangible benefits to the company. Among the training and educational programmes on offer, language courses are leading the way, as they not only provide an attractive benefit for the employee, but also contribute to improving the quality of the company’s operations and broadening its business prospects. Not surprisingly, an employer who invests in improving the qualifications of its staff wants to see a return on investment. However, for this to be possible – employees need to be open to acquiring new knowledge, as well as properly motivated.

jak motywować prcowników do nauki tytułowa

What can be done to ensure that the company’s language courses are as beneficial as possible? How to encourage employees to take advantage of them and how to motivate them to learn regularly? – This is the subject of today’s article.

Types of motivation

To begin with, it is worth looking at the nature of motivation and its types. Motivation is most generally defined as an internal state of readiness to undertake a specific action or achieve a desired goal. There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation (also referred to as autonomous motivation) is based primarily on impulses coming from within us, related to personal beliefs, interests or the need for self-realisation. In the case of language learning, this can be a fascination with the culture of a country or the pleasure derived from simply being able to speak a foreign language. Extrinsic (or instrumental) motivation, on the other hand, is related to external factors such as rewards and praise (in which case we speak of positive motivation) or punishment (in which case we speak of negative motivation). In the work environment, rewards are most often: praise from a superior, a financial bonus or a promotion. Punishments, on the other hand, are reprimands or deprivation of certain employee benefits, such as the possibility to attend training courses at the employer’s expense.

Intrinsic motivation – based on personal values, passion and the desire for self-development – is considered the most desirable and strongest type of motivation. It should be remembered, however, that extrinsic motivation, based on the need to secure or improve one’s livelihood or, alternatively, to avoid the unpleasant consequences of failing in one’s professional duties, often plays a much greater role in working life. However, this does not mean that these two types of motivation cannot occur simultaneously. This is the case, for example, when an employee is motivated both by a strong need for development (which is a value in itself for the employee) and by external factors, such as the desire to be appreciated by the team or the boss, or the possibility of a pay rise.

When developing a strategy for motivating staff to learn languages, it is useful to draw on knowledge about the nature and types of motivation. This can make it much easier to effectively engage employees in the process of improving their professional competence.

How to encourage employees to learn a language?

When offering employees to take part in professional language courses, it is worth taking care to arouse the right motivation to learn even before the classes start. In order for the training programme to be of the greatest benefit to the company – it should not only take into account the needs of the company, but also be as attractive as possible for the participants. The more benefits an employee perceives in the course offered, the more willing and motivated he or she will be to commit to the training objectives.

Aspects that are definitely worth taking care of at this stage are:

  • Discussing the benefits of language learning

Before starting the course, it is worth making staff aware that learning a language is an excellent opportunity to develop and broaden their horizons, not only professionally, but also personally. Being fluent in a foreign language gives you much more freedom to communicate with customers and colleagues from all over the world, and this can translate into better business results for the company and a sense of job satisfaction. Knowledge of foreign languages also boosts self-confidence, opens up new career opportunities and increases chances of promotion. All these aspects can contribute to inducing positive extrinsic motivation.

  • Analysis of training needs

The better we tailor a course to an employee’s individual needs and development goals – the greater the chance of good motivation to learn and regular attendance. For this reason, it is advisable to ask employees for their opinion as early as the planning stage of a company’s language courses and involve them in the decision-making process regarding the selection of the optimal training programme. In order for language classes to make the most sense – they need to be tailored to the learner’s current level, their time availability and, if possible, the way they like to learn (individually or in a group, online or onsite, etc.). Talking about the employee’s needs and interests in this area can also be a great opportunity to stimulate their intrinsic motivation.

  • Establishing rules of participation

It will be a good idea to establish clear rules for participating in the language courses on offer. It is important for the employee to know whether the course will take place during working hours or whether he or she should set aside a separate time for it. If the course takes place during working hours, it is a good idea to ensure that the time does not overlap with other important meetings or tasks. This will help reduce the risk of frequent absences from lessons, which may be caused by more pressing work commitments.

  • Recognising employee effort and commitment

Reinforcing the motivation of employees to take language courses will certainly be influenced by the vision of a reward for the effort put into improving competence. The reward can be, for example, a one-off bonus, a salary supplement or a promotion (vertical or horizontal). An incentive could also be the employer financing the possibility of a language certificate or allowing more flexibility in the workplace (e.g. hybrid working). And let’s not forget the importance of forms of recognition such as praise from a superior or appreciation from colleagues.

How do we ensure a high level of motivation to learn?

Once you have succeeded in encouraging your employees to attend professional language courses, you should also ensure that they are motivated to learn regularly and attend classes regularly. How can we do this? It can be helpful, for example:

  • Clearly defining the expectations of the employees taking part in the training

In many companies, language courses paid for by the employer are a form of benefit, i.e. an attractive salary supplement. Sometimes, however, employees who do not have to pay out of their own pockets for taking part in classes treat the course “neglectfully”, not paying attention to their studies and not attending classes regularly. It is therefore a good idea to establish clear attendance rules and performance expectations from the outset. It may be a good idea, for example, to formulate measurable objectives for the employee taking the course, as well as to clearly define the consequences in case of non-compliance with the established rules.

  • Ensuring high course quality and experienced lecturers

The motivation of employees to learn and their willingness to attend classes regularly is also influenced by the way the knowledge is conveyed and the experience of the lecturer. The more interesting the classes, the greater the commitment of the students. Choosing the right provider to deliver training that meets the needs of learners as closely as possible is therefore of paramount importance.

  • Monitoring learning progress

In order to ensure that the language course is highly effective, it is worth monitoring the progress of the employees on a regular basis, as well as discussing with them the goals achieved and the results (e.g. based on follow-up tests). It is also important to consult with employees about the quality of the training delivered and ask them for feedback on the course or the teacher. This will allow for additional verification of the provider and, if necessary, any adjustments to the programme or the way the course is delivered.

  • Introduce an element of gamification

One of the methods aimed at enhancing motivation to learn is gamification (or gamification), a technique involving the use of mechanisms found in games to increase the level of participants’ involvement in the learning process. Strategies such as the establishment of a system of points and rewards for completing a particular stage, or diversification of the classes with elements such as quizzes, interactive exercises or various games that may facilitate the learning process, can be helpful here. However, care should be taken that the proposed form of gamification is not too “aggressive”. After all, many employees are tired of having to constantly compete and compete in the workplace, so it is not surprising that they would like to avoid this in additional language classes.

What to do when a training programme does not deliver the intended results?

Sometimes it happens that – even despite a well-designed training plan and a carefully implemented motivational strategy – a course does not deliver the expected results. What should you do when you encounter attendance problems or when the results achieved by your employees fall far short of expectations? In the first instance, it is worth asking for feedback from the employees themselves. By creating a safe space for honest feedback (for example, in the form of anonymous surveys), a lot of valuable data can usually be obtained. It may be necessary to revise the objectives of the training, its scope or the way it is delivered. Supervisors may also need to be more involved in supporting and inspiring employees to actively use the skills they have learnt. In some situations, it may also be worth considering training employees on how to learn effectively and how to deal with temporary drops in motivation.

How do you make the investment in language courses in your company pay off?

When deciding to introduce a language course offer in the workplace, it is worth preparing well for this. The better we define the goals, the more thoroughly we analyse the development needs (of both the company and the employees), and the more carefully we select the service provider – the greater the chance of the expected results of the training, and thus – the return on investment. It is also good to take care of an appropriate motivation system, which will strengthen the involvement of employees not only in improving their language competences, but also in the active use of the acquired skills in everyday work.

Author(s)

Daria Nawrot
Daria Nawrot