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By: gandyassociates associates
Employers hear the message repeatedly: The workplace is changing. Oft-quoted projections from Statistics Canada show immigration will soon account for virtually all net labour market growth. But there?s a problem ? and it?s not the stereotypical engineer driving a taxi, unable to find work in his field. It?s that many gifted, internationally trained professionals (ITPs), having secured employment in their field, eventually become frustrated with barriers to career success.
Despite their technical talents, they may find themselves assigned a narrow range of work duties, excluded from direct customer contact, leadership opportunities and normal career advancement. English communication challenges are often the cause, and employers aren?t sure how to resolve the dilemma.
Solutions are elusive
While many employers have recognized both the barriers and the need for communication skills development for ITPs, appropriate solutions are elusive.
? Core language skills: English language classes that build vocabulary and grammar seem an obvious starting place. With this approach, however, workplace communication performance improvements can be painfully incremental. Language skills can be measured with the 12-level Canadian Language Benchmark system, which suggests hundreds of hours of instruction are required to advance a single level. What workplace could afford this commitment to training, and how many professionals would tolerate the pace? ? Strategic communication skills: Mainstream business communication courses target strategic skills for teamwork, customer contact and leadership roles, but lack the linguistic and inter-cultural depth required by ITPs. ? Cultural fluency: Diversity training demystifies unconscious assumptions about workplace interactions, such as employee-boss relationships, team roles, risk tolerance and directness of communication. However, cultural awareness is only one part of the picture.
So what works?
A new hybrid of training is emerging to meet the needs of a dynamic, culturally diverse work environment populated by highly educated ITPs.
Curricula should embed learning in actual workplace communication tasks and scenarios. They should target strategic business skills such as persuasion and active listening, enriched with core language skills ? vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Finally, they should offer the key to unlocking workplace interpersonal interactions by enhancing awareness of culturally based assumptions and behaviours.
For employers whose goal is to attract, develop, retain and promote top talent of international origin, hybrid communication training is a godsend. It enables ITPs to engage as full contributors in the workplace and to progress through the expected stages of career development. Uncapping the talent of these high-level professionals pays handsome dividends in an organization?s success and growth.
Author Resource:->??Rob Leonituk facilitates Business English Courses and E-Learning Courses in the greater Toronto area for Gandy Associates.
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