Successful career in a global organization always relies on effective English communication in the workplace. It helps you reduce misunderstandings and productive collaboration with your colleagues. Therefore, investing in improving English communication in the workplace is important for unlocking your opportunities to climb up the career ladder.

In this blog post, we will explore how to improve your English communication in the workplace and overcome any difficulties you may face in your work environment.

1. Learn business English vocabulary

If English is a castle, vocabulary is the bricks to build that. You can not communicate effectively with your colleagues without a strong vocabulary knowledge. Thus, it is a must for you to start learning some useful words that are commonly used in the business context. 

a. Reach out

To “reach out” is to contact someone, usually to help or involve them. 

For example: Welcome onboard! I’m David, your line manager. If you need any help, feel free to reach out to me!

b. Keep me in the loop

To “Keep me in the loop” is to keep someone involved and updated about developments in a task, project or situation.

For example: Thank you for the walk-through! This project is out of my scope, but I’m interested in the environmental topic, so please keep me in the loop!

c. Circle back

To “Circle back” is to discuss something again. 

For example: Let’s circle back next week to review the remaining tasks and ensure everything is on track!

d. Boiling the ocean

To “Boiling the ocean” is to make a task unnecessarily difficult.

For example: Proposing to rebrand without heightening the quality of the product is just like boiling the ocean.

e.  Low-hanging fruit

Something that is easy to obtain, achieve, or take advantage of

For example: Some people feel like focusing on commonly used words and phrases when learning English is like picking low-hanging fruit

Business vocabulary might sound scary if you’re unfamiliar with it. However, by learning them daily, you will soon realize how important it is to your English communication in the workplace. 

2. Use small talk to create habits of using English

Small talk can be used as one of your routine activities to provide a more non-threatening environment for you to have English communication in the workplace since small talk is mostly about common topics in life. 

For example, at the beginning of the shift, instead of jumping right into your tasks, you can start having a small talk with your foreign colleagues. Here are some useful questions that you may need to start a small talk:

• How are things going?
• What’s your progress on [X goal]?
• Did you finish the last project assigned by the Head Manager?
• How’s life in [city]?
• What was your first job? Did you like it?

There are many ways to start small talk, but the key is to be open and create a connection rather than an awkward and shallow conversation. 

Besides having small talk with colleagues, you can practice with your friends pretending to talk about a business topic. Moreover, you can use ELSA Speak, an AI tool that allows you to practice business English and offers many useful lessons. ELSA Speak can correct your pronunciation and make you more confident when having English communication in the workplace.

3. Use clear and simple language

One of the most important parts of having effective English communication in the workplace is using clear and simple language. This is especially true when most people misunderstand that applying advanced vocabulary is necessary in business.

However, depending on the context, advanced vocabulary can make your ideas vague and more complicated to understand. Thus, we will show you how to choose common, everyday words rather than jargon or technical terms.

How we use words can carry great significance, ensuring everyone understands the information and avoiding miscommunication between colleagues. Therefore, using simple English can be a great way to improve your English communication in the workplace.

4. Understanding cultural nuances in business English

Working in global environments means exposing yourself to many different cultures. Having the ability to adapt to cultural nuances can lead to better communication. Thus, this blog will list some cultural differences that can affect your English communication in the workplace.

a. Direct and Indirect Communication

In some cultures, like the United States and France, direct communication is valued, with individuals expressing their thoughts and opinions openly. However, indirect communication is preferred in cultures such as Japan or Korea, where messages may be conveyed gently or through gestures, and direct disagreement is often avoided.

b. Time Management

In some Western cultures, punctuality is highly valued, and meetings typically start and end on time. However, in cultures like those in Latin America or parts of Africa, being fashionably late may be more acceptable, and meetings may begin with informal chitchat before getting down to business.

c. Nonverbal Communication

Gestures and body language can carry different meanings in different cultures. For instance, while a firm handshake is standard in many Western cultures as a sign of confidence and trust, in some Asian cultures, a softer handshake may be more appropriate. 

Effective communication starts here

In today’s globalised workplace, employers will pay a premium to people with English skills, especially employees who communicate well. Start building better communication with ELSA Speak – an AI tool allowing you to practice one-on-one conversations, correct your English pronunciation and design a personalised learning path fitting your English level!

Improve your English communication in the workplace with ELSA Speak now!