10 BRITISH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS INCLUDING SOME DELICIOUS FESTIVE FOOD

 

Are you feeling festive yet? If not, why not make some time for AMC's "Best Christmas Ever," a slate of 835 hours of holiday classic films and family favorites airing all day, every day through December 25.

Another way to get into the Christmas spirit is with some festive British traditions. Some won't be possible this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but all are certainly worth bookmarking for future holiday inspiration. Get a taste with our guide below!

1. Go to a Pantomime

A pantomime is a type of musical comedy show performed in U.K. theaters through the holiday season. They're aimed at a family crowd, but typically contain some salty double entendres for the adults in the house, plus slapstick humor, topical jokes, and moments of deliberately corny audience participation. In 2020 very few "pantos" – as they're called for short – will take place because of Covid-19, but in a regular year larger regional theaters can attract big-name guest stars such as John Barrowman, Dawn French, and even Pamela Anderson.

2. Sing Christmas Carols

A Christmas carol is simply a Christian festive song celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. You don't need to be particularly religious to enjoy them, though, and in many British villages groups of "carol singers" will go from street to street delivering ditties in exchange for small charitable donations. It's just one way in which Brits like to spread a little festive cheer!

3. Eat Christmas Dinner

In the U.K., a lavish Christmas dinner served on December 25 is the most important family mealtime of the year. This year, due to social distancing restrictions, many folks won't be able to enjoy it with their loved ones as they normally would. Brits typically tuck into roast turkey or a nut roast with vegetables, stuffing, and pigs in blankets, followed by a portion of Christmas pudding with custard. Families who enjoy a bit of flamboyance will douse the pudding with brandy then set it alight before serving.

4. Drink Baileys Irish cream

Invented in 1971, this Irish liqueur is made from cream, cocoa, and whiskey. It's available all year round in the U.K. and Ireland, but it's especially associated with the festive season because it feels so rich and indulgent. Bottoms up!

5. Pull Christmas Crackers

Since being invented by London baker Tom Smith in 1847, Christmas crackers have become a U.K. holiday staple. They're basically a fun festive table decoration which Brits enjoy after eating the main course of their Christmas dinner. One person grabs one side of the cracker; a second grips the other; then they both pull firmly. As the cracker tears apart, it makes a loud snapping sound and a small gift falls out – perhaps a key ring or a bottle opener. Often crackers also contain a party hat and a joke so terrible that only your dad will laugh.

6. Watch Classic Sitcoms

Nearly every top-tier British sitcom has at least one "Christmas special" episode, and the best ones get repeated on the main networks every year. The most popular sitcoms will see their new Christmas specials scheduled for Christmas Day – just as Gavin & Stacey did last year. Viewing figures have historically been huge: the 1996 Only Fools and Horses Christmas special attracted a massive 24.35 million viewers, making it the U.K.'s fifth most watched program of all time.

7. Watch the Queen

A Christmas Day message from Queen Elizabeth II has been shown in the U.K. every year since she became monarch in 1952 – initially as a radio broadcast, then on TV from 1957 onward. Simulcast on BBC One and ITV at 3pm GMT, it lasts for around 10 minutes and will have been recorded by the Queen up to a fortnight earlier. She generally strikes an optimistic note, though this year's message will undoubtedly feature some reflections on the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic.

8. Nurse a Hangover

In a regular year, at least one family member tends to enjoy one too many festive tipples at the pub on Christmas Eve, then wakes up on Christmas Day feeling a touch delicate. Their punishment? Becoming the butt of the joke for the rest of the day.

9. Eat Mince Pies

These sweet pies are enjoyed as a teatime treat in the U.K. all through the holidays; you'll see them on British supermarket shelves from November onward. Though they're filled with something called "mincemeat," they don't contain any actual meat (and haven't since Victorian times), only a sticky mix of dried fruits and spices. They're often eaten cold but if you want to warm them up and drizzle with custard, no one will object.

10. Continue the Festivities on Boxing Day

In the U.K., December 26 is another public holiday known as Boxing Day. Most families keep things a little more low-key than on Christmas Day, which could mean anything from turkey omelettes for breakfast to taking a leisurely walk, and shopping online for post-Christmas bargains, to playing board games with the grandparents. The overall vibe is very much "you do you."

Do you have a favorite British festive tradition?

Tomado de: https://www.bbcamerica.com/blogs/10-british-christmas-traditions-including-some-delicious-festive-food--1015605

Top Professions For Language Speakers

 

Having knowledge in several languages, is to have the doors open to access a large number of jobs. If you are interested in knowing which are the best professions for people who speak languages, this is the article for you.

Knowing languages is a great advantage to access a large number of jobs in different areas. Not only to access to job offers related to languages.

Have you ever come across job offers where you were not selected or could not even apply for the position because of the language level required?

This is a reality today, knowing languages opens the doors to a globalized world.

But... What are the best professions for people who speak languages? You'll find out below.

Although language skills are an advantage to access certain job offers, in fact, most of the job offers that we currently find require language skills, there are a number of specific professions for people with language studies.

Translators

Working as a translator is one of the main jobs we find for the multilingual public. It is a very flexible career with the possibility of working from home.

Normally, it is required to have studied translation and interpreting in order to fill one of the jobs offered to work in companies, institutions, etc. In addition, many of these translators tend to specialize in various subjects; legal, medical or technical translation, in order to qualify for a well-paid job.

In addition to working for companies or public or private organizations, there is also the possibility of working as a freelancer or freelance for translation agencies.

Is it compulsory to have a degree to work as a translator? It is desirable, but not mandatory, at least for certain jobs. Yes, there are possibilities for people without a degree in translation and interpreting.

In fact, through the internet, there are many options to earn money as a translator where you can earn extra money.

Another great option is to set up your own online business and offer your services as a translator as well as other products. If you want to work from anywhere in the world as a true digital nomad, this option is highly recommended.

Interpreter

Interpreting, although not for everyone, is another recurring option for people who speak several languages.

An interpreter is in charge of translating an oral speech from one language to another. There are several modalities: simultaneous interpretation; when it is done in real time or consecutive interpretation; when a person speaks and the interpreter translates during the pause.

Logically, in order to get a job as an interpreter, it is necessary to have training related to the position. However, depending on the job offer, you may find opportunities for people with no training, or simply people who are bilingual.

Where you can work as an interpreter

There are many options, from working for private companies to working for international organizations, professional congresses, embassies, medical services, courts, schools, or other public services.

You can enter one of these jobs as a civil servant, working permanently for a single organization, usually offering high monthly salaries, job security, as well as other benefits that come with being a civil servant.

The other option is to work as a freelancer; it offers more freedom to work in different organizations and can combine work with other activities. For example, having a professional blog or doing translations for extra money.

Language Teacher

Everything you know, you can teach, remember that.

Language teacher is another professional opportunity for people with knowledge in several languages. However, in most cases you will need a degree to teach.

Working as a language teacher you will find employment wherever you go. In a globalized world, languages are becoming more and more necessary.

Where to work as a language teacher

Language teacher is one of the most promising careers. The options for working as a language teacher, both nationally and abroad, are very wide and you can teach in schools, universities, academies, official language schools, NGOs, public and private organizations, online classes, creating language courses,...

What are the most used languages

There are hundreds of languages in the world, but as you may well know, some are more widely used than others and therefore, you will have more outlets, although there may also be more competition.

Let's take a look at the main languages most in demand for language learning.

English is the most demanded language. This implies that there is a great demand for teachers in this language, although the competence is high and the number of people from all over the world who can teach this language is high, since there are many English-speaking countries.

Other languages in demand with which you can find opportunities to work as a language teacher will be German, Chinese, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Italian.

However, there are also languages such as Norwegian or Finnish which, although they are less in demand, are also in demand, especially for work in these destinations.

As you will see, the most demanded languages have nothing to do with the order of the most spoken languages in the world. Here is an infographic with the most spoken languages.

Training to work as a language teacher

Training to work as a language teacher is essential. There are several options for acquiring training to enable you to work as a language teacher. Depending on where you want to teach languages, you will need to have one or another type of training or qualification.

You can obtain this training through courses in academies, online courses or through a degree such as philology or an equivalent master's degree.

For example, to work as a Spanish teacher at a university, they generally require a master's degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language or a doctorate in philology.

If you are going to offer English classes, it will also depend on where you are going to give your classes, it is not the same to give classes in an online academy, in a school or in a university. However, in most cases you will have to have the TELF or CELTA and have a good level of English. Sometimes, you may also be required to have a Master's degree in English teaching.

In addition, you must take into account that, in order to access a place in an institute or Official Language School, you have to pass some previous exams that will give you access to a place in one of these centers.

Tourist guide

If you have language skills, are passionate about travel and tourism, working as a tour guide is another recurring employment option for people with language skills.

However, you must meet a series of requirements such as customer service, public speaking skills, organizational skills, a taste for history, art and architecture, or a passion for sports and travel.

To work as a tour guide, in some cities, or countries, you need to have a special tour guide card that certifies your work. This is due to the fact that in many destinations unofficial tour guides sneak in.

These cards can be obtained in the agencies of each autonomous community or even through the tourist guide agencies themselves, where they can facilitate the procedures.

Be careful, there are not only options to work as a tour guide in cities showing churches and museums.

Working as a guide encompasses much more, and sometimes, it becomes a profession that can take you around the world. You can also work as an active tourism guide, hiking, diving, biking... and languages will always be essential since you will be working with a group of foreigners.

Training to work as a tour guide

Ideally, you should have a university education in tourism, although this is not always the case. On the other hand, having knowledge of languages and even diplomas can open the doors to work as a tour guide both nationally and internationally.

There are also specialized courses to become a tour guide.

Languages are essential to apply for this type of jobs.

Sign language interpreter

Working as a sign language interpreter (ILS) is also an option for people with language skills. These professionals enable communication between sign language users and speech users (or vice versa).

Sign language is officially recognized as having its own grammar, vocabulary and structure, very different from Spanish. In sign language, hands, forms and expressions are used to communicate, not words.

Each country has its own version of sign language.

Where to work as a sign interpreter

The options for working as a sign language interpreter are as wide-ranging as in other translation-related jobs.

The workplaces where you can find a job as a sign interpreter could be divided by environment:

 Legal - Meetings with lawyers, collaborating with the police or in the courts and prisons...

 Business - Conferences, job interviews, meetings, events...

 Education - Schools, vocational training, usually in the classroom.

 Medical - Working in medical settings such as hospitals, outpatient clinics and others with healthcare professionals.

 Religious, social and cultural events, galas...

Training to work as a sign interpreter

The training to work as a sign interpreter is essentially based on courses or training cycles to learn the language and interpretation. These courses usually last between one and two years.

In some universities it has begun to be studied as a university degree, as is the case of the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Other foreign universities such as the University of Hamburg, Trinity College Dublin or the University of Bristol also include this training program among their degrees.

Other jobs where language skills would be useful

There are other professions that require language skills to carry them out. They are professions that complement each other very well with languages. It can be another good option if you are not interested in the previous ones.

Journalism

Although languages are an essential complement to work, especially as an international journalist, if you want to work as a foreign correspondent, having language skills will open doors. Even more so if you speak languages other than the usual ones.

Logically, to work as a journalist, you have to have a background in journalism.

Finance

Many international banks, insurance companies and other accounting firms operate on an opportunity basis and offer opportunities to work in overseas offices.

Import - Export

Companies conducting import or export business often hire professionals who speak different languages to conduct their business.

On a technical level, the ability to speak a foreign language is important in any industry involving the transportation of goods or services across international borders.

You see many such job offers for people who speak languages such as Russian, Arabic or Chinese. To find such job offers, just go to the main search engines and search for translator/interpreter. Linkedin is a good tool to locate this type of job offers.

Legal

Another of the great fields where knowledge of other languages can open the doors to a very attractive job.

International legal issues are the order of the day. Many multinational companies have large teams of professionals of this type to solve any incidents that may arise.

Tourism

Languages are essential for working in the tourism sector, a sector that is experiencing strong growth.

In most tourism-related training programs, several languages are studied. A tourism manager, for example, must have knowledge of several languages to be able to communicate adequately and communicate internationally with other professionals.

Working at the front desk of a hotel or resort will also require knowledge of several languages.

Other possible jobs in the tourism sector include managing accommodation (from hotels to hostels, cruise ships, campsites...), food services, reception services, information, intermediation, tourism consultancy, etc.

If you enjoy working in the tourism sector and have knowledge of several languages, you will have an advantage in accessing a job position over other professionals.

Event management

If you want to dedicate yourself to event management at a high level, you should have, in addition to the related training in event organization, language skills.

If you have to organize a large international wedding, music event, international music festival, or even an Olympic Games, you will need to be fluent in at least several languages to properly organize the event with hundreds of people from different destinations.

Flight Attendants or Flight Attendants

In addition to languages, working as a flight attendant offers you something that all Trabajarporelmundo.org followers love, traveling.

You will be able to travel and get to know different destinations, although sometimes, depending on the flight, it does not give much time. It all depends on the company and the routes you take.

However, working as a flight attendant offers you a unique opportunity to combine your passion for travel, languages, and people.

Flight attendants, in addition to assisting passengers on flights or serving drinks, are also in charge of passenger safety. They check emergency equipment, toilets, etc. to ensure that everything is in order.

As for training to become a flight attendant, you will have to pass a Flight Attendant (Flight Attendant) course in an approved school. Here you have access to some flight attendant training programs.

The requirements to work as a flight attendant are rigorous, they will vary depending on the company, however, they ask to be in good health, know how to swim, minimum height (will vary depending on the company), minimum high school education, knowledge of languages, good presence, good vision, or be between 21 to 30 years old approximately, as well as geographical availability.

Editor

Nowadays, thanks to the Internet, there are many websites that are looking for people who speak several languages to work translating blog articles.

This type of offers can be found on websites or newspapers where they publish job opportunities for copywriters.

These jobs usually hire freelancers to work remotely. Sometimes, to fill one of these jobs, knowledge of WordPress is required.

How to increase your chances of getting a job where languages are required

Nowadays, training is essential to access a good job.

Training

If you are going to look for a job for a company, institution or organization, you must take into account that they will ask you to have training related to the position.

Skills

In addition, adding that you have skills is a plus for employers to look at your profile. Technological skills are fundamental nowadays. Having a minimum of knowledge in technological and computer tools is essential.

Language Certificates

Having certificates of the languages you speak will be an added value. For example, having the TELF, TOELF, IELTS, Cambridge English... (In case of English language). DELF A1, DELF A2, DELF B1, DELF B2, DALF C1 or DALF C2 (for French).

Personal Branding

Last but not least, you will earn much more by having a well-established personal brand.

Work on your brand from the first moment, give it attention, effort and desire to stand out. If you work your personal brand well, they will end up looking for you to work for them instead of you looking for a job. Here you will find some tips to create your personal brand.

Reference: (https://trabajarporelmundo.org/profesiones-personas-hablan-idiomas/)

How to improve professional communication in a foreign language

The first major cultural challenge faced by any immigrant centers on getting a job in which he or she needs to use, on a full-time basis, a foreign language. In fact, the anxiety that the worker experiences in a multicultural environment is considered inversely proportional to the command he or she exhibits of a language that is not his or her own.

Improve professional communication in a foreign language 

The better one's knowledge of a language, the more confident and secure one will be in exchanges with native-speaking colleagues who communicate in that language. Conversely, immigrants with a poor command of the host country's official language risk causing cultural misunderstandings in the office and tarnishing their performance.

In addition, in many countries, such as Canada and European nations, work and business are conducted in multilingual environments. The challenge, then, lies in expressing oneself in a professional environment in more than two languages. 

Perfect bilinguals are not exempt from facing cultural clashes of linguistic origin, since this type of disagreement arises even between individuals who have a common language but come from different countries. 

The explanation lies in the different ways of speaking a language and the different connotations of phrases and idioms by the receiver according to his or her cultural context. 

A variety of techniques can be implemented to develop more effective professional communication. 

In this regard, eleven useful tips are listed below: 

Setting the pace and tone of communication

Expressing yourself slowly and clearly is a polite but direct way of sending a message to those who hear you: "This is how I want you to communicate with me. 

It does not pay to try to speak fast or use familiar language to convince of optimal language proficiency. On the contrary, with a slow pace and a formal tone, colleagues will appreciate your efforts to converse efficiently in their language and will respond in kind.

Construct simple and direct sentences that ensure accuracy.

A useful tip for those who are beginning to work in another language is to construct simple sentences, avoiding incisive and complicated terms. In oral and written communication, simple verbs, active sentences, easy to pronounce and commonly used words should prevail.

When requesting or giving instructions, conciseness and accuracy should be preferred. For this reason, the following expressions: "as soon as possible", "at your best judgment", and "as appropriate", are characterized by their indefiniteness and varied speculations according to the linguistic-cultural context.

However, it is possible to achieve precision in statements similar to these: "The report is due on such and such a date and time"; or "Specifically, how would you like this situation to be handled?

Avoiding informal idiomatic expressions

Local idioms and idiomatic usages represent the most difficult part of a foreign language to master.

It is essential to eliminate them from professional communication in order to avoid confusion and errors. In the same way, it is necessary to eradicate joking or foul language, even if colleagues use it.

Indicate the ideas that have not been understood

It is normal that in the early stages there are instructions or ideas that are not perfectly understood. It is recommended, in these cases, to ask for immediate clarification. In the professional environment, all concepts should be clarified.

It may seem embarrassing at first, but it is worthwhile to make sure for the sake of work efficiency.

Check if you have been understood

Just as it is considered pertinent to ask for clarification, it is almost an obligation to offer it. Effective communication in a foreign language resembles a two-way street: one understands and must make oneself understood.

A professional strategy to know if the recipient has understood what has been said is based on asking him/her to summarize what he/she has retained from the conversation.

Likewise, you can tell that the other person has understood if you present the original idea in different words. Useful phrases might be: "In other words, what is expected..." or "The key to this instruction is...".

Exercising patience

It may seem a simple thing to say, but a beginner in a foreign language needs to cultivate patience. Therefore, it should not be taken as a personal offense or insult if the listener does not understand and frequently asks you to repeat what has been said.

In addition, with genuine tolerance, efforts must be made to accept and get used to the accent of the nationals, which differs from the standards learned in the language schools of the country of origin.

This is the case of "Québécois", the French spoken in Quebec, the French-speaking province of Canada, which is far from that used in France.

A similar situation occurs with the generalized English in certain areas of the United States, such as the Southern states; or the Australian English or the English spoken in New Zealand, whose idioms and local expressions are often difficult to understand even for native English speakers.

In line with the above, the Spanish of Spain is quoted, peppered with terms and expressions so local that they are often beyond the comprehension of Latin Americans.

Finally, patience must also be exercised with the other immigrants, who add their own accents and expressions to the already complex labor situation.

Prefer you

Whether or not to use a Tute or not is a complicated decision. When communication takes place in English, any hesitation disappears; while in Romance languages (French, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, etc.), doubts arise in the choice of one form or the other.

Should I be on a first-name basis with my colleagues, should I distance myself and address my client as "you"? My boss is addressing me in the same way, should I treat him in the same way? In some societies, informal communication is preferred and addressing the other person as "tutee" is approved as an expression of trust. The United States, Canada and Australia are models of informality in the workplace.

In other peoples, on the other hand, this behavior is considered a terrible discourtesy, which has a negative impact on the perception of the worker. For example, Europeans are distinguished by the systematic use of usted, even in circumstances that might seem extreme, such as among friends and family.

Thus, in order to avoid risks, it is advisable to use usted, unless the interlocutor expressly requests otherwise.

Harmonize the tone of the communication with the medium.

When working in a multicultural and multilingual environment, special care should be taken in choosing the communication channel with the appropriate form and tone. For example, not all information should be transmitted in an e-mail, since certain messages are expressed orally and in direct contact with the recipient.

Each resource (e-mail, telephone, videoconference, chat, etc.) has its own communicational execution and when a foreign language is used, it is sometimes difficult to understand the dynamics of a certain culture. Therefore, prudence, patience and common sense are the immigrant's best allies.

Avoid putting yourself at a disadvantage

In the work environment, the immigrant should refrain from mentioning his or her language limitations as a pretext to avoid certain responsibilities or challenges. Moreover, making excuses at every turn for "faulty use of the language" could be misinterpreted by colleagues and supervisors.

Thus, the best way out is based on strengthening the necessary confidence to understand that every day the mastery of the new language will increase, because "practice makes perfect".

Therefore, we start from the conviction that the improvement of a foreign language is achieved precisely by practicing it in a real context, such as the workplace. In short, leaving the classroom and speaking the language learned in the office on a daily basis will make a big difference.

In Rome, do as the Romans do

A good practice involves respecting and adopting the linguistic conventions and formalities of daily use, i.e., adopting the greeting and farewell phrases of those born or established in the place, especially if they correspond to the formal language and not to the familiar one.

It is also useful to study and use the models of other employees in the configuration of texts, such as the headings and closings of letters or e-mails.

In some corporations, written communication is characterized by its formality and is usually regulated by style manuals, which should be carefully examined and followed.

Younger workers, belonging to the so-called "Generation Y" or "Millennials", permeate the corporate work environment with informality.

This is particularly evident in technology companies, which abound in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Despite this trend, formal dealings in this sector are reserved only for clients or external audiences.

Consuming popular culture in the new language

It is advisable to keep informed about the news, culture, sports and entertainment of the community where you live. Also, learn the names of local leaders and personalities, actors and athletes.

At the same time, get to know the popular television programs, read the daily press and, if possible, subscribe to local publications. These suggestions will undoubtedly help to understand the cultural references made by colleagues during work talks and will stimulate the learning of expressions, idioms and terms that will gradually make the immigrant feel at home.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE LEARNING

 

There are the obvious, everyday advantages to speaking a foreign language, such as impressing your friends, turning around a date that's going badly and one of the strongest senses of pride and achievement that you can have. It can also open many potential career doors, not only in terms of the range of jobs, but also the range of destinations to find a job abroad.

Become more employable

Learning a new language is a great way to make yourself stand out from the competition.

As the world becomes more and more globalized, the demand for language speakers from companies is on the increase as they expand operations into new markets. These companies therefore need language speakers to satisfy the demands of their clients across the world. It is much easier to build a relationship with somebody when you speak the same language as them. You can simply connect with them on a more personal level and break through communication barriers if you speak the same language.

There are financial gains to be enjoyed from learning a second language too. It’s even estimated that multilinguals earn 8% more than their monolingual counterparts.

Improve your skills

Learning a new language also demonstrates that you have a host of other skills. According to studies, multilinguals are better at problem solving, more creative and are better multitaskers. All of these skills are very attractive to any potential employer.

Language learning also helps to make you more tolerant – multilinguals are usually more open minded and accepting of change.

It can also help you learn other languages more easily. For many, the initial embarrassment barrier can really hold learners back from mastering a language. Getting through this barrier can help improve your confidence and help you go on to learn further languages. The confidence that you gain can also help to give you that boost to do things that you’ve never done before, such as moving abroad.

Another important reason to learn a language is that it makes you more attractive according to 71% of Americans and 64% of Brits.

Opportunities to travel          

By learning a new language, you open up a whole new section of the world for you to comfortably explore. Remember, if you only speak English then you can only communicate with 20% of the world’s population. If, for example, you learn another widely spoken language like Spanish or French, you immediately open up a whole other percentage of the world’s population that you can interact with. Being able to travel with your language is a great way of meeting new people and creating ever-lasting friendships, or even finding love…

Possessing more than one language also opens up a world of entertainment – the ability to understand international art and literature can really help to appreciate the world around us.

Brain benefits of learning a language

Perhaps the most important benefit of learning a language is not the most well-known. According to studies in Sweden, learning a language causes areas of the brain associated with memory, namely the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, to increase in size. Like any muscle in the body, regularly exercising your brain can make stronger and more flexible.

What's more, it has been suggested that learning a second language helps prevent brain diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's, and can even have a profound effect on your ability to understand music.

Interested in studying a language? Use our search to find the perfect program or location for you!

ERRORES QUE COMETEMOS AL HABLAR INGLÉS

 

Why language skills are so important

Effective communication is at the heart of every business – conversations with customers, suppliers, colleagues and partners. For companies operating internationally, communication is multilingual. While English is broadly viewed as the lingua franca of business, global companies are undoubtedly able to enjoy richer, more productive conversations with stakeholders across borders when they can operate in different languages.

Through language we connect with people, not just through what we say but in the way we understand and relate to one another. Communication is about more than just the spoken and written word - it’s about appreciating other cultures and, in the corporate world, about understanding different ways of conducting business. The nuances and subtleties go towards building strong connections and they can be the difference between winning or losing contracts and establishing - or failing to establish - long-lasting business relationships.

Recognising this, a range of studies have looked into the impact on UK businesses – and the UK as a whole - of a lack of foreign language skills. Indeed, last year the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages cites the UK’s language skills deficit is currently estimated to cost 3.5% of GDP.  Understandably, this resonates with business. So much so, that a CBI/Pearson survey, recently cited by the government, revealed that almost two thirds of businesses say employees’ foreign language skills are important.

Post-Brexit, corporations will be keen to assert their position in an unfamiliar trading environment. UK businesses with a workforce proficient in no language other than English may find themselves – and the UK as a whole – at a disadvantage.

The importance of language skills

When individuals and teams can engage confidently with internal and external stakeholders across borders, opportunities can be seized and problems more easily addressed. Working relationships can be made stronger and this, in turn, helps improve productivity. There are also day-to-day, practical benefits to in-house language capabilities including cost reductions through a reduced reliance on translators.

These are strong reasons for investing in language learning, but there is also evidence of other benefits that speakers of one or more additional languages enjoy. A number of studies have shown that a range of more general, desirable attributes can come from bi- or multilingualism and these attributes can be valuable to employers as well as employees.      

More than just communications skills

There is a correlated link between how many languages someone speaks and their decision-making abilities with psychologists at the University of Chicago suggesting that people make more “rational” decisions when they use their second, non-native language. A Pennsylvania State University study meanwhile, indicates that people with more than one language make better multi-taskers, possibly because switching between languages is a form of “mental exercise” that equips the speaker with mental “juggling” skills.

Fortunately for companies wanting to grasp the opportunities that a workforce proficient in languages brings, technology and digital learning solutions can help assess employees’ current capabilities and language learning needs and deliver programmes to suit individuals, teams and the company as a whole.

Where employees are geographically dispersed and comprise a range of office-based, home-based and occasional office-based workers, digital learning packages provide a higher level of flexibility than purely face-to-face training can. Not only that, it supports the needs of HR and Learning & Development to centrally track and report on team and employee training progress and to measure the overall success of training programmes. 

Technology-enabled study can help meet each learner’s own particular training needs by assessing their capabilities up-front and adapting the programme according to learning pace, style and rate of progress. Multimedia formats enhance the learning experience and can help engage employees, while personal feedback helps keep learners motivated.

Languages are to be spoken and listened to, not just read, so it’s important that learning programmes support the spoken word. Simulated realistic speaking situations can be delivered through online learning and these help employees develop and maintain good pronunciation and build confidence in conversing in the language they are learning.

In the global world of business, the ability to communicate across cultures and boundaries isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. Many businesses are turning to technology to help them plug their communications skills gaps, and to build language capabilities within their workforces that will help them enjoy fruitful interactions and sustain long-lasting customer and supplier relationships. 

Tomado de: https://www.hrzone.com/community/blogs/sabineschnorr/why-language-skills-are-so-important#:~:text=The%20importance%20of%20language%20skills,in%20turn%2C%20helps%20improve%20productivity.

5 Simple Ways To Beat Your Post-Vacation Blues

 Because coming back to reality can be harsh.

You’re back from vacation which means you’re likely feeling relaxed. But then the emails start to pile up, stress rises and suddenly it’s as though everything feels ho-hum again.

Sometimes those post-vacation blues serve a purpose: Experts say they may help you realize you need shake things up at home in order to feel satisfied. But if you’re happy with your home life, it might be more difficult to cope with those negative emotions once you get back.

So, how do you maintain the sunny outlook you had while you were away? Below are some tips for keeping the good vibes going after returning from a dreamy vacation:

1. Plan your next trip.

The happiest part of your vacation may not be the vacation itself, but the moments leading up to it. According to a 2010 study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality Of Life, just planning a trip can lead to increased feelings of happiness.

And if you’re itching to plan your trip during office hours, you’re not alone: An estimated 69 percent of vacations are researched at work, according to a poll by Travelzoo. Next time you hit the mid-afternoon slump, perhaps browse the web for your next travel destination. You just might perk up.

2. Re-create your favorite meal from your vacation.

Research suggests food and memory are intricately tied, which is why certain foods bring us straight back to childhood. The same could be argued for your last trip.

Make a night of it and whip up your favorite meal from your vacation. Or, if you want to take it a step further, look into perfecting a certain cuisine from your recently-visited location in a more longterm way. For example, if you loved the ramen in Japan or the handmade pasta in Italy, check out local cooking classes to perfect the skill of making it at home. Bonus: Studies show learning a new skill keeps your brain sharp.

3. Clean out your house.

Nothing proves living with less is possible like having to live out of a suitcase for a few days. Allow your vacation to motivate you to finally de-clutter ― and thus de-stress ― your life.

Take a look at your closet as though it’s your suitcase for a trip and keep only the necessities. What are the guidelines for making the cut? Try the Kondo method, which author Marie Kondo outlines in her best-selling book The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up. The Japanese technique has you purge all the belongings that do not bring you joy. And doing so will help reframe your physical space along with your mental one, too.

4. Frame your favorite memories.

Once you’re home and settled back into routine, reserve some time to look through all the photographs you took on vacation. Pick the most meaningful moments from the trip and frame them for your home or share them on social media. Going back through photos and videos from your trip can evoke a sense of nostalgia, which research shows can enhance your mood.

5. Make time for relaxation.

In the same Applied Research in Quality Of Life happiness study, scientists also found that the people who were more joyful also reported feeling “very relaxed” on vacation.

It’s not always possible to find the money or the resources to escape your every day routine, but there are simple ways to have a blissed-out vacation vibe at home. A hot bath or shower is natural relaxer which may also reduce feelings of loneliness. Additionally, you can always go for a short walk, which research shows can lift boost your mood even when you least expect it.

And before you know it, the next trip will be underway.

Tomado de: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ways-to-beat-post-vacation-blues_n_5845dc80e4b028b32338d98a?guccounter=1