Language audit
Measure first, then invest.
A language audit shows how well your team really masters the language, where it struggles and which training is worth it. The basis for budget, planning and measurable results.
When it pays off
Typical reasons for an audit
Before a large training budget
You want to know what you are paying for and what it delivers.
During internationalisation
New markets, sites or English as the group language.
In recruiting and development
Defining and checking language requirements for roles.
When training is not working
You are already investing but see too little progress.
Process
How a language audit works
Clarify goals
Which roles, which tasks, which languages?
Placement
Tests and interviews to place people on the CEFR and the Global Scale of English.
Analysis
Comparing current levels with role requirements.
Report and plan
Results, recommendations and a concrete training plan with KPIs.
Result
What you get at the end
Each person’s level
On CEFR and GSE, documented transparently.
Gaps by role
Where requirements and ability diverge.
Recommendations
Which formats make sense for whom.
A basis for ROI
Baseline values to measure success later.
We discuss the goal and scope of the audit in a short conversation.
Further reading
Background and examples
Definition
What is a corporate language audit?
A language audit is a structured assessment of language skills across a company or department. It answers three questions: what language skills do employees need for their work? What skills do they actually have? And how can the gap between the two be closed with reasonable effort?
More than a placement test
A placement test measures one person’s level. A language audit relates that level to the requirements of the role, the team and the company’s strategy. A B1 result may be perfectly adequate for someone in accounts and a risk for a key account manager in the export business. Only this comparison turns test results into a basis for decisions.
Who needs a language audit
An audit is worthwhile for companies that are investing in language training on a larger scale for the first time, introducing a corporate language, recruiting international professionals or trying to understand why previous courses had little effect. It works for teams of just a few people as well as for entire sites.
Needs
Language needs analysis: defining the requirements of each role
Before we measure anything, we clarify what is needed. To do this, we talk to senior management, HR and the relevant departments and, where useful, to individual employees. We record the situations in which the foreign language is used, how often, and what the risk is if something goes wrong.
| Role (example) | Typical language situations | Possible target level |
|---|---|---|
| International sales | negotiations, presentations, quotations | B2 to C1 |
| Customer service | phone calls, complaints, emails | B1 to B2 |
| Development, IT | reading documentation, stand-ups, tickets | B1 to B2, higher for reading |
| Production, warehouse | safety notices, short exchanges | A2 to B1 |
The figures in the table are examples. In practice, we set target levels for each skill, because a role may involve a lot of reading and little speaking, or the reverse. You will find a detailed checklist for this step in our article Language needs analysis: a checklist.
Assessment
Language assessment for employees: how we measure proficiency
The assessment has two parts. An online test covers vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening. A placement interview with an experienced trainer shows how fluently, accurately and appropriately someone speaks. If needed, we add a short writing task, such as an email from everyday work.
CEFR and GSE
We map the results to the CEFR (A1 to C2). For English, we also use Pearson’s Global Scale of English, a scale from 10 to 90 that sets out specific learning objectives for each point. This allows us to show differences within a CEFR level and to measure later progress more precisely. Find out more in our article The Global Scale of English explained.
Why self-assessment is not enough
Many companies rely on information from CVs or appraisal meetings. This is often inaccurate: some people overestimate themselves, while others, particularly very conscientious employees, significantly underestimate themselves. An objective assessment prevents badly composed groups and wasted investment. A well-designed test therefore assesses several skills separately and is supplemented by an interview.
Gap analysis
Language skills gap analysis: current level versus target level
In the third step, we compare the requirements with the assessment results. This produces an overview showing where action is needed and where it is not.
| Team (example) | Target speaking | Current speaking (average) | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Export sales | B2 | B1 | significant gap, high priority |
| Procurement | B1 | B1 | target reached, targeted refresher |
| Technical support | B2 | A2 to B2, widely spread | individual measures rather than a group course |
The gap analysis prevents the budget from being spread evenly across everyone. Instead, resources go where the gap is largest and the impact highest.
Report
The language audit report: structure and content
At the end, you receive a written report aimed at decision-makers. It is structured so that senior management can grasp the essentials in a few minutes and HR can plan in detail.
- Executive summary: the key findings and recommendations at a glance
- Team overview: distribution of levels by department and skill
- Gap analysis: deviations from the target level, with priorities
- Recommendations: formats, group composition, scope and sequence of measures
- Baseline: indicators against which the success of later training will be measured
We present individual results only to the extent agreed with you and, where applicable, with the works council. An aggregated view is often sufficient for senior management, while individual profiles are used only for course planning.
ROI
From language audit to measurable ROI of language training
If you want to demonstrate the benefits of language training, you need a baseline. That is exactly what the audit provides. After a training cycle, we measure again using the same instruments and compare. This shows how much has changed, in which teams and for which skills.
Our Head of Studies, Łukasz Pakuła, has described in a two-part series of articles for Pearson how companies can link language data with business indicators. The methodology team under his leadership applies this approach in our audits. Our article The ROI of Business English: a sample calculation shows a worked example.
Useful indicators
- progress on the CEFR and GSE per person and per team
- proportion of employees who reach the target level for their role
- attendance rate in training
- self-assessment in defined work situations before and after training
Use cases
Language audits for recruitment, internationalisation and change
Internationalisation
A company in Middle Franconia is entering new markets. Before sales and service start working internationally, the audit shows who is ready, who needs support and where outside help makes more sense than training.
Introducing a corporate language
When English becomes the working language, uncertainty follows. An audit provides an objective basis, so that nobody is overwhelmed and training starts where it is needed.
Recruitment and staff development
The same instruments can be used to assess applicants’ language skills consistently. This makes job requirements transparent and selection decisions fairer.
When training isn’t working
If courses have been running for years without visible results, an audit often reveals the cause: poorly composed groups, unsuitable content or objectives that were never defined. The results feed directly into the planning of our language courses for companies.
Quality
Avoiding common mistakes in language proficiency assessment
A language audit is only as meaningful as the way it is carried out. From experience, we know a number of mistakes that distort results, and we take care to avoid them.
- A test but no interview: online tests alone mainly measure passive knowledge. Someone who reads well but rarely speaks will be overestimated. That is why we always include an interview.
- One target level for everyone: blanket targets such as “everyone to B2” ignore the fact that roles have different requirements. We define objectives by role and skill.
- No feedback for participants: people who are tested and never hear their result lose trust. We recommend brief personal feedback with pointers on the next step.
- Results without consequences: a report that ends up in a drawer only costs time. Our recommendations are therefore specific enough to be adopted directly into budgets and plans.
Several languages and sites
Our audits focus on English and German. On request, we include other languages, for example if a company has branches in France, Spain or Poland. As all interviews take place online, employees in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and abroad can be assessed to the same standards.
Organisation
Organisation, effort and data protection in a language audit
For employees, the effort involved is small: an online test they can take at a time that suits them and a short video interview. We schedule appointments around shifts, project phases and time zones. For HR, we take care of scheduling and reminders.
Communicating with employees
A language audit is not a performance appraisal. Making this clear from the outset leads to more honest results and greater willingness to take part. On request, we provide you with draft wording for the internal announcement.
Data protection and the works council
We process personal data in accordance with the GDPR and only for the agreed purpose. Where there is a works council, we recommend involving it early and agreeing together who sees which results.
Guides
Language audit and strategy: 10 articles from our blog
Practical knowledge from our Head of Studies and the choices® team, matching this service.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long does a language audit take?
That depends on the number of people and languages. After the first conversation you receive a schedule.
Does it take a lot of staff time?
No. Placement and interview are short and can be scheduled online during the working day.
Which languages can be audited?
Mainly English and German, other languages on request.
What happens to the results?
You receive a report with recommendations. We treat personal data confidentially and in line with the GDPR.
What is the difference between a language audit and a placement test?
A placement test measures the level of individual people. A language audit combines this measurement with an analysis of the requirements of each role and provides recommendations for training, budget and planning.
Do we have to book courses with choices® after the audit?
No. The report is designed so that you can use it independently of any later collaboration. Even so, many companies choose our courses after the audit, because analysis and training then fit together seamlessly.
Is an audit worthwhile for small teams too?
Yes. Even with just a few people, an objective assessment helps you choose the right formats, such as one-to-one training rather than a group with very different levels. We adapt the scope and effort to the size of the team.
How often should a language audit be repeated?
To measure success, we recommend reassessing after a training cycle, often after six to twelve months. In the event of major changes, such as new markets or a new corporate language, an update also makes sense.
Will employees find out their results?
We decide this together with you. We recommend telling each participant their own level and giving a brief recommendation. This builds trust in the process and increases motivation for later training.
Can you also assess job applicants?
Yes. The same instruments can be used to assess language skills consistently in recruitment. The results are then directly comparable with those of your existing teams.