Language courses for companies
Language training that pays off in the working day.
Online language courses for teams, departments and managers. With needs analysis, placement, clear goals and regular reports for HR. Business English, German for international staff and many other languages.
Your benefit
Less catalogue. More impact.
Standard courses waste budget because they miss what your teams actually do. We build the training around the situations in which the language is really needed.
Needs analysis, not a catalogue
We talk to managers and learners and derive the goals from real tasks.
Placement on CEFR and GSE
Everyone starts at the right level. The fine-grained GSE makes even small progress visible.
Small groups
Four learners is ideal, six the maximum. Managers often learn one to one.
Material from your working day
Your emails, presentations and conversations become the lesson content.
Reports HR can use
Attendance, progress and recommendations in regular reports, with KPIs on request.
Plannable and flexible
Lessons that fit shifts, sites and time zones. Online by video, no travel time.
Process
From analysis to measurable results
Needs analysis
A conversation with you and, where useful, a language audit for the whole team.
Placement
A short placement test and interview. This is how we form the right groups.
Training
Online lessons in small groups or one to one, with goals taken from the job.
Reporting
Regular reports on attendance and progress, and agreement on next steps.
Formats for companies
The right format for every team
Group company course
For teams with a similar level and a shared goal.
- six learners maximum
- lessons during working hours possible
- reports for HR
One to one for managers
For presentations, negotiations and international meetings at management level.
- full schedule flexibility
- confidential setting
- focus on specific occasions
Intensive training
For teams before a project launch, a trade fair or an assignment abroad.
- several lessons a week
- clearly defined goal
- structured plan
Language audit
We assess the level and needs of everyone involved.
- placement of staff
- report with recommendations
- basis for budget and planning
We estimate scope and budget after a short needs analysis. No obligation.
KPIs and ROI
What is not measured gets cut.
Language training competes with many other costs. According to an article on the Pearson blog, only around 15 per cent of organisations actively measure the return on investment of their training. We want your training to be among those that are measured.
Łukasz Pakuła, Head of Studies at choices®, wrote a two-part series on this for Pearson: how the Global Scale of English (GSE), with its 10 to 90 scale, shows progress that the broad CEFR bands miss, and how language data can be turned into figures that matter to management.
Case studies
How other companies learn with us
Selected projects by our team in Poland, described in detail on choices.com.pl.
Needs analysis
Corporate language training starts with a needs analysis
A corporate language course is only as good as the question asked before it begins. That is why every programme at choices® starts with a needs analysis rather than the choice of a coursebook. We want to understand the situations in which your employees actually need the language, how often they arise and what it costs the business when communication breaks down.
Conversations with managers, HR and participants
We begin with the person responsible for the project, usually from learning and development or the relevant department. Short conversations with team leaders follow and, where useful, with individual participants. The questions are practical: who writes emails to international customers? Who chairs calls with the parent company? Who reads English contracts, standards or technical documentation? Who needs to communicate in German with new colleagues on the shop floor?
Mapping everyday language situations at work
The answers produce a list of typical language situations, weighted by frequency and importance. For an inside sales team, phone calls, quotations and complaints may come first. For a development team, it might be code reviews, stand-ups and documentation. For senior management, negotiations and investor presentations.
The result: learning objectives you can check
The analysis does not end with a vague aim such as “improve English”, but with an objective you can observe. For example: participants chair a 30-minute project meeting in English, summarise the outcomes in writing and handle follow-up questions with confidence. Objectives like these are what make the reporting meaningful later on. If you would like more structure in advance, our guide Planning language training in your company sets out the key steps. For larger teams, we also recommend a language audit.
Placement
Assessing employees’ language levels with the CEFR and GSE
After the needs analysis, we establish each participant’s language level. To do this, we combine a short online placement test with a conversation with a trainer. The test covers vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening, while the conversation shows how fluently and confidently someone really speaks. Only the two together give a realistic picture.
Why two scales
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with its levels from A1 to C2, is well established in job profiles and certificates. For managing a training programme, however, it is rather broad: many months of work lie between B1 and B2. For English, we therefore also use Pearson’s Global Scale of English. It runs from 10 to 90 and sets out specific learning objectives for each point, so smaller steps forward become visible even when they do not yet amount to a new CEFR level.
From test result to group
We form groups by level and learning objective, not by organisation chart. A sales manager at B2 and an administrator at A2 will not learn in the same group, even if they work in the same department. Where levels vary widely, we suggest a mix of small groups and one-to-one training. Anyone who falls between two groups is placed according to their most important objective.
Lessons
Language courses for employees: how a lesson is structured
A lesson lasts 45 minutes. Many companies book double lessons because they leave more room for role plays and simulations. Each lesson follows a set pattern, which the trainer adapts to the objective and level.
- Warm-up: a short exchange about a current work topic so that everyone starts speaking straight away.
- Input: new phrases, vocabulary or a structure needed for the target situation.
- Practice: guided exercises until the form is secure.
- Transfer: a realistic task, such as a call with an unhappy customer or a project status update.
- Feedback: targeted correction, notes on typical mistakes and a short task before the next lesson.
Materials from your own company
Alongside proven coursebooks, we work with your own documents: anonymised emails, presentations, product descriptions and process instructions. Participants practise exactly the vocabulary they will need the next day. We treat confidential documents in confidence and, on request, sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Systematic revision
New phrases are deliberately recycled in the following lessons. Something that comes up only once is forgotten within a fortnight. Something used in three different situations stays.
Trainers
Qualified trainers for corporate language courses
The trainer has more influence on the success of a course than any material. That is why our selection process is rigorous: only 1 in 25 applicants passes it. We assess language proficiency, teaching qualifications, experience of teaching adults and the ability to run a live online lesson in which every participant stays actively involved.
The right fit for your sector and team
Our trainers come from 10 countries and bring a range of professional backgrounds. We would choose a different person for a finance team than for a logistics centre or a software development team. Trainers are matched by the methodology team led by our Head of Studies, Łukasz Pakuła.
Continuity and handover
A group usually keeps the same trainer for the whole programme. Course continuity is our priority. All our trainers are trained to the same standards, and whenever a change of trainer is necessary, for example due to illness, there is always a structured handover covering progress, goals, materials and agreements. If the chemistry is not right, we suggest another trainer without asking you for a lengthy explanation.
Reporting
Reporting for HR and learning and development
HR departments do not need endless spreadsheets. They need information they can base decisions on. Our reports are therefore short and follow a fixed structure.
| Element | What it shows | How HR uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance | Participation per person and per group | Spotting early where motivation or scheduling is not working |
| Progress | Development on the CEFR and, for English, the GSE | Demonstrating impact and justifying the budget |
| Objectives | Status of the agreed learning objectives | Comparing with the requirements of the role |
| Recommendations | Next steps, format, scope | Planning the following year |
KPIs that suit your company
If you wish, we agree measurable indicators at the outset, such as attendance rate, progress on the GSE or self-assessment in defined work situations. Our article Planning a budget for language training explains how to set a realistic budget.
Formats
Group course or one-to-one training for companies: a comparison
The right format depends on the objective, the level and people’s availability. One-to-one training is the most effective format because the whole lesson belongs to one person. Small groups are cost-efficient and provide conversation partners who, as in real working life, do not always speak perfectly either.
| One-to-one | Small group of 4 | Group of 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking time per person | very high | high | medium |
| Individual objectives | fully | largely | shared objective |
| Scheduling flexibility | very high | medium | lower |
| Cost per person | highest | medium | lowest |
| Typical use | managers, urgent needs | teams at a similar level | foundations, refresher courses |
In our view, four participants is the ideal and six the upper limit. We deliberately do not offer larger groups, because speaking time drops too sharply.
Online rather than in person
We teach exclusively online, by video. For companies with several sites, for example in Nuremberg, Vienna and Zurich, the question of where the course takes place simply disappears. There is no travel time, and employees working from home take part just like colleagues in the office. Our article Language training for remote teams shows how this works in distributed teams.
Examples
Corporate language training in practice: typical scenarios
Every project is different, but certain situations come up again and again.
A growing exporter in the Mittelstand
A mechanical engineering firm near Ansbach wins customers in Scandinavia and North America. Suddenly, sales and service staff need to make calls in English, explain quotations and handle complaints. Small groups organised by function work well here, supplemented by one-to-one training for the head of sales.
A subsidiary with English as its working language
After an acquisition, English becomes the group language. Many employees read well but hesitate to speak in meetings. The training focuses on speaking confidence, meeting routines and written summaries. Find out more on our Business English courses page.
International specialists joining the workforce
A company recruits skilled workers from abroad. They are strong in their field, but lack German for everyday life and teamwork. We combine job-related German lessons with topics such as health and safety, shift handovers and customer contact. Details are available under German courses online.
A manager ahead of an important meeting
A managing director has to present to an international supervisory board in six weeks. Intensive one-to-one training with several lessons a week is the right choice here, including rehearsals and feedback on language and impact.
Concerns
Common concerns about language training for employees
“Our people don’t have time.”
That is why we schedule lessons around shifts, project phases and holidays. Two 45-minute lessons a week fit into even a busy calendar, especially when there is no travel involved.
“After three weeks, nobody turns up any more.”
Falling attendance usually has one of two causes: the lessons have little to do with people’s work, or the group is not right. We address both through the needs analysis and placement. Reporting flags falling attendance early, so we can take action together.
“Online feels impersonal.”
Our lessons are live, with cameras on, a regular trainer and small groups. Many participants actually speak more online than in a seminar room, because the group is small and nobody can disappear into the background.
“A cheaper provider will do.”
Quality is the biggest saving. A course that fizzles out after two months costs working time and budget without delivering results. A course with clear objectives, a good trainer and solid reporting delivers results you can demonstrate to senior management and the works council.
Guides
Language training at work: 13 articles from our blog
Practical knowledge from our Head of Studies and the choices® team, matching this service.
Ask about a course
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does a company course cost?
Companies pay from €40 net plus VAT per 45-minute lesson. The exact price depends on language, group size, scope and reporting needs. You receive a proposal after the needs analysis.
Can staff with different levels take part?
Yes. After placement we form groups with comparable levels or recommend one-to-one lessons for individuals.
How do you report on progress?
In regular reports on attendance, progress and recommendations. On request we work with agreed KPIs and the Global Scale of English.
Do lessons take place during working hours?
That is your decision. We schedule lessons around working hours, shifts and time zones.
How quickly can we start?
As soon as needs, groups and schedules are agreed. We usually reply to enquiries within one working day.
How is it invoiced?
By invoice to your company, net plus statutory VAT.
Which languages do you offer for corporate courses?
Our focus is on English and German as a foreign language. We also organise lessons in many other languages, such as Spanish, French, Italian or Polish. Please get in touch if you need a particular language.
Can we start with a pilot group?
Yes. Many companies start with one group or a few one-to-one trainees, review the organisation and impact, and then expand the programme. We agree clear objectives for the pilot phase so that the decision to continue is based on data.
How do you handle confidential documents?
We treat any internal documents used in lessons as confidential and use them only for the agreed purpose. On request, we sign a non-disclosure agreement. We process personal data in accordance with the GDPR.
What happens if a trainer is unavailable?
A trained colleague takes over after a structured handover on progress, goals and materials, so the course continues without a break. In the case of longer absences, we agree with you whether the new trainer should continue permanently.
Can employees from different sites learn together?
Yes, that is one of the advantages of online teaching. Participants from Germany, Austria, Switzerland or branches abroad can learn in the same group, provided their level and time zone are compatible.