English for HR Professionals

The course is designed to develop the participants' language and communication skills in a range of professional contexts. The course focuses on active speaking and writing skills and communication strategies. In order to provide a framework for the course, topic areas may include:

• recruitment
• training, motivation and rewards
• redundancies and settlements
• organisation and leadership
• financing personnel
• insurance and pensions
• working abroad
• managing change
• social welfare
• labour law
• national and international labour market
• single European market: free movement of labour
• internationalisation of work practices

Participants will take part in simulated meetings, negotiations and interviews as well as discussions on a variety of work-related and general topics, including current affairs. Key language and communication skills covered in the course include:

• giving presentations
• effective communication skills for meetings and negotiations
• effective participation in discussions
• effective telephoning skills
• hosting visits, socialising, meeting and greeting
• persuading and compromising
• written communication including email, reports and formal letters
• making proposals, offers, suggestions
• opening/closing meetings
• summarising

When professional people are speaking with their counterparts, discussion often turns to broader matters. The course reflects this with practice in a range of topical issues such as: current affairs

• social, political and environmental issues
• political systems and developments
• education and training
• advertising and the media
• technology and society

Professional hospitality, entertaining visitors and handling social situations are important for many professional people. Areas covered include:

• meeting and greeting
• dealing with enquiries and offering advice
• arranging and cancelling appointments/social engagements
• travel arrangements, bookings and reservations
• giving and understanding directions
• restaurants and pubs
• small talk

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• communicate more fluently and effectively in a range of professional situations
• use a greater range of professional and work-related vocabulary
• socialise more confidently to build relationships
• handle written communication more effectively
• use the telephone for effective communication
• work more successfully in a cross-cultural environment

intensive programmes only for HR professionals with relevant experience