ABB is a world leader in power engineering and automation technology. The company attracts and hires highly qualified specialists from all over the world to ensure it has the best experts possible. Swedish language skills are important for international employees from a work perspective, but also in terms of social integration. ABB as a workplace is highly international, but to integrate into the local society, language skills are crucial. ABB offers its international employees the opportunity to learn Swedish at work.
The Solution
Watch the video (in Swedish) to find out why ABB strongly believes that Swedish language learning is important in terms of promoting integration and well-being on the part of the company’s international experts!
ABB language training
The Result
Benefits of language learning
Purchaser's perspective
Makes international experts feel welcome and provides a foundation for integration by showing that the company is interested in keeping them here for a long time. Integration at the workplace and outside of work is enhanced, and intercultural communication with colleagues and customers is improved.
Centralized purchasing means less work for the buyer and saves time since everyone knows who to contact. The results are measurable and progress statistics are presented.
“When an employer invests in language learning, the biggest gains are in integration and in helping the employee to feel welcome at the company.”
“Acolad ensures that the language learning program at ABB is under control. This is a great development, and I am extremely satisfied.”
Carl-Ove Kolmodin
Head of Learning and Development, ABB
Student's perspective
Enables integration at the workplace, and individuals can take part in informal discussions and become part of the team. Language learners can communicate with their clients in the Swedish language.
The language courses can be scheduled when it’s most suitable during the work day. Language training is tailored to suit individual needs. Outside of work, participants become part of the local society and culture – an important aspect since it increases the chance of the employee staying in the position longer.
“It’s important when I move to a country to really be part of the country, integrate into the society, and understand the culture and the people. For me, language is a very important part of that, and I think it’s really important for me to learn Swedish.”
“I work with Swedish customers, so a lot of our documentation is in Swedish. I have to communicate in Swedish and write emails in Swedish, so for work and for personal reasons it’s really important to learn the language.”
Ghazal Amar
Automation Engineer, ABB
