On a posting abroad, few things are more valuable – both for communication and assimilation – than a working knowledge of the national language. We look at how best to acquire it.

When it comes to relocating employees abroad, it pays to ensure that they and their families have at least a passing knowledge of the language of the country they’re moving to. According to Germaine Broadbent of Brighton-based language trainers Cactus, language training is vital as a means of building cultural awareness: “Those who know at least a little of the language prior to arriving in the new country are less likely to experience culture shock and of course will be able to establish new contacts that much more quickly. More than anything else, though, a familiarity with the new language means you’re less likely to feel like an outsider in your new environment. Language skills can prove a vital part of helping employees to settle in.”

A TEFL – or Teaching English as a Foreign Language – certificate means ‘trailing spouses’ should be able to find employment anywhere in the world. Rosy Kempston –TEFL-qualified herself – looks at its advantages, and at the courses available.

Recruiting and retaining high calibre staff with spouses who want their independence is a growing challenge for HR departments. Many partners want to keep working both in the UK and overseas, and lack of opportunity may lead to the best people leaving their jobs for the sake of family harmony.

Major companies, such as Shell, Unilever and Schlumberger, offer spousal allowances that can be used for language training or career advice for example, but a new trend is now developing to offer financial incentives, or at least encouragement, to spouses, to train in portable careers such as Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).