The international companies using only English

“You have to be conscious of that and really invite them in,” Claassen says.

As well, non-English speakers will likely fail to pick up on some of the nuances of the language, but it’s more important they understand the overall message and that everyone feels comfortable working together, says Sonita Lontoh, a vice-president of marketing at Siemens. It’s up to the native and experienced speakers, she says, to repeat and make sure others understand. That’s especially true of native English speakers, who are deemed to be the worst communicators.

Lontoh has worked at several global companies where English has been the main language and has never encountered a problem. But, there have been some humorous moments, like when one her German colleagues was discussing strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions mentioned  finding “low carb solutions,” – the term refers to a low carbohydrates diet in.

But, the move to English as a corporate language just make sense, she says: “If a Chinese person meets someone from the Middle East, they will speak English. They don’t expect to know each other’s language.”

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