In most lines of work, professionals at all levels benefit from seeking more education. It’s important for all professionals to keep up with recent trends and approaches in their chosen career. 

This is also true for Human Resources (HR) personnel. One of the imperative roles of HR is to provide an avenue for the personal development of people within their organization. However, HR leaders often ignore their own self-growth and development while carrying out their responsibilities.

Thus, to self-develop, people working in HR can learn various skills and take courses to enhance their knowledge. One of their options might be to take a “Teaching English as a Foreign Language” (TEFL) course. A TEFL course provides people with the needed training to teach English abroad. The course is designed to teach the major elements of language learning. It covers how to identify different learning styles and how to build effective lesson plans.

Here are five reasons why HR professionals take TEFL courses:

1.  To create more workplace diversity

More than at any other time, the world’s workforce is value-diverse and inclusive, and it is believed that any organization that employs a diverse workforce will be increasingly competitive in the business market. 

According to a report by AmericanProgress.org, diversity is the key to building a robust and inclusive economy that is built to last.

The implication of this for HR professionals is that they are increasingly being called upon to work with people from different backgrounds, as well as different language communities.

TEFL provides an avenue to learn about linguistic diversities and put that knowledge to use in their organizations. In this direction, HR professionals take TEFL courses to broaden their linguistic repertoire so that they can more effectively handle workplace situations.

2. To boost their CVs

TEFL courses give HR leaders the opportunity to strengthen their communication and language skills and promote cross-cultural engagement.

Hence, the TEFL course adds a lot of value to any HR professional’s CV, as well as demonstrates variety and versatility, which might offer them an edge on the job. 

Professionals who are looking to create a unique portfolio can benefit from a TEFL course on their CV; it offers a “stand out” element that differentiates you from other candidates and adds to your value for prospective employers.

3.  To Make a Difference and Experience Other Cultures

The University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg identified that TEFL, as a course, involves exploring culture and understanding new places, making it a good fit for global business leaders. 

The skills acquired in a TEFL course are versatile and go well beyond the scope of English language teaching in itself. Experiencing a variety of people and cultures can help HR leaders to be more understanding and empathetic when handling employee concerns.

4.  Personal Development

Development is a must for every professional and that includes Human Resources leaders. Personal development is not limited to the “on-the-job” skills needed to carry out job duties, versatility is imperative for any people leader. 

Human relations and coordination are huge facets of any HR office.  Adaptability is required to take care of your employees, as each person has their own unique set of characteristics that need to be handled in specific ways. It is to this effect that HR departments are considering extending their expertise to areas like TEFL.

Forbes confirmed this fact by reinforcing how important versatility is for a successful HR leader.

5.  Desire for a Fresh Challenge

Personal challenges offer us a way to grow as individuals, and learning a new skill is a challenge that can be particularly beneficial. These challenges have a way of teaching people, either directly or indirectly, who they want to be in the world. TEFL courses offer business leaders the opportunity to challenge themselves, while also learning a skill that could be useful in dealing with linguistically diverse HR situations. 

In conclusion, TEFL courses offer many professional benefits, including versatility and personal development, but they can be just as beneficial to individuals outside the workplace. With a TEFL certification, one can teach English professionally in many places where English is not the established language.

If interested, you can find more information by visiting tefl.org to find the best TEFL courses for your business.