What level of English do my employees need?

Samantha Ball
Three business people stood together in a corridor smiling at eaching and talking
Reading time: 3 minutes

Whether you're hiring new talent or upskilling your current team, understanding the level of English proficiency required for specific roles is crucial. In today's global business environment, effective communication is key to success, and that's where the Global Scale of English (GSE) comes into play.

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Understanding the Global Scale of English (GSE)

The GSE is a simple, yet powerful tool designed to assess reading, writing, listening and speaking skills with precision and accuracy. Backed by extensive research and development, the GSE provides HR managers with a reliable standard for measuring English proficiency across the globe. This standardized scale enables employers to set clear benchmarks for specific roles, gain insights into employee skills and foster professional growth through personalized learning pathways.

The development and validation of the GSE involved input from language experts and was supported by in-depth research, ensuring its relevance and applicability in the corporate world. By fast-tracking progress and building confidence, the GSE is an invaluable asset for any organization looking to optimize language skills within their workforce.

Determining the right level of English with GSE Job Profiles

When it comes to determining the appropriate level of English proficiency for your employees, GSE Job Profiles are an essential resource. This tool maps English skills to over 1300 roles, helping you to:

  • Set English proficiency requirements tailored to specific job roles.
  • Benchmark candidates to ensure you hire the best-fit talent.
  • Identify skills gaps for targeted language upskilling initiatives.

With the GSE Job Profiles, you can confidently establish the English proficiency needed for your organization's success.

How to check your employees' English skills

Assessing the English proficiency of your employees is a critical step in managing your team's skillset. Using a test like Versant by Pearson, you can measure individual proficiency levels with ease and accuracy. Versant by Pearson tests are designed to provide detailed insights into an individual's language abilities, enabling you to make informed decisions about hiring and training.

Understanding English proficiency scores

To effectively interpret the results of English proficiency tests, it's essential to be familiar with general adult descriptors. These descriptors offer a framework for understanding the different levels of proficiency, helping you align scores with the communication needs of your organization.

The following table breaks down the GSE levels:

GSE Score
GSE Level
You can...
GSE 10-19 Starter You can use and understand a small number of words and phrases related to the workplace.​ For example, you can greet customers and introduce yourself.
GSE 20-29 Beginner You can ask and answer simple questions, write short sentences and share simple workplace information. For example, you can follow simple instructions to carry out a work-related task. 
GSE 30-39 Pre-intermediate You can talk about everyday workplace topics and understand the main information in conversations. For example, you can make simple work-related calls.
GSE 40-49 Intermediate You can share your opinions, explain your reasoning and write longer texts, such as short business reports. You can also write a CV/resume.
GSE 50-59 High-intermediate You can lead and participate in conversations and give presentations on familiar and unfamiliar topics, and write documents expressing opinion or fact, such as project reports and articles.​
GSE 60-69 Pre-Advanced You're beginning to speak more fluently about a broad range of work-related topics and share your detailed ideas and explanations in professional written communications.​ For example, you can talk about your professional background.
GSE 70-79 Advanced You can speak fluently in personal, professional and academic contexts and understand unfamiliar topics, even colloquialisms. For example, you can use motivational language to encourage other employees.
GSE 80-90 Expert You can talk spontaneously, fluently and precisely, read and write documents with ease and understand spoken English in all contexts, including leading technical discussions and complex negotations.

Improving your employees' English skills with Mondly by Pearson

Once you've assessed proficiency levels, the next step is to enhance your employees' English skills. Mondly by Pearson is a leading language learning platform that offers interactive courses tailored to meet diverse learning needs. Your team can improve their language abilities at their own pace, building confidence and enhancing their overall communication skills.

Learn more and get in touch

Ready to optimize your team's English proficiency? Explore our GSE Job Profiles and discover how the GSE, Versant by Pearson and Mondly by Pearson can transform your organization's communication capabilities. Together, we can develop a strategy to elevate your workforce and ensure your company's success in the global market.

Read our posts 'Target employees’ English language upskilling with the GSE Job Profiles' and 'Craft the perfect job description: Ensure your candidates have the right English proficiency' to learn more about GSE Job Profiles can help your organization.

Explore our GSE Job Profiles demo

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