What level of English is required at a foreign-affiliated plant engineering company?

Hello. This is thyssenkrupp Uhde.

One of the questions we frequently receive from applicants is about the English environment within the company. In this article, we will introduce our English environment.

About our employee composition

Currently, we have about 100 employees based in Tokyo and Okayama, and about 10% of them are foreign nationals. At present, many of our employees are from the Asian region. More than half of our foreign employees speak fluent Japanese.

In addition, our group has bases in Italy, China, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and India, starting with our headquarters in Germany. We have daily meetings and interactions with our overseas bases, and many people visit Japan.

English in meetings

・Company-wide meetings
In company-wide meetings such as town hall meetings, the basic presentation materials are in English, and presenters speak in both Japanese and English. When executives visiting from the German headquarters or other locations give presentations, our company executives provide Japanese interpretation.

Town hall meetings hosted by the German headquarters are attended by all locations, so the language used is English only.

・Department and project meetings
The language used depends on the participants. If there are employees participating who are not fluent in Japanese, the language used is English. However, since many of our foreign employees are fluent in Japanese, it is often in Japanese as well. On the other hand, if Japanese participants find it difficult to explain specialized or technical matters in English, Japanese may be mixed in. We choose the language with the goal of ensuring that the message is conveyed correctly and that no participant feels alienated.

・Meetings with overseas bases
Depending on the department, there are frequent meetings with overseas bases, and the language is, of course, English. Employees at overseas bases generally have high English proficiency, and opinions are exchanged actively. In such meetings, the ability to understand and communicate in English is required. I find that the English spoken by Germans is generally clear and easy to understand.

Documents

Presentation materials and internal documents are often created in English, considering the possibility of sharing them with employees at overseas bases later. In addition, personnel evaluations, expense reports, and ERP systems are also filled out in English. Internal manuals and internal notices are often written in both English and Japanese.

English in daily life

English and Japanese (and other languages) are spoken daily within the company. Since the majority of our employees are Japanese, there is a lot of conversation in Japanese, but when foreign employees join the conversation, we switch to English. Since many of our employees are friendly, we see people actively trying to communicate regardless of their English proficiency.

English learning support

We have a system that subsidizes half the cost of English apps and online English conversation lessons. Employees are actively engaged in learning English, such as taking the TOEIC test and attending courses. Our employees' English proficiency has improved over the past few years.

Conclusion: English proficiency required at our company

Our employees' English proficiency varies, and there are not many native-level speakers. Depending on the department, English may not be required at all times, but that does not mean there are no opportunities to use it. I think we come into contact with English at least once a day.

You do not need to be fluent, but you are required to have the English proficiency and ingenuity to convey your message correctly. People who feel uncomfortable with English and cannot speak with foreign employees at all may find it stressful.

Of course, departments that require accurate and close communication with overseas customers and bases require a high level of English proficiency. This does not mean that native-level fluency is necessary, but rather that it is important to have the willingness and ingenuity to understand the other party in English and actively exchange opinions.

As we are a global company, there are many opportunities to collaborate with overseas offices and partners. I believe that improving your English proficiency will further expand the scope of your work and your opportunities. Furthermore, I think that curiosity—the desire to understand the perspectives of people from other countries and communicate with them—is the key to improving your English skills.