CIPD Trust - Inclusive Workplaces Webinar

Why It Matters

Addressing language barriers unlocks a sizable, under‑utilised talent pool, driving both social impact and competitive advantage for UK employers.

Key Takeaways

• Small HR tweaks can dramatically reduce language barriers for refugees.
• Tent UK unites 80+ employers to share best practices on inclusion.
• Only 6% of surveyed refugees report completed English learning on arrival.
• Simple job‑matching and clear communication boost refugee hiring success.
• Removing jargon benefits all non‑native speakers, not just refugees.

Summary

The CIPD Trust hosted an Inclusive Workplaces webinar aimed at helping HR professionals dismantle language barriers that prevent refugees from entering the UK labour market. Presenter Zoe framed the session as a “quick‑win” series, offering practical steps that can be implemented within a day to make recruitment and workplace communication more accessible.

Key data points highlighted that roughly half of the 750 refugees surveyed were still learning English upon arrival, while only six percent felt they had completed language acquisition. Tent UK, represented by director Jen Stoart, coordinates a coalition of over 80 large employers, providing best‑practice guidance and sharing successful tactics across 11 countries. Pete Lee of Omni Facilities Management described how learning‑and‑development programmes can embed social‑value recruitment, pairing language support with on‑the‑job training.

Jen emphasized the power of collective action: “We create an awful lot of best practice guidance and tactics for what can be done to support removal and reducing of those barriers.” Pete added that clear, jargon‑free job descriptions and targeted role‑matching are simple yet effective tools for building confidence among non‑native speakers.

The webinar underscores that modest adjustments—such as simplifying language, offering translation resources, and aligning roles with language proficiency—can broaden talent pools, improve retention, and deliver social‑value outcomes. By adopting these measures, organisations not only support refugees but also enhance inclusivity for all employees facing language challenges.

Original Description

Simple changes to the language you use at work can make your workplace more accessible to people who are rebuilding their lives in the UK.

Hear from our speakers what HR can do to remove language barriers. We’ll discuss small tweaks you can make around jargon and advertising as well as actions you can take to help employees improve their communication and overcome language barriers.

Find out more about our work here: https://ow.ly/jeTx50YLfy6