Not sure how to use your newly-found proficiency in English in a business setting? We understand. Even native speakers can struggle with it early in their careers. Here are a few tips to help you out.
Follow established rules of grammar. When in the workplace, you should always use standard English, following the rules you learned in your second-language software training. Make a conscious effort to use the vernacular the way it’s supposed to be spoken.
Pay attention to how your colleagues use the language. How do your coworkers speak and write? That hints at the culture of English use in your office and you should do well trying to emulate them.
Use an appropriate level of formality. When speaking with your coworkers over lunch, it’s acceptable to be casual. When meeting with the bigwigs, might want to be very formal. When discussing a project with your project team, a slightly less formal (but not casual) approach may do.
Be polite. Learning to say “Please” and “Thank you” remain as valuable in the office as they did at the dinner table when you were in grade school. Similarly, using profanity and biased comments can get you in trouble.
Avoid slang. While slang can be condoned, it’s still not a good idea to use it in the workplace. Sure, that fancy new phrase you picked up from your neighbor sounds fun, but the office isn’t the place to dispense of it.