Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
For one colleague who needs better English, you arrange individual training. But where is the tipping point towards a dedicated programme for the whole team, in-company, at your own office? It is the question HR asks itself every training season. And the answer is less a matter of taste than of arithmetic.
What is the difference between in-company and individual training?
In individual training, one employee works with a trainer at their own level, towards their own goal, at their own pace. You arrange it per person and it starts quickly. With in-company language training, the training comes to you: a group of colleagues, at your office or online, with a programme built around your sector and your daily work. Individual training you buy per person, in-company per group.
Both formats can be blended: sessions with a trainer plus the online academy for self-study. So the difference is not in quality, but in who you are arranging it for.
When is individual training the better choice?
With one to three employees who have different levels or different goals. Think of the new account manager who takes over an international portfolio in two months, the lawyer who will start reviewing contracts in English, or the controller who presents the figures to head office once a quarter. Three people, three goals, three levels. In a group they would slow each other down; individually, every minute goes to exactly what that one person needs.
Individual training costs more per hour, but nothing is lost on material someone already masters. When there is urgency, a level that differs strongly from the rest, or a diary that will not bend to a group, it is almost always the most efficient route.
Are the levels in your team close together?
That decides whether a group works. The Business English Team Scan shows it per employee, free and in a few minutes.
When does in-company language training win?
From around four participants with a comparable goal, the arithmetic tips over. The price per group is spread across more people, so the cost per employee drops considerably.
But it is about more than money. In-company gives you three things on top:
Content about your work. The trainer works with your meetings, your clients, your emails. No textbook examples about a fictional company, but last week’s case. Anyone who gets stuck in English meetings practises with their own meeting.
Logistics that adapt to you. The lessons go into your diaries, at your location or online, at a time that works for the team. Nobody has to travel anywhere.
Team language instead of individual knowledge. This is the effect that is hard to capture in a quote: a team that trains together holds each other to it. Colleagues correct each other, use the same phrasing and take what they learned straight into the meeting. With individual training, the gain stays with one person.
The rule of thumb
Count the participants with the same goal and a comparable level.
One to three: individual training. Quick to arrange, precisely tailored, and the price is manageable.
Four or more: request an in-company quote. Chances are it is cheaper per person and more effective, because the content is about your work and the team learns together.
Mixed? Then combine. A group for the six account managers at B1+, and an individual programme for the director who needs to negotiate at C1. That is not a compromise, that is exactly what most Business English programmes with us look like. Which level each role actually needs is set out in our guide to the CEFR levels.
Not sure whether the levels are comparable? Measure first. That prevents the classic mistake of a group that works on paper and not in the classroom.
Want to talk it through?
Tell us who needs better English and what for. You will hear from us within one working day and receive a tailored proposal within two, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
From how many participants is in-company language training possible?
Technically from two, but the arithmetic becomes interesting from around four participants with a comparable level and goal. The maximum group size is eight, so everyone keeps enough speaking time.
Can you combine in-company and individual training?
Yes, and it happens often. A group for the employees with a comparable level and an individual programme for anyone clearly above or below it. Both formats can be blended, with the online academy as the shared foundation.
Is online in-company cheaper than on site?
The lesson price is the same. On site, a travel allowance is added per training day; online it is not. For teams spread across several offices, online is also the only way to get everyone into one group.
