By 2026, hybrid work isn’t just a theoretical concept — it’s the way we conduct operations. Workers divide their time between home and office, work across time zones, and rely heavily on digital communication. This change will take more than updated policies for HR leaders. It will demand rethinking how professional development — language training in this case — is handled and evaluated. At ELAM, every day we work with corporate teams confronting this evolution of the new normal. One thing is crystal clear: hybrid work has changed employees’ learning of languages, and what they want to achieve from it, creating entirely different processes for both sides of training and development at the same time.
Since the adoption of Law 96, many organizations have been asking practical questions. What does this actually mean for us? How do we meet the requirements? How do we support our teams? And most importantly, how do we approach this in a smart, strategic way?

At ELAM, we have spent more than three decades supporting organizations operating in complex linguistic environments. Over the years, one thing has become clear: language in the workplace is never just about words. It’s about clarity, confidence… and today, compliance.

Since the adoption of Law 96, many organizations have been asking practical questions. What does this actually mean for us? How do we meet the requirements? How do we support our teams? And most importantly, how do we approach this in a smart, strategic way?

Attempting to learn a new language while working full-time can feel like trying to climb a hill after an arduous day. You have motivation at the beginning; the best of intentions, and the harsh realities crash in. Meetings run late. Energy dips. Life happens. Before you know it, your language goals are just sitting at the bottom of your to-do list untouched. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Most professionals don’t have consistency — not because they aren’t disciplined, but because their learning plan doesn’t align with their real life. Hitting too hard, hitting too fast is one of the most common mistakes. “I want to be fluent” is a nice thing to say but not useful on a Tuesday night when your brain is already fried. Motivation grows more intense when goals are relevant and attainable. Instead of trying feverishly to get fluent in one area, concentrate on something concrete: speaking up more comfortably at meetings, picking up emails quickly or raising your voice on customer calls. These moments matter. They also remind you why you started in the first place.