I’ve spent a lifetime learning a second language. Being born in the Midwest didn’t necessarily expose me to many cultures outside my own early on, but a head-start language and culture programs in school inspired a curiosity that never went away.
What started as learning the basics and forgetting most of what was taught in Elementary school, evolved considerably over time. With the help of amazingly talented and passionate teachers, I was able to become fluent in a second language, which opened a world of possibility for me.
Being exposed to those opportunities, I became more interested in learning why companies seek employees who are multilingual. After talking to multiple recruiters and executives from different industries, here are 3 reasons that they pointed out about why they care about employees who speak multiple languages, and why your company should too:
Connect on a deeper level with professional peers
The world continues to evolve and is a melting pot representative of so many variations, heritages and cultures. Now more than ever companies are pushing to remove barriers to entry for disadvantaged populations and emphasize the need for a diverse workforce. Chances are, someone you work next to was raised speaking multiple languages. Showing interest in their culture can make someone feel included in ways you can’t imagine.
Your company could have better penetration in international markets
Language is one of the most important parts in a culture. When expanding to new markets, customers see value in companies that not only have a great product, but that can also communicate well with them and who are willing to understand the particularities of their market and country. Speaking the same language as your customer is not only important for better communication but also for building trust with them.
Multilingual employees tend to think outside the box
Multilingual employees not only exercise important parts of their brain through the process of learning a new language, but by constantly shifting from one language to another they are able to think outside the box when solving problems. Researchers have found that people who spoke several languages could process information faster and more efficiently than monolinguals.
Conclusion
Having multilingual employees is beneficial to a company for a variety of reasons. The connections that can be made both internally and with customers, as well as the way of thinking developed by these professionals are only some of the reasons why employers care so much about them. Having a recruiter or a hiring manager who knows the language is important to test new candidates, and your company can also invest in classes as a benefit provided to current employees.
If you want to learn more about the impact of a multilingual work environment...
Our annual report will provide you with quantitative and qualitative information about the impact of a multilingual work environment in the following areas:
- Employee engagement
- Employee retention
- Customer satisfaction
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