The world is getting smaller, and we’re all becoming more and more connected. This means that it’s even more important to have employees who can understand and speak different languages to communicate with everyone. Many companies are hesitant about hiring bilingual employees because they believe there aren’t enough qualified candidates, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! This article will tell you why you should hire bilingual employees.
Demand for Bilingual Employees
Demand for bilingual employees is high in today’s globalized world. There are many reasons companies are hiring bilingual employees, such as the fact that the company is expanding to another country or targeting new customers. People who can speak different languages are an asset to all departments, not to mention they bring value and benefit to your company.
Jobs that you’ll see most often require candidates to know at least one other language are:
- translators/interpreters
- customer service representatives
- flight attendant
- hospitality manager
- Teacher
- Content Creator
- Marketing Manager
- Healthcare professional
However, you can be in any job and provide value by being bilingual. So why should you hire a bilingual employee?
They Bridge Gaps in Understanding and Communication
If you’re a multi-national company and plan to roll out a new initiative, bilingual employees can support building awareness and understanding of this program across multiple markets. This includes helping ensure the correct marketing messages are being communicated, which will ultimately lead to increased sales on both sides of your company’s cross-border expansion efforts. They have the best understanding of what your target audience will be receptive to.
In-house Language Support
Not only will these employees help with rollouts, but they can also help within your organization. They can help in writing, interpreting and translating materials, for example, translating a case study into another language or website copy. This reduces the need to hire an outside agency to work for you. Plus, your employees will have a deeper understanding of your company and ensure your company’s values and mission are reflected. This is very important today as more and more companies have to compete with globalized brands.
They are High Skilled Workers
Studies have shown that bilingual individuals can switch tasks faster and more efficiently than monolinguals and process information more efficiently. The ability to multi-task and problem solve are sought-after qualities.
Create a Diverse Organization
It’s important to create a diverse workforce. Having employees who can see situations from various perspectives can generate better ideas and put more thought into a plan. It also helps cultivate a culture where employees can speak freely and feel included.
Pandemic Increased Demand For Bilingual Workers
As with everything else, COVID-19 speeds up the need for multilingual workers. In the first year of the pandemic, from February 2020 to March 2021, bilingual job postings increased 30%, according to Tech Republic. It is also reported that translators and interpreters were the most demanded professionals and that it will increase by 20% by 2026.
Hiring bilingual employees is an advantage in today’s globalized world. They can bridge gaps between cultures, increase profitability and improve customer service. If you have any questions about how we can help place a qualified candidate in your business, get in touch!