As HR leaders we wear many hats and switch them often to maneuver through changing waters. Beyond surviving the pandemic, a climate of pivoting and shifting is something we now feel fully prepared and empowered to tackle. Nevertheless, navigating a growing multilingual and multicultural workforce can cause even the most seasoned HR professional to pause.
One of HR’s main goals is to enable employees to fully understand the expectations and requirements of their role within the organization.
The key to this is simple – communication – ensuring that employees understand not only what the company requires of them, but also what the organization is contributing back to them for their hard work. But communication without comprehension is not communication at all.
How do we ensure that the entire workforce, in any location or language, has awareness of policies and procedures, benefits and rewards, desired performance, connection with the team, and an open line of two-way communication? By utilizing key vehicles of communication, including employee handbooks, open enrollment materials, monthly newsletters, e-mails, and frequent discussion between a supervisor and an employee, organizations can increase employee engagement while reducing potential risk and litigation.
According to the Society of Human Resource Management, timing, location, and the message are the baseline of important components to keep in mind when preparing to communicate or interact. The missing piece, however, in many cases, is the language barrier.
Imagine the excitement of joining a new company, only to feel immediately isolated by misunderstanding and lack of connection with co-workers and teammates. Consequently, a company not demonstrating a welcoming approach towards the cultures that make up the workforce will have already failed in maximizing on the motivation and drive a new hire can bring.
By making the efforts to provide translation of all communication available, providing interpretation when crucial information is provided, and giving access to video or over-the-phone interpreting to help with emergency or impromptu communication, companies can demonstrate a level of value that allows an employee to feel one with the company. This organically develops a source of pride and motivation to do great things.
You do not need to be everything to everyone, but you do need to wear many hats and show an equal level of importance and uniformity to all you hire around the nation and the globe. Looking beyond your own capabilities and finding vendors you can partner with to support this evolution will arm you to be strategically ready for any move your company makes.
Contact The Language Group today to learn more about how we can help you connect with confidence to your employees in any language, written or spoken.
