Tips for Success With Foreign Language Employees

In today’s interconnected world, it’s important for employers to hire certain employees who have English as a second language. This is often required to expand into new markets and gain personnel with specialized skills that may not be available elsewhere.

However, the language barrier and cultural divide between those that speak English as a first language and those that do not can be a challenge. Here are some tips that can help.

Be Aware of Your Vocabulary

While a foreign employee may be proficient in English, he or she may not have the same vocabulary as a native speaker raised in the United States. You need to keep this in mind. Certain terms or phrases may not make sense to a person who learned English in another country. This is especially the case with idioms like “jump the gun” and “sell the farm.” These can be hard to decipher for someone not already familiar with them.

Conform to Civil Rights Law

When dealing with foreign language speakers and foreign employees in general, you need to keep civil rights law in mind. In most cases, you are not allowed to treat employees differently based on their culture, race or ethnic origin. Doing so and refusing to make accommodations for such differences may be viewed as discrimination under the law.

Use Clear Enunciation

While you may feel speaking differently to employees with English as a second language can be patronizing, it doesn’t have to be. It certain cases, it can be very helpful. Speaking slightly slower and with crisp enunciation as opposed to speaking very quickly and blending words together can go a long way. However, you should adapt your speaking to the needs of each individual employee. Don’t make unfair assumptions.

Use Body Language

When words fail, body language can help get the intended message across. Body language is something that exists in all cultures. While it can differ slightly from country to country, there is a somewhat universal nature to body language. Use body language to supplement your spoken communication to foreign employees that have trouble understanding every word you say.

Be Sensitive to Cultural Differences

While you may think you are communicating to foreign employees effectively, there may be unintended meaning to your words, tone and mannerisms that you aren’t aware of. What may be viewed as acceptable communication in the United States may be viewed as rude to people from other cultures. Try to learn of these differences and stay cognizant of them while communicating with foreign employees.

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Foreign employees can provide great value to your company. They can help you expand into new markets and offer skills or expertise that other employees lack. Make a strong effort to communicate well with these employees so they feel at home in your company.

Speechpad leverages a global workforce–especially for our Foreign Language Captions and Transcription teams–to ensure high quality results for our customers.