If your company is branching out to other countries, then you face a unique challenge. With the multiple cultures and languages come many pitfalls that can lead to misunderstandings and confusion if not handled appropriately. This isn’t easy, especially with the language barriers. To ensure goodwill toward your company worldwide, across remote offices and faraway facilities, here are a few tips for nailing it with global workforce communications.
Watch What You Say
Your goal is fostering goodwill, so avoiding something that could be misinterpreted or mistranslated as offensive is your number-one goal. But local idioms may not translate well into another language, and a completely inoffensive statement could be transformed into something hugely inappropriate. So be careful not to use idioms, slang or any local vernacular that might be translated into something other than what is meant. The best way to avoid that is to use experienced translators and business translation services to ensure you make no unintended mistakes.
Be a Role Model
If you want goodwill in your company, then lead by example. Be positive and friendly to everyone. Your energy sets the tone for the workplace and your attitude will affect your employees. Encourage regular communication so that your employees feel valued. Use praise when warranted and offer compliments as often as possible. Don’t go overboard! Overly friendly bosses can be taken advantage of. Be firm when necessary.
Be a Problem Solver
Never put off a problem. Deal with them as soon as they arise. The best managers look at “problems” as merely “opportunities in disguise”. Communicate clearly with all parties involved, using a as needed. Ask questions to be sure you understand the situation fully from all sides, and get all parties’ perspectives before making decisions. Try to work out a solution that will be fair and benefit everyone. Not all problems can be solved to everyone’s benefit, so be willing to make the tough calls when necessary. Speak firmly, remaining positive and upbeat, when resolving any disagreements. Remember, you are all in this together. Avoid anything that looks like headquarters or the “American workers” are receiving preferential treatment.
Keep Intolerance Out of the Corporate Culture
Prejudice and discrimination have no place in the workplace. If you encounter an employee that cannot leave these issues outside of the company, act quickly, and within company policy. Give them a warning, but if they don’t comply, follow company procedures to have them removed. You do not need that kind of negativity in your office, affecting your employees. There are organizations offering sensitivity training and diversity training, which can be incredibly helpful for employees who aren’t necessarily familiar with how to interact with others of different cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, and religious belief systems. Not only does this help foster goodwill among a global workforce, it also helps keep your company out of potential legal hot water.
Communicate the Company’s Expectations
Successful companies are those who help all employees feel like they have a real stake in the company’s mission and goals. Your success should feel like their success. Make it clear to everyone that collaboration is the gold standard. Define responsibilities so that every team member understands what is required. If everyone’s role is clearly defined there is less chance for anyone to become dissatisfied or disillusioned. Ensure that all goals are clearly communicated so there are no misunderstandings. Re-evaluate goals as necessary. Encourage the team to collaborate to reach excellence. And, as always when communicating with your global workforce, use experienced, trustworthy translators to be sure every goal and project is understood. Leave no room for miscommunication or misunderstandings.
With a global community, understanding each other is the key to fostering and keeping goodwill. There is no substitute for a good translator when it comes to assuring that your meaning is clearly communicated and received positively. Whether you need technical documents translated or a company-wide memo, use the translators you can trust — TrueLanguage. Have questions? Request a FREE quote today or call us now at 1-888-926-9245
