Bilingualism: An Invaluable Asset in the Workplace
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Here’s some advice for you to deepen your abilities
A friend of mine got himself an excellent promotion when his US-based company landed a contract for a large-scale project in a city in South America. It goes without saying that my friend’s expertise in his field was key to getting that promotion, but the secret accelerator agent was that he spoke fluent Spanish. He worked in South America for a year, and by all accounts it was a transformational experience, helping propel his career forward in unexpected and very positive ways.
In Spanish we say “el mundo es un pañuelo” — the world is as small as a handkerchief, it fits in your hands. Even the spaces of our everyday lives are global, and in such spaces bilingualism is an increasingly valuable skill, for professionals in any field, especially those who work with people. US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona calls bilingualism a superpower, and I agree. In the professional business context, your bilingual superpower gives you access to new opportunities, augments your communication abilities, and helps you make your work environment more inclusive.
Bilingualism Opens Doors
As my friend experienced when his Spanish contributed to that opportunity in South America, if you speak multiple languages, you’ll have an advantage in a competitive job market. Many organizations actively seek bilingual employees to cater to their diverse clients or so they can operate more effectively in international markets, and demand for bilingual talent appears to be growing. Leveraging their language skills, bilingual professionals can access a broader range of career options and increase their employability. There’s even some evidence that bilingual workers have greater earning potential, especially in locations where there are large multilingual populations.
Bilingualism Enhances Communication and Collaboration
A simple advantage of being bilingual is that you can communicate with more people than if you only speak one language. Your competence in your other language doesn’t need to be that strong: it can be enough to be able to comment on the weather or on what team is in the lead in the Copa América. Sometimes your ability to connect in Spanish with someone who speaks little English can really enhance collaboration in a business setting. Bridging language barriers facilitates interactions, helping others feel welcome and providing them with the ability to contribute more fully to discussions.
Bilingualism Fosters an Inclusive Work Environment
Bilingual professionals are especially adept at building strong relationships, resolving conflicts more effectively, and creating a more cohesive work environment. How does that work? Bilingualism promotes cultural competence, an essential component of effective cross-cultural communication and collaboration. Speaking two languages usually means exposure to two (or more) cultures and makes people more adept at navigating differences and finding common ground. This experience can carry over into the workplace, where bilingual employees can build trust, rapport, and mutual respect with colleagues and clients from diverse backgrounds. An inclusive work environment helps a diverse team thrive, leading to increased productivity and innovation.
Deepen your Bilingual Superpower
Chances are as a bilingual professional you’re already wielding your bilingual superpower, but if not, here’s some advice for you to deepen your abilities:
- Make sure your CV or resume lists the languages you’re proficient in, starting with your dominant language (which may or may not be your native language), and specify your level of proficiency in each language. You might need to include more details if your profession expects or requires language-related certification.
- Help bridge communication gaps by serving as a naïve interpreter or facilitator, including during a meeting, a presentation, or other professional setting. Your interpreting skills don’t need to be perfect to be effective, and sometimes the mere fact that you’re trying to bridge the gap is all that matters. But be aware of your limits: there are some professional settings (healthcare and legal contexts, for example) where bilingual certification is required, since translation errors could have severe consequences.
- Embrace deepening your bilingualism. If you don’t have enough experience reading or writing in one of your languages, take a course. If you feel you could be more fluent verbally in one of your languages, find a conversation partner.
Bilingualism is an invaluable asset for Latino business professionals. Embrace your bilingual skills to thrive in today’s global business landscape and make the diverse workforce more inclusive.
Related content:
Bilingual Latinos a Distinct Business Advantage
Hispanic Entrepreneur’s Language Proficiency Is Essential to Success
Utilizing Cultura and 5 Values for Small Business Success
References
US Department of Education (2023). Secretary Cardona touts multilingual education in being bilingual is a superpower initiative launch event. https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/secretary-cardona-touts-multilingual-education-being-bilingual-superpower-initiative-launch-event
New American Economy (2017). Not lost in translation: The growing importance of foreign language skills in the US job market. https://research.newamericaneconomy.org/report/not-lost-in-translation-the-growing-importance-of-foreign-language-skills-in-the-u-s-job-market/
Porras, D., Ee, J., & Gándara, P. (2014). Employer preferences: Do bilingual applicants and employees experience an advantage? In R. Callahan & P. Gándara (Eds.), The bilingual advantage: Language, literacy and the US labor market (pp. 234-257). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters. https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=education_fac
Chen, X. and Padilla, A. M. (2019). Role of bilingualism and biculturalism as assets in positive psychology: Conceptual dynamic GEAR model. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2122. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02122
