Language is one of the most vital tools for any business. Being fluent and skilled in a language is incredibly useful.
Especially when leading and negotiating with a diverse team of people. However, imagine being able to connect with more people by knowing how to speak two or more languages. Even at a beginner or intermediate fluency level it can be a great advantage. But why should you go out of your way to learn a new language? If you are a business executive, does speaking another language have real value to you? In this article we take you through the reasons why industry professionals have opted to learn multiple languages.
Consider the following benefits to business professionals when becoming bilingual or multilingual.
- Increased Job Opportunities and Earning Potential
- More Effective Communication and Rapport with Clients
- Opens Up Social and Cultural Opportunities
- Increased Brain Power
- Boosted Creativity
Increased Job Opportunities and Earning Potential
Research has proven that people who speak more than one language actually have a higher chance at being successful in their career. Many companies conduct business all around the globe. Which means the potential for a language barrier comes into play. The need for bilingual and multilingual employees have never been more essential. Businesses know that language is a vital part of building strong client relationships. Therefore, employees who speak more than one language are vital.
Early in the application process bilinguals definitely make a better impression. You stand out amongst the crowd. Showing your readiness to take on the different challenges that the job role will come with. Bilingualism is something that is highly coveted in business along with other fields such as the educational and healthcare sector. Also, according to Investopedia.com, if you speak languages like French, Mandarin, Arabic, Russian and German, depending on where you’re located you’ll likely have even more of an edge in the workplace.
Knowing one or more languages might help get the promotion you’ve always wanted. The job market is extremely competitive, therefore doing everything in your power to make yourself noticed is key. If you lack experience but you have the potential, being bilingual will definitely make you stand out. Bilinguals also earn more due to their increased skill set allowing them to get into higher and more in demand positions. Depending on where you work you can earn up to 5-20% more per hour just for being bilingual. This is especially true if the language you know is in demand in your place of work. With some research you’ll find that some of the most well-known and successful people in the world are bilingual.
More Effective Communication and Rapport with Clients
Communication is an integral part of any business, especially when it comes to businesses that have a large global clientele. Being able to communicate proficiently and effectively is an important part of the growth and development of the business. Building that connection with your global clients, while also gaining their respect. This is because they will surely appreciate the time and effort you spent in understanding and appreciating their language, even if you’re only at a beginner level.
As networking is a key aspect of becoming successful, knowing multiple languages can definitely help you to excel in that sector. You have the chance to communicate and connect with important people on a global scale. As you confidently make more deeper connections, that all important first impression definitely will not go to waste!
Having bilingual employees in a business also helps to grow rapport. You can gain customer confidence, trust and loyalty both locally and internationally depending on the nature of your business.
Opens Up Social and Cultural Opportunities
Being bilingual opens you up to the world, as you can understand and experience different cultures in ways you probably never thought possible. You’ll have more opportunities to explore different hobbies and better understand foreign films, music and literature, opening you up to new creative possibilities.
Travel also becomes cheaper when you have knowledge of the language. You will no longer have to ensure that the staff at your hotel speaks English or the restaurants you visit are catered to your language. You will be able to experience new cultures with ease!
Increases Brain Power
Beyond the advantages of being able to converse with a wider range of people, scientists have also discovered the health benefits of knowing multiple languages. According to the New York Times being bilingual can have a positive effect on your brain function in the long term.
“Scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter. It can have a profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not related to language and even shielding against dementia in old age.”
Boosted Creativity
According to a study conducted in 2012 led by the University of Strathclyde, bilingual children were shown to be better at various skills. This included problem solving and overall better creative thinkers. They were able to outperform children who only spoke one language. Bilingualism can improve a person’s mind, both at an early age and when they get older. It encourages creativity and understanding of different cultures and perspectives. Which is something that cannot be learnt through a book or the internet. This is something that needs to be experienced.
It’s difficult to understand what languages exactly will become the most valued in the near future. Especially from a business point of view. However, with the current growth of certain countries like China and the Middle East. Languages such as Mandarin, Chinese and Arabic are becoming extremely sought after, especially in the British market.
Conclusion
So, no matter the language you ultimately choose for your future career plans. Learn&Co provide multiple language options. From German, which is currently considered the business language of Europe, to Chinese, the world’s second most spoken language after English. Our tutors are native speakers and masters of the language. So understand that you will be in extremely good hands. Whatever your reasons may be, we offer one-to-one sessions and a free consultation before you start your lessons. So you can decide for yourself which path is right for you.
