WORK benefits
More Job OpportunitiesThere are many employment benefits that come with knowing more than one language. For example, when someone knows two or more languages, he or she is able to apply for more jobs. A bilingual can apply for jobs not only in their native language, but they can also apply for jobs that require them to speak another language. When one speaks multiple languages, he or she can apply for jobs in multiple countries, which creates a much larger opportunity for employment. If a bilingual does not want to move away from his or her home country, he or she can apply for jobs with international companies that are headquartered in the bilingual’s home country. Economies and businesses are constantly being globalized, and this creates an increase in the demand for people to fill job positions related to international trade. As business is becoming more international, bilingualism or multilingualism is becoming a more desired skill for new hires. Companies that are continuously growing abroad or companies that work with businesses in other countries will be increasing their search for future employees who speak multiple languages as business continues to grow globally (Douglas). According to a study done by the Northern Illinois University, around 40 percent of businesses reported that they believe the ability to speak multiple languages will be very important when hiring new employees in the next decade ("Bilingual"). Many recruiters are very impressed when they see that students have given time and dedication in order to learn another language and perfect said language ("Bilingual"). Employers are beginning to focus more on hiring bilingual employees to work on oversees projects especially. One survey of major firms reported that businesses spend $1 million on average to replace employees that are not fit for these oversees projects (Padilla 21). Many of these employees report back to their employers saying they had difficulty adjusting to the language and cultural differences of the foreign countries. Another employment benefit of bilingualism comes with promotions. When a company is looking to promote, an employee who is bilingual may stand out more to the employers than an employee who is not bilingual. This special skill will help the employee especially stand out if the company is international or is looking to begin business with companies in foreign countries.
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More ClientsWhen someone is bilingual, he or she is able to offer services to customers that are native speakers of both languages that he or she knows. By knowing multiple languages, multilingual are able to expand their client base significantly. As technology continues to advance, business people are able to communicate and conduct business anywhere across the globe. However, if a company or employee has to use a translator in order to communicate with foreign clients, negotiations could get scrambled in the translation process (Douglas). As global business is rapidly increasing, more and more businesses are realizing the struggles of communicating with people who speak a different language. When two companies have to communicate through interpreters, it makes the negotiation much less personal. Using an interpreter also takes significantly more time to communicate than if the two people in the conversation could just speak directly to each other. The ability to communicate effectively in multiple languages is seen as an imperative tool for successful relationship building (Chau). For example, the CEO of BRIC Language Systems, Ryan Mcmunn, shared his personal story and stated that if he had not known Mandarin, his business endeavors in China would not have been successful (Chau). Another benefit of knowing multiple languages is that when a bilingual is communicating with someone, he or she knows what is considered rude or inappropriate in whichever language is being spoken. In some languages, certain words mean different things in different contexts. If someone does not know this, they could say a word that he or she thought meant one thing but that actually means something completely different in the context of the conversation. For example, the Chinese word “ma” could mean horse, mummy, or mother depending on the intonation and context of the conversation (Dolainski). Several studies have shown that bilingualism and the ability to communicate clearly in two or more languages is very beneficial when creating relationships with clients. According to one study, 70 percent of employers in the survey agree than effective communication in multiple languages can enhance the retention and satisfaction rates of customers with specific language backgrounds ("Bilingual"). Many companies believe that they can engage in new contracts with suppliers in different language backgrounds, create new business in foreign countries, and expand businesses that area already running in other countries with the help of employees who are multilingual ("Bilingual").
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Bigger SalariesThose who can speak and read more than one language often receive a larger salary then their counterparts who only know one language. Some people who only work with clients and companies in their own native language believe that taking the time to learn another language is a waste of time. However, these people are overlooking or possibly even straight up ignoring potential revenue sources that come when someone knows multiple languages (Douglas). The more languages that a person knows, the more human capital this person has. The increase in human capital creates a likely increase in the amount of money earned over time (Landes). The salary benefits of bilingualism can be tied to the cognitive benefits. Since people who know more than one language have more grey matter and stronger brains, they should be able to work longer than people who only know one language. Since bilinguals can work later into their lives, they have an income for more years than monolinguals. Therefore, a bilingual’s lifetime income would be greater than a monolingual’s because the bilingual is working more years of his or her life. According to the CEO of BRIC Language Systems, Ryan McMunn, bilinguals that entered the workforce in 2014 received an average of 10 to 15 percent more pay than monolinguals (Chau). Many companies in a broad range of industries offer a pay incentive to employees who are fluent in two or more languages. For example, government workers in California who know more than one language earn an extra $.58 per hour (Douglas). If these workers worked 40 hours a week and 50 weeks out of the year, they would receive about $1,200 more than monolinguals in the same position. According to Rosetta Stone, multilingual employees in more substantial jobs could possibly make $10,000 a year or more than their monolingual counterparts (Douglas).
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