Blog Post

The ability to communicate effectively across cultures is a valuable asset for leaders. Speaking multiple languages not only enhances intercultural understanding but also fosters stronger business relationships, expands market access, and drives innovation. Meanwhile, offering language courses for your own teams has many obvious benefits, starting with:

1. Improved Communication: Learning a new language enhances communication skills within the team, fostering clearer exchanges of ideas, instructions, and feedback.
2. Cultural Understanding: Language courses often include cultural aspects, promoting empathy and understanding among team members from diverse backgrounds.
3. Team Cohesion: Studying together creates a shared experience, fostering camaraderie and teamwork as colleagues support each other’s learning journey.

And so many more.

In today’s globalized world, multilingualism is a highly valued skill. It’s not unusual in many professions to encounter others who speak a variety of languages—and having the ability to communicate can foster connection, strengthen organizations and yield better outcomes. There’s an increasing demand for multilingual professionals across a variety of industries. In just five years (from 2010 to 2015), job postings for bilingual workers doubled and since 2020 there has been a 30% increase in remote bilingual jobs. Additionally, a 2019 survey from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) revealed that: 

• 90% of businesses in the United States relied on employees who spoke languages other than English. 
• 56% expected the demand for bi/multilingual speakers to increase in the next five years. 
• 1 in 3 said they had a language skills gap. 
• 1 in 4 said they had lost business due to a lack of language skills. 

Here are a few top reasons why learning another language can benefit your personal and professional lives.

Benefit 1: Better communication skills 

This first benefit might seem obvious, but speaking multiple languages can ensure clear and accurate communication. This is particularly important in roles that interface with a variety of people from different backgrounds. In a healthcare setting, clear communication is paramount in ensuring individuals get the best care possible. Erika Rodriguez, a diabetes researcher in Denver, Colo., works primarily with Latinx patients. Speaking Spanish allows them to foster trust with each patient—a critical aspect when providing education and care. “We need to meet patients anywhere we can, but the connections and willingness to talk is different when you’re in a one-to-one environment,” Erika says. “Relaying medical information can be embarrassing and difficult to process. Speaking their language can help them open up and feel more comfortable.” Erika explains there’s a lot of shame surrounding diabetes in this patient population. There’s stigma, a lack of education, higher barriers to accessing the latest technologies and medication, and oftentimes, a language barrier as well. “The best thing about speaking Spanish is when I’m talking to someone, and I can hear their accent, and I respond in Spanish,” Erika says. “I can see a weight lifted from their shoulders. There’s a total human connection that you wouldn’t otherwise have.” 

Benefit 2: Competitive edge in the job market

According to the 2019 survey from ACTFL, there is a growing demand for multilingual employees. This need is most prominent among midsize companies in the following areas: 

• Healthcare and social assistance sector (64%)
• Trade industries (59%) 
• Education services (57%) 
• Professional and technical services (55%) 
• Construction (54%). 

Furthermore, the greatest shortages are among the most high-demand languages. Employers are specifically reliant on Spanish (85%)—by far the most sought-after language—as well as Chinese (34%), French (22%) and Japanese (17%). However, nearly 4 in 10 employers report a shortage of employees with Spanish-speaking skills.Bi/multilingual job applicants qualify for the same open positions as monolingual competitors. However, speaking more than one language expands opportunities in positions where bilingualism is in high demand. Even though bi/multilingual applicants will be competing with others who also have language skills, the pool of applicants is often much smaller. Felix Gafner owns a real estate company in Tucson, Ariz., and has experienced this advantage firsthand as a polyglot who speaks English, Spanish, French and Swiss-German. “My job is selling my clients’ houses,” Felix says. “[Speaking multiple languages] makes a difference almost every time…Here in the U.S., multilingual folks are not very common, particularly outside of really big cities.” Felix explains that being able to communicate has helped him stand out in a market with a huge Spanish-speaking population. “Long story short, I would lose out on a lot of business without Spanish,” Felix says. “I use any language to build rapport whenever I can.”

Benefit 3: Global business and networking 

Global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and multinational wars have certainly impacted globalized businesses in every country. Even so, the rate of international trade remains steady. In fact, the DHL Global Connectedness Index’s recent report shows that the globalization of trade, capital and information flows had already surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2021, and this trend accelerated in 2022. Additionally, the latest UN forecast shows that people still travel internationally at rates only 5% lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2023. This data shows the international flow of people, money and ideas has remained strong despite global events in recent years. Therefore, speaking multiple languages can be extremely beneficial when working internationally. Bilingual and multilingual job applicants may find opportunities in sectors like trade, media, education and hospitality.

Benefit 4: Cultural sensitivity and adaptability 

Speaking multiple languages can also be an important signal of respect.John Worne, the Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, has lived and worked internationally for most of his career and has found that speaking even just a little of a country’s language can make a big difference.

“From Colombia to China, even if all you have are the basic greetings and courtesies, I’ve found people genuinely appreciate any effort I made to understand and speak languages,” John says. “Not least as it shows respect for them, their countries and their cultures.” Communicating in another language can break barriers, dispel misconceptions and expand perspectives. In a professional context, this can improve trust and empathy among team members. In a personal context, this can lead to stronger connections, friendships and enriched travel experiences.“[Speaking another language] can enhance your ability to see different perspectives and appreciate other points of view,” John says. “The main benefits of languages for me have been better work opportunities, lifelong friendships and the confidence to explore other countries.” 

Benefit 5: Cognitive benefits 

Research shows that speaking multiple languages is not only good for your professional career and personal relationships, but it can also benefit your brain. Adults who speak more than one language have more white matter, which is considered the brain’s cognitive reserves, as compared to monolingual adults. According to a 2017 study, these additional reserves may play an important role in staving off cognitive decline as individuals age. Studies have shown a variety of other cognitive impacts, including: 

• Higher academic performance: A meta-analysis from the British Academy found that most studies (90%) showed that language learners consistently show higher literacy skills and perform better across various subjects. 
• Better memory: A 2022 study that aimed to definitively measure the protective benefits of multiple language knowledge found small cognitive benefits on working memory among multilingual older adults versus monolingual adults when controlling for education and daily activity.
• More creativity: Switching between languages may promote processes associated with creativity, such as stronger cognitive inhibition and flexibility, as research from 2022 demonstrated.

Tips for people wanting to learn another language from polyglots

Whether you want to bolster your resume or travel more adventurously, learning another language has many undeniable benefits—even if you’re not fluent. “Although it’s great to be fluent in a language, we need to be honest that ‘fluency’ isn’t a realistic goal for most people unless they were brought up bilingual or have the good fortune to live in another country,” says John Worne. “I do think, however, that everyone can make progress in languages, and the time you put in will absolutely pay back in a growing vocabulary, a sense of achievement and more ability to understand and communicate.” Even though he’s already proficient in multiple languages, John still makes time to learn more. He’s currently learning Japanese. “My advice to anyone who’s thinking about learning a language is simple,” John says. “Get onto Duolingo and get started! It’s a life’s work to master languages, but you can start improving today. Every new word you learn is an asset.”Erika Rodriguez, who has been using Duolingo to dabble in Italian, encourages others to learn new languages—and emphasizes that mistakes are part of the process.  “People are always so afraid of making mistakes, feeling silly or that someone is going to judge you,” says Erika. “You’re not going to be punished for trying something new that can be so beneficial, not only to you but for employment and for making connections with others.”

Invest in your employees’ future and drive business growth. Our programs can enhance your team’s intercultural communication skills and open up new opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Schedule an appointment today. Find us on Instagram @ThirdlevelTeams.

Reference: [https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/news/benefits-of-multilingualism-in-professional-life]