6 reasons you should employ bilingual staff

The ability to speak more than one language is something that many of us would like to be able to do as it opens new doors in communication. But have you ever considered how important it is to have someone on your team who can do just that? Hiring staff based on the language they speak may not always be a priority, but this may change after you read what we have to say. We will share 6 reasons you should make hiring a bilingual staff member a priority within this blog. 

Why are bilingual staff an excellent asset to your team?

Within most industries, communication is key, but this is even more prevalent in marketing. Our role as marketers is to connect brands with audiences, communicating their products and services. As an agency full of bilingual staff, we were not surprised to see the evidence that would suggest bilingual people are more successful. 

The demand for bilingual workers is expected to rise in the following years as companies recognise the many benefits that extend beyond language. Let’s take a look at the benefits of having a bilingual staff member on board:

Benefits of bilingual staff:

Cost-effective

If your brand is trying to reach new audiences, one of the things that may be necessary for you to include in your expenses is a translator to help you connect with new audiences. But in a world that is becoming more diverse every day, you no longer have to look far to find an employee who can help you connect with those who do not speak your language. Not only will this be cost-effective as your company will no longer need translators to bridge that gap in communication, but you will also be saving time. 

As we have discussed in previous blogs getting translation right can be time-consuming. It is important to use translators for large campaigns, but it is not always necessary. There may be times your brand needs to connect with ethnic audiences or suppliers and would find a bilingual person in-house more effective at building these bonds.

More confident 

Bilingual people are a vital asset when managing customer relations or communicating with other organisations as they can connect globally with teams. Speaking more than one language gives them high confidence as they do not face as many communication barriers. 

Reach new audiences 

In our own work GottaBe! Ethnic utilises the skills our team members have. As a multicultural agency, we spend a lot of time reaching new audiences, and without our bilingual staff members, the process would be much slower. Whilst it is possible to connect with new audiences, it is vital to have someone in-house who can make that first connection.

Give you an insight into communities.

While it is not always the case, typically, bilingual people tend to have a better understanding of other communities. This could be because it is where they originated from or spent time there learning the language. We know this is not always the case as some choose to learn other languages but generally, they have spent time understanding the language and the culture. 

A bilingual person can connect with the communities better when they speak the native language, so they will be able to get an insight that you may not have. Here at GottaBe! Ethnic, we have over 4500 community champions across the UK who collectively speak over 45 languages. They give us an invaluable insight into the ‘hard to reach’ communities in an ever-changing market. 

Great at multitasking

Studies show that bilingual people are better at multitasking because their brains have developed to switch between languages. The cognitive ability bilingual people have makes them more proficient at looking at problems from a broader perspective. They can look at tasks more clearly and identify the solution. According to research by Pennsylvania University, bilingual people can switch between multiple tasks faster and allow better attention shifting.

Do not limit you 

Lastly, bilingual staff open doors. They make travel more accessible; they can connect you with suppliers and consumers and have more connections. These skills are invaluable, especially when expanding your reach. If your brand wishes to take its product abroad, a bilingual staff member will help you do this. With the £300bn spending power ethnic minorities hold in the UK alone, there is an excellent opportunity to tap into the ethnic communities.

When bilingual skills are transferred into the workplace, it can lead to better performance, innovation and efficiency within your organisation. Something not to miss!

While bilingual staff are excellent, we do not recommend replacing professional translators completely. When launching into new markets, work must be carried out by professional translators and thoroughly checked. While your staff may be more than capable, there is always the possibility of mistakes that happen to the best of us. However, we recommend that the bilingual staff member be a part of the campaign and have a large input into the creation as they will still have a better understanding of the culture and or language and how it will be delivered to consumers. 

If you’re not ready to expand your team but need help connecting with ethnic audiences, then GottaBe! Ethnic can help. With a truly diverse team, we have several bilingual staff in-house and 4,500 community champions across the UK. So, whether you need us to help you connect with suppliers or with members of the public, we are here. Discover the opportunities available for your brand today!