If you are a business owner or manager, you already know that keeping your employees motivated, interested and engaged in their work can be challenging. In fact, studies show that employees who don’t feel that they are appreciated or truly part of a team in their work environments produce a lower quality work product, have more absenteeism, are more likely to encounter an accident on the job, and have an overall higher turnover rate than workers who feel that they are an integral part of the team. All of that can have a negative impact on your bottom line. So it only makes sense to make each and every employee feel that he or she is a valuable member of your staff. If you employ non-native English speakers, or if you have international offices located outside of the US, one of the most important ways to make your employees feel valued is by having internal documents translated.
That may be easier said than done. The sheer number of internal documents produced by most organizations is staggering. So we’ve broken down our recommendations into categories and prioritized each so you have a starting point and a way to ensure that your translation efforts are thorough.
Documents related to employment
This category is not simply a “nice-to-have” when it comes to having documents translated. In fact, you may be required by law to translate many documents that are directly related to a worker’s employment. This is not only for the sake of the employee – a fact that we hope is obviously important and requires no further explanation – but also for your benefit as well. Providing each non-native English speaker with Human Resources documentation in their native language will aid you beyond measure should you find yourself in litigation with the employee sometime in the future. Some of these documents include employment contracts, confidentiality agreements, employee handbooks and explanations of benefits, as well as policies and procedures.
Documents related to employee safety on the job
The safety of your employees should be important to you; that goes without saying. So it’s crucial to provide your workers with documentation that explains how they can protect themselves from injury in the workplace. And – at the risk of sounding redundant – having this type of documentation translated for non-native English speakers may also provide you with legal protection, should you ever need it. Documents related to employee safety include safety procedures, safety manuals, warning posters, warning labels, and documentation used in safety training.
Docuentation related to the training of employees
Almost every type of business produces documentation regarding how an employee should perform his or her job, or how they should operate some type of equipment. That “equipment” could range from a forklift to a copying machine. The important thing to keep in mind is that this category includes documentation that enables an employee to do the best job possible, which means that you are providing that worker with the same opportunity to advance and excel in a job as any other employee, regardless of their native language. From the employer’s point of view, ensuring that every employee is well trained will mean greater productivity and that, in turn, means higher profits for the company overall. Documents in this category may include instructions on how to operate machinery or tools, employee training handbooks and guidelines for driving company vehicles.
No matter what size company you have, and no matter what industry you’re in, you will undoubtedly benefit from making every employee feel as though they are an integral member of the team and that everyone is provided the same opportunity to succeed. What may seem at times to be an elusive goal – keeping workers motivated and engaged – can often be summed up in two simple words: improved communication. To find high quality translation services for your internal documentation, contact a reputable translation company. They will match your needs with a skilled and experienced language professional.