Employee Handbook Translation Services
There’s a growing need for employee handbook translation services from English to Spanish and other languages. With national immigration policy in the news on an almost daily basis, an age-old debate is again coming to the fore. The debate centers on a choice between two extremes:
• Is the United States a melting pot or a tapestry?
• Should people assimilate or retain their cultural identity?
• Must those who come to the U.S. speak English, or can they retain their own language?
The answer to all of the questions above is “both.” Neither extreme needs to be sole choice. The United States can be a tapestry and a melting pot. People can both assimilate and still maintain their cultural identity. People who relocate to the United States are actually required by law to know some English, but that does not mean that they shouldn’t also retain their own language and heritage.
Indeed, there is no need to make such stark choices when it comes to culture and language. Studies show that while first generation immigrants to the United States often struggle with English, the second and subsequent generations speak English fluently. And while people sometimes believe that in the ‘old glory days’ of the turn of the 20th century, immigrants assimilated entirely into American culture. That is not actually the case. Parochial schools and societies like the Italian-American society helped immigrants from the early 20th century retain their language, culture, and heritage.
Businesses Have to Accommodate Multi-lingual Workforce
All of this is to say that our nation has always been a complex combination of a tapestry and a melting pot. As such, businesses in America have always had to accommodate a workforce with employees who have had varying degrees of difficulty with the English language. In addition, multinational companies have a built-in diversity of language and culture, given that these companies are headquartered in many countries around the globe.
For both circumstances – low-English proficiency employees in the U.S. and multilingual workforce in multinational companies – legal translation services can be the juggernaut. They can ensure that all employees, no matter what language they speak, are all on the same page when it comes to the company’s needs and expectations.
The Employee Handbook Translation
Commonly, employees and employers alike de-emphasize the importance of the employee handbook. In many cases, it is simply one of many documents given to an employee at the beginning of the their tenure, and an employee may leaf through it once and then permanently put it in a drawer somewhere. That is, unfortunately, a missed opportunity.
The employee handbook actually serves some very important functions. First and foremost, it provides employees with the basic mission of the company. Far from being just a set of rules and regulations, it is an opportunity for an employer to impart on every employee the company’s culture, brand, vision, and philosophy. Those overarching corporate goals must be part of each employee’s mindset for the company to have a truly integrated workforce.
Second, the employee handbook provides the company’s policies and procedures, i.e., the rules upon which every employee operates. Thus, it serves as a reference for employees. Employees should be able to refer to the handbook so they know what to do to provide the product or service the company sells and, importantly, know the relevant coronavirus policy and safety procedures.
Finally, the employee handbook can explain more fully to employees the added benefits, and investment opportunities, the company provides for its employees. It is not unusual for an employee to fail to take advantage of certain discounts the company provides, solely because the employee never read the handbook.
Translate That Employee Handbook Now
Yes, let’s say it again – translate that employee handbook now, in the midst of coronavirus pandemic! That simple effort will lead to employee loyalty, clarity, and quality.
With regard to loyalty, there is no question that taking the time to ensure that an employee’s handbook is in an employee’s native language sends a message that the employee is valued and important. The sense of belonging to the employee from that gesture can go a long way to gaining the employee’s loyalty.
With regard to clarity, having a handbook that is understandable to all employees – English speaking and non-English speaking alike – establishes that every employee is working from the same playbook. You won’t have employees who can accurately claim to have a different understanding of the procedures because they could not understand the handbook. Rather, all employees work from the same baseline.
With regard to quality, a company that values its employees such that it provides the handbook a person’s native language, will lead to high-quality employees. A person’s work environment has an impact on whether a person is attracted to particular company. If a company can credibly show how much it values its employees, good employees will follow.
How Can I Easily Translate My Employee Handbook to Spanish and Other Languages? A Legal Translation Service like All Language Alliance, Inc. Can Help
A company may try to use in-house resources to translate a handbook and an anti-sexual harassment policy, but that will likely not be a cost-effective approach. Translating an employee handbook into Spanish and other languages is a perfect job to outsource to professional translation service.
All Language Alliance, Inc. specializes in translating employee handbooks for its clients. What sets us apart from the competition is our ability to translate technical legal jargon as well as regular prose, and employee handbooks contain both. We also provide expert customer service with follow-up requests for legal interpreting services, so your company always feels comfortable that it is in good, reliable hands.
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