What To Translate First, An HR Perspective.


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Many of you are directly involved in deciding which documents get translated in 
your company and which documents don't, and sometimes it's not a quick or easy 
decision to make. You have a tough job, especially if you are involved with the 
Human Resources department. 

Having to select between translating an employee newsletter, benefits information, 
safety procedures, employee handbooks, automated voice response systems, etc, 
etc... is not an easy task. What do you prioritize and how do you allocate a 
limited budget? 

Here are some suggestions... 

You can't go wrong if you focus on the most important assets of your company first, 
your employees. Without them there is no company; they should be your main priority. 

Help them understand company policies, expectations, and procedures. Show you care 
about your employees (especially in these unstable times) by dedicating time and 
resources to get these translations done right. You and your company will directly 
benefit from it. 

We have seen through our years of experience, dealing with foreign-language-speaking 
individuals and despite differences in education and social upbringing, that the 
majority of foreign-born nationals and speakers of other languages appreciate their 
employers' sincere efforts to communicate in a more effective way--for the benefit 
of all involved, and not only for politically correct reasons. 

Like any item in the budget, translations of HR materials need some type of 
explanation/justification. 

Here are some supporting facts: 

* The constantly evolving workforce. Times have not been changing, people have: 
  new faces, all races, new attitudes, more flexibility and more tolerance requirements. 
  This translates into more cultural competence, and more cultural competence means 
  more internal cooperation between employees, enhanced service for the customer, 
  improved worker productivity, and yes, more profits. 


* Translations can save lives. Are lives in danger when safety measures are not taken 
  because of a lack of language command? How do you protect your organization from 
  accidents and lawsuits that can be avoided because a worker did not fully understand 
  the written instructions? The choice to only hire native-English speakers is not a 
  real choice for many locations in the country anymore. Therefore, you should be 
  prepared to handle new requests and new needs properly. Do not wait until an accident 
  happens. 

* It's an authentic employee morale booster. Organizations may spend a great deal of 
  time trying to identify things to do to improve morale after a major organizational 
  change. Translating the right materials shows a genuine effort to be as fair as 
  possible before your workforce. Think of the goodwill you will generate. 


In a nutshell, translating materials that affect all employees generates a positive 
attitude towards the company. It can save lives, prevent accidents, and increase 
employee morale pronto! 

What do you think? Email me 

See you next month... 

Martha. 


Key Tip 

If you decide to translate an employee manual, try to mirror the English version in 
terms of look and feel. Do not be tempted to change the quality of the paper, the 
cover, or the binding--this could backfire. You must act fairly to be perceived as 
such. And here is a place where all your effort can go to the wastebasket. Keep 
it even or adiós dinero! 

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About the Author, if using, please include:

Martha E. Galindo, President and CEO of Galindo Publicidad, Inc.
A multilingual translations agency, selected twice as 
a Florida 100 company. Author of “How Do You Say…?” 
an eNewsletter designed to help you improve your 
business communications in other languages,
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GPI, Inc. Request a free project quote- 
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