Why Translate Your Internal Communications?

Most businesses accept the need to translate and localize their customer-facing messaging, but too many forget to pay the same attention to internal business and HR communications. Here’s why that can be a serious mistake.  

Internal communication is the foundation of any successful organization. It makes employees feel connected and part of a whole, which in turn keeps them motivated, engaged, and performing to their full potential. However, the cultural and linguistic diversity among workers can make it difficult to create documents that can engage and inform an entire global team with the same effectiveness.  

Faced with that difficulty, a lot of organizations have initially questioned the necessity of translating their internal communications – it might not be the end of the world if you send out a badly translated memo, provided it doesn’t contain critical information, of course. But there are also many examples of internal communications that absolutely do require precise translation and localization.  

Employee handbooks 

If your employee handbook was written and reviewed by HR and legal experts, shouldn’t your translations also be managed by experts? Your handbook is the guide that all your employees will use, no matter what language they speak or which office they work in, and you need an expert translation to be sure that the messages conveyed are exactly what you intended. A well-written handbook is an opportunity to provide every employee with a direct guide to your company policies and culture, while also defining their roles. Without proper translation into the languages spoken by your employees, the nuances of your procedures could be lost. 

Financial documents  

Translating financial documents makes sure that all branches are working effectively with the same information and with the same goals in mind. If a branch in Poland is experiencing an excellent Q1 and the French office wants to replicate their results, translating the financial documentation from Polish to French will allow both branches to more easily share their tips for success. 

Intranet 

It’s highly likely that your business uses an internal computer network, or Intranet, for sharing information, collaborative tools, operational systems, and other computing services across all your offices. Even though your employees may have a working knowledge of English, their understanding of your message is enhanced when it’s presented in their native language. Having professional translation experts customize the interface and content of your company’s Intranet will make sure that this communication happens exactly as you intend. 

The Argos difference 

Translating internal corporate communication is a delicate balancing act – you need to be able to accurately convey both your message and your company culture through words. That’s why it’s so critical to partner with a language services provider that employs translators well-versed in the importance of company culture. A successful partnership can eliminate misunderstandings caused by translation errors and make sure you’re being as transparent as possible with your staff.  

At Argos Multilingual, we go to great pains to work only with the best talent available – our internal communications translators have a keen eye for detail and a detailed knowledge of how internal communications are written. They will make sure that your corporate identity is strong, clearly expressed, and consistent for every stakeholder and communications platform. 

Want to know more?

• Blog: Why Centralization is Worth the Effort
  
• Blog: Translating Your HR Content Can’t Wait