As a bilingual or multilingual professional, you have the opportunity to advocate for the value of language skills and related incentives, not only for yourself but also for others in the workplace. Encouraging employees to enhance their language skills can significantly improve communication and overall collaboration with domestic and international partners, clients, and customers.

Language-Related Benefits in the Workplace

Promoting language-related benefits and recognition in the workplace empowers bilingual and multilingual professionals to contribute to the creation of a truly inclusive corporate culture. “There is no doubt that language has the power to shape culture. And this is particularly true of the language used in the workplace,” (Ormesher).

Employers sometimes adopt different programs to reward and motivate their employees. If you are a bilingual or multilingual professional who uses your foreign language skills consistently as a superpower in the workplace, bridging gaps across different language groups and reducing misunderstandings, do not hesitate to check if there are existing programs or policies related to compensation for language skills.

Championing Language Incentive Pay

To champion language incentive pay, you can build a case for the importance of understanding cultural and language differences in your company’s business negotiations and its value in ongoing interactions, both internally and externally. This form of compensation catalyzes continuous learning and fosters skill development as well as boosting employee morale and job satisfaction. “Incentive pays plans that are properly designed and administered within an organization that has a culture of trust can benefit both the employee and employer, motivating and rewarding workers. And, the practice will be around for a long time,” (Boué et al.) According to a survey conducted for the ACTFL, nine out of ten employers in the United States rely on employees proficient in languages other than English.

So how do you go about creating a rationale for language incentive pay? First, continuously emphasize the positive impact on employee engagement and corporate culture. Secondly, be a vocal advocate for language incentive pay in the global economy, presenting data that supports its positive impact on organizational performance to the human resources department. Your efforts could lead to the design, development, and implementation of such initiatives.

Remember, language incentive pay can influence performance and plays an important role in creating a more inclusive environment where foreign language skills are not only valued but also rewarded. Consider contacting Language Testing International (LTI) today, the exclusive licensee of ACTFL assessments offering legally defensible language credentials in over 120 languages. ACTFL assessments are remotely proctored and are designed to accurately determine the specific proficiency level of an employee. Our experience helping set up language incentive pay programs might be the extra support you need to convince your employer to reward bilingual employees for the extra skills they bring to the table.

Sources

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Lead with Languages Campaign commissioned Ipsos Public Affairs, with the support of Pearson LLC and Language Testing International. (2019). “Making Languages Our Business: Addressing Foreign Language Demand Among U.S. Employers”. https://www.actfl.org/uploads/files/general/MakingLanguagesOurBusiness_FullReport.pdf

Boué George, SHRM-SCP, and Corradino, Danielle M. “Does Incentive Pay Work?” SHRM. June 5, 2019. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-magazine/incentive-pay-work

Ormesher, Ellen. “The power of words: how inclusive language can make for a more equitable workplace.” The Drum. June 4, 2021. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/06/04/the-power-words-how-inclusive-language-can-make-more-equitable-workplace

Madeline Martínez is a Multicultural Navigator Specialist at URBANDER, a Woman and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) specializing in transforming businesses to advance humanity. URBANDER’s role is to serve as an extension of Marketing, Diversity, Human Resources, Procurement, Community Relations, and Social Responsibility teams, providing innovative approaches in the areas of strategic marketing, content development, workforce development, community outreach and IDEAS (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and sustainability). Madeline holds a both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Communications from the University of Puerto Rico and is an experienced copywriter and content developer dedicated to amplifying the voices of URBANDER’s clients. From blogs and articles to social media posts and interviews, Madeline is a skilled writer across diverse topics integrating her marketing, business and academic acumen. Though her earlier work as a Publications Officer at the Inter American University in Puerto Rico, and her most recent performance as a Spanish Interpreter, Substitute Teacher, and Instructional Assistant for English-language learning elementary school students, Madeline has impacted countless families as they have navigated migrating to the U.S. from Spanish-speaking countries. As a bilingual professional, Madeline is also proficient in translating written documents from English to Spanish, and vice versa. She has received LTI issued ACTFL Language Proficiency Certificates in Spanish as follows: Advanced Writing, Advanced Listening, Advanced Reading and Superior Speaking. During her downtime, Madeline loves spending time with her family, and enjoys dancing, movies, photography, and coffee. She considers herself a continuous learner. “A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers”- Helen Keller

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