Is your company expanding its customer base into more diverse markets or forging partnerships with international associates? Is your business poised for growth? If so, it’s a strategic moment to consider establishing an internal translation and interpreting department, staffed with the right talent to meet your business needs.
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Strategic Considerations for Business Growth
Before embarking on the creation of an onsite language department, it’s imperative to align this initiative with your company’s overarching and long-term goals, while considering available budget and resources. Sustaining a language department comes with fixed costs, making it crucial to discern when this approach is aligned with your strategic direction. What are the key indicators for embracing this approach, and what guidelines should you follow?
Aligning with Company Goals and Resources
Various factors come into play when making an informed decision. If your company requires translation and interpretation services on a continuous or permanent basis and on an extensive scale, having bi/multilingual employees within your internal team to manage these tasks on time and efficiently is an advantage.
“If you do require plenty of translation, then this is the safest bet. And the biggest advantage of an in-house department is communication. Your team of translators will
have premium access to the product and marketing teams. Together they are powerful and can decide on the best translation for specific terms and focus on your company’s voice and image,” (Calhanas).
The Case for an Internal Translation and Interpreting Department
Another pivotal element is your company’s technical or specialized terminology. Having an in-house bi/multilingual workforce with expertise in the nuances of the content you deal with, and cultural understanding of your target audiences can result in more accurate translations, and contextually fitting interpretations. Additionally, an internal department enhances the security of sensitive information, a fundamental aspect in business operations. Furthermore, if your primary concern lies in quality assurance, an on-site team can provide direct supervision, including post-translation proofreading and editing, a vital step in ensuring impeccable outcomes.
Benefits of an In-House Bilingual/Multilingual Workforce
A report conducted for ACTFL underscores the significance of professionally assessing employees’ language proficiency to align the organizations’ workforce competencies with its linguistics needs. This strategy is especially relevant given the increasing dependence of U.S. employers on languages other than English.
Language Proficiency and Workforce Competencies
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 20 percent increase in demand for interpreters and translators between 2021 to 2031. The growth is attributed to the United States’ ever-growing diverse population which requires an expansion of these roles.
Projected Demand for Language Professionals
If you are still uncertain about how to address the linguistic challenges of your business, consulting industry experts and getting tailored advice is prudent. Outsourcing to a specialized multilingual firm is also a viable solution. This avenue provides access to qualified translators and interpreters for urgent requests and large volumes. Some companies opt for an internal team for certain assignments or languages and outsource for others. The decision must be based on your company’s requirements and needs. You have the last word!
The Certification Advantage: Language Testing International (LTI)
As a pivotal step in this journey, consider certifying your employees’ language skills with Language Testing International® (LTI), an authority in delivering language assessments with over three decades of experience. As the exclusive licensee of ACTFL, LTI offers valid and defensible ACTFL credentials in listening, writing, reading, and speaking proficiency in over 120 languages. ACTFL’s remotely and secured proctored assessments can be conveniently accessed anywhere, anytime.
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
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Interpreters and Translators” at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/interpreters-and-translators.htm (visited July 12, 2023).
Calhanas, Bernardo. “If You’re Thinking of Creating a Translation Department in Your Company, You Should Read This”. The Translation Guy. June 2022. https://thetranslationguy.net/2021/06/22/if-youre-thinking-of-creating-a-translation-department-in-your-company-you-should-read-this/
