Mistakes to Avoid When Conducting Business Globally

Moving your business abroad can open new opportunities. In our hyperconnected world, approaching new global markets is easier than it’s ever been. Still, conducting business globally isn’t without its difficulties – new languages, cultural norms and business customs, if not planned for, might get in the way of a successful international plan. Here are some of the most common mistakes that companies make when expanding across the border – read on to make sure that you don’t end up prey to these common pitfalls.

Not Hiring a Qualified Multilingual Team

It’s tempting to send your seasoned team members abroad to start a new office. They’ve proven their loyalty to the company, their work ethic and their skills. Yet just because they’re successful in your local market, doesn’t mean that they’re the perfect person for your overseas expansion.
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#AWarmerWelcome: The True Spirit of Hospitality

What’s one of the biggest worries people have when traveling? 

Hint: It stops more than 30% of travelers from embracing new and different destinations and accommodations.

Booking.com surveyed 20,500 global travelers about various travel topics, including travel ambitions, trip planning habits and biggest fears. Nearly 30% of the people surveyed agreed that one of their biggest worries while traveling was the language barrier, and that this communication worry can even stop them from booking unknown accommodations or a vacation in an exotic locale.

When asked what would remove those travel anxieties, one in five said that language skills would make the difference. If they were sure they would be able to ask questions at their hotel or order their favorite foods, aspiring travelers claimed they’d be more likely to book a new destination.
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When Miscommunication Turns Deadly: The True Story of Avianca Flight 52

What Happened?

In January 1990, Avianca Flight 52 from Bogota, Colombia, to New York City, was running out of fuel on approach to John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Due to weather conditions, the aircraft was kept in a holding pattern prior to landing, even though its fuel situation was critical. The flight crew communicated the situation to the ground crew, but according to reports, they failed to use correct terminology to describe the situation. They did not, for example, use the word “emergency.” Unfortunately, air traffic control underestimated the seriousness of the situation, and the Boeing 707 aircraft crashed into a residential area on Long Island, killing 73 of the 158 people on board.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the crash occurred partly from the flight crew’s failure to properly communicate a fuel emergency.
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How To Improve Communication With Multilingual Patients In Healthcare Environments

The number of foreign language speakers in the United States has increased an impressive 90% since 1990. There are 38.4 million Spanish speakers reported in the US. The next most common language is Chinese, with 3 million speakers, followed by 1.6 million Tagalog speakers, 1.4 million Vietnamese speakers and 1.3 million French speakers. These populations translate into a new challenge for healthcare professionals and organizations across the nation.
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The Importance of Assessing Employee Language Skills for Specific Positions

Note: This post has been updated on April 2, 2024 to reflect the changes to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

How well does one need to be able to speak a language to use that language effectively and appropriately in the workplace? What language tasks does that individual need to accomplish successfully? How accurate must one’s language be to be acceptable in the work context? The simple answer – it depends upon the job.

In a global workplace, employers can no longer depend on the self-reporting of language skills when determining if a potential hire has sufficient communication skills in the language for success in the workplace. Continue reading

Let’s Talk About It, Language Proficiency in the Workplace

We’re operating in a global economy. As a result, competition is far reaching, and companies are increasingly finding themselves at a competitive disadvantage when employees lack the functional language skills needed to do their job. These companies should be considering the following questions; are your employees actually qualified to communicate in another language effectively? How do you assess the functional language ability of your employees? Is the means of assessment reliable and legally defensible?

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Expand Your Company’s Multilingual Talent and Expand Your Global Reach

group of coworkers having a meeting in the office to discuss ideas and future business propositions

The time to expand and assess the language proficiency of your employees is now. A recent opinion article in the Training Journal indicated that “language learning will become an integral part of [a] company’s corporate strategy” as a means of improving international negotiations and relationships, as well as internal business operations. This article is part of a growing body of evidence that suggests that corporations are in need of global language expansion. This goes hand in hand with recent reports that the demand for bilingual workers has doubled in the past five years (New American Economy, 2017).
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LTI celebrates 25 years of language testing expertise

In 1992, Language Testing International (LTI) was founded as a way to bring reliable proficiency testing to a wider audience, and so began our close partnership with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Twenty-five years and almost three million assessments later, LTI is still proud to be the official testing office of ACTFL and the sole licensee of their assessments. Our goal remains the same – deliver valid and reliable language proficiency tests to the public – and here is how we have responded to the changing needs of our customers; expanded list of languages, remote proctoring services, task analysis and customization services. These days we do it at a scale and in ways facilitated by computer adapted technology and remote proctoring when appropriate, in markets such as K-12, Higher Education, Fortune 500 companies, state and local municipalities and the federal government. We couldn’t have imagined twenty-five years ago that we would be delivering over six hundred thousand tests annually!
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Four Critical Questions To Ask When Choosing a Selection Test

Pre-employment selection tests can be valuable tools, providing vital information about candidates’ applicable knowledge, skills, and abilities before they are offered employment. Ideally, this information will save you time and money by increasing the likelihood that candidates will perform well and stay on the job. To reap these rewards, however, you must carefully weigh your assessment options and choose wisely. Asking the following critical questions is key to identifying a test that will help you select and keep the right people.

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ACTFL’s Martha G. Abbott Appointed to National Security Education Board

ALEXANDRIA, VA — ACTFL Executive Director Martha G. Abbott has been appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Security Education Board.

“It is truly an honor to be appointed by the President to serve in this capacity on the National Security Education Board advising on the important work of building our nation’s linguistic and cultural capacity,” Abbott said.

“We are delighted to have Marty represent ACTFL and the language education community on the National Security Education Board,” ACTFL President Peter Swanson added. “Her appointment sends a strong message about the importance of global competence in the 21st century.”

In a press release Sept. 7, President Obama praised Abbott and H.T. Nguyen, who was appointed to the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations.
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