How to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity in society

Companies aspire to expand globally but to do so, they must seek to improve certain aspects of their success. People from various cultural backgrounds who also influence the workplace culture are one of those aspects. Multilingualism and cultural diversity are some very important aspects that will also have an impact on society. Before we get into the benefits, let’s first clarify what these terms mean.

Importance of multilingualism and cultural diversity

Companies work with different people of different ages, from different fields of study, and with different interests, some have a different cultural background and others speak three or more languages. But they all have something in common: namely, the interest in achieving goals together.

Multilingualism is the use and acquisition of three or more languages. On the other hand, cultural diversity means that there are people with different cultural or ethnic backgrounds in society.

And companies that have different types of people in their daily work benefit greatly from this.

The benefits of including diverse people in the corporate culture include:

Fostering compassion in the team: When people understand each other, help each other, and communicate with the team, it affects the team’s compassion, which leads to better results.
Innovation: People who come from different cultures have different perspectives, which leads to more innovation.
Productivity: Employees who work together will have a flow that boosts sales and increases the productivity of the company.
New opportunities: A culture of diversity in the company opens the door to new opportunities.
Problem-solving: People from different backgrounds can lead to better problem-solving because they have different opinions, different approaches to solving problems, and different perspectives.

As Pat Wadors said: “When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become wiser, more inclusive, and better as an organization.”

Research bears out the benefits associated with business diversity:

Diverse companies have 2.5 times the cash flow per employee.
Diverse management has been shown to increase sales by 19 percent.
Gender-diverse companies are 15 percent more likely to outperform the industry average.
Three in four job seekers and workers prefer diverse companies.
Diverse companies generate higher innovation revenue

Source: loftusbradford.com

But how can multilingualism and cultural diversity be promoted in society, and what are the benefits?

Promote that it is OK to be different

Since people are different, whether because of their age, race, gender, religion, or personality, promote the fact that it is OK to be different and that people should work together, collaborate, partner, and accept each other as they are.

By promoting that being different is okay, people will start to have more confidence to participate in different events, collaborate, and succeed by being different.

Companies can also organize events to promote cultural diversity and acceptance of different cultural backgrounds, in the process strengthening a diverse team’s ability to work and thrive together.

In projects involving diverse team members, the translation process should be done carefully, as it may involve coordinating members from different countries and with cultural backgrounds. In this case, it is very important and helpful to use professional simultaneous translation equipment, as it helps to translate all the conversations and presentations in a professional way, without leaving any room for misunderstanding.

Promotion of personal assessment

Make people realize that everyone should start to be aware if they are able to understand and accept people from other cultures. Get them to check if they have people in their friend circles who are different. Try looking at their social networks to see who they are friends with, whether there are more men or women, whether they are younger or older, whether they belong to different religions, and so on. By teaching people about diversity and the importance of cultural diversity, you will help them understand if they are acceptable enough in society, and that will make them think and change their attitude.

Training of managers and the team

Diversity in the company is important, a lesson leaders should teach their teams and managers if they don’t already know. By training your team, it will promote team cohesion, respect, and ultimately, the broader company spirit. When business employees understand, respect, and support each other, it will help everyone reach a higher level.

Multilingualism and cultural diversity aren’t just important for businesses — they also play a role in nurturing a healthy society. If you are able to understand and support people of different ages, genders, religions, and other preferences, then society as a whole prospers through greater peace and stability. Having diverse friends, coworkers, and neighbors means that we have different perspectives, approaches, and avenues to affect change. It’s good business, yes, but it’s also good for the world as a whole.