Table of Contents
Introduction to Multilingual Training and Its Importance for Global User Adoption
The 21st-century phase of globalization began with rapid digitalization at the start of the 2000s. People around the world wanted access to content from various regions. However, language barriers meant that content needed to be shared in multiple languages or accompanied by translation services. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages, and their effectiveness largely depends on the specific context in which they are used.
When your organization operates globally, you are bound to face linguistic barriers. A survey conducted and reported by Rosetta Stone and Forbes Insights provides insights into the linguistic gap between management and other workers, recording that an overwhelming 65% believe that it affects their company.
These barriers inevitably cause challenges during training too and subsequently bleed into the daily operations in various forms. The same survey outlines some of the adverse effects of such language barriers even during simple processes as below:
Now, employing translation services can be quite cost-intensive, apparent from the fact that the global languages market was $46.9 billion strong in 2019, and the translation industry has shown a 6.86% growth rate from 2019 to 2024, according to Worldmetrics. If you do not want to be swept up in this expensive tide, it is best to find an automated solution that fits your training needs. Language barriers in training can be easily overcome using multilingual training programs built into your learning system. With Assima, we offer exactly that, with multiple features and modules fitted into our software training solutions for a comprehensive approach.
Globalizing your training materials? Check out how we do it with one click using Assima Train.
Understanding the Challenges of Language Barriers in Training Programs
When your offices span across multiple countries, it is important to make provisions that allow people to work and operate in the language they are most comfortable in. It is equally important to have mechanisms in place to allow them to train in the language they prefer. When that does not happen, a lot of miscommunication arises, which can adversely affect their performance.
Common Language Barriers in Global User Training
There can be many reasons why language barriers crop up when training global audiences in the workforce despite the best intentions of the C-suite and L&D departments. Some of these can be corrected easily while others require a major shift in the way matters are approached.
Limited Knowledge of Workforce Geographical Span
International user training can be significantly hindered if decision-makers lack awareness of the linguistic ecosystems in which their workforce operates. Without this knowledge, the opportunity for multilingual training becomes severely restricted, leading to challenges for individuals who prefer to communicate in languages not covered by the organization’s training materials.
Inability to Provide Certain Language Provisions
Sometimes, even when an organization has knowledge of the linguistic necessities of its target audience, they are unable to provide multilingual user support due to lack of resources, budget constraints, and other such issues. Hiring translation and language services can be a major hassle if you do not have the right system in place to implement them.
Technical Limitations for Certain Languages
It is a well-known fact that most technical systems run on the internet are English-based. Other languages have only finite provisions when it comes to the technical aspects of operation. Hence, it can often be beyond the technical capabilities of the systems employed by an organization to provide effective multilingual communication for training purposes.
Low Consciousness of the Impact of Language Barriers
It is not unusual for higher-ups to presume that most people will be comfortable in English and hence, there is no need to provide training materials in other languages. The truth cannot be further from this perception. It has been observed across the globe that multilingual training and support highly increase engagement, productivity, and motivation among the workforce, ultimately serving the company.
The Impact of Language Barriers on User Experience and Adoption Rates
Overcoming language barriers in training is a must if you want to avoid mishaps and challenges in your workforce. Ignoring the multilingual aspect of training can lead to many adverse effects on your operations, which include the following:
Accidents due to Miscommunication
If training is conducted in a language that learners are not fluent in, a lot of knowledge gaps and misinterpretations are introduced in the information they consume. Below-par translations will also have the same effect. This can lead to fatal mistakes in the field that can put lives as well as their work in jeopardy. The company in question will ultimately be accountable for that.
Reduced Participation and Motivation
When employees do not fully understand their roles and responsibilities in the workplace, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to grasp what is actually expected. This lack of clarity often leads to repeated mistakes and setbacks, making it challenging for them to learn effectively. Such experiences can demotivate even the most enthusiastic and dedicated workers, ultimately diminishing their desire to contribute positively to the company.
Impaired Productivity in Work
When there are deficiencies in what an employee learns, there will naturally also be deficiencies in how they perform at work. Their pace of work slows down and productivity is affected in the process. It is a known fact that the best a team can do is defined by the best their weakest link can do. Hence, bottlenecks build up, reducing the productivity of the entire team.
Communication Barriers Among Employees
Effective collaboration is crucial for the smooth operation of any organization. When employees are trained in a language they do not fully understand, misunderstandings and assumptions can arise. This often leads to them being out of sync with colleagues who were trained in their preferred language, potentially causing unnecessary friction within the workforce.
Inefficiency in Basic Processes
Poorly trained employees often work with hesitation and confusion, which can prolong even the simplest tasks and prevent them from reaching peak efficiency. As these inefficiencies accumulate, they create backlogs and bottlenecks in processes, ultimately requiring significant time, effort, and resources to resolve.
Explore the benefits of using Assima Train when it comes to translation requirements.
Benefits of Implementing Multilingual Training Programs
Offering multilingual training can be the key to successfully maintaining a satisfied global workforce and effectively meeting their training needs. With the right translation tool, you can reap the benefits of an equally motivated workforce across your organization.
Enhancing User Understanding and Satisfaction
Having all your training materials in one language puts the onus on your employees to translate and understand what they are trying to say. When translations are done by non-native speakers or AI tools, they may fail to accurately convey the original message of the training material. As a result, errors and confusion due to mistranslation can creep in, causing issues when applying that information in their work. The cumulation of these factors over an extended period puts a strain on employees and reduces their overall job satisfaction and morale. It can even cause attrition rates to rise in the process, which can cost your company a lot in the long run. Providing training with options of receiving it in one’s native language will greatly enhance employee loyalty, satisfaction, and happiness.
Boosting Global User Retention and Engagement for Software Vendors
When training clients to use your software, the first thing they notice is how user-oriented the demos and training materials are, as this will be an indication of how well the product would work for them. Even if the actual software is available in the language they prefer, if the training and onboarding materials are not, it will affect global user adoption as well as retention. New clients will shirk away from your offering while old clients will start feeling neglected and engage less and less until they find a vendor that is ready to take their language requirements into consideration. When you understand this and make provisions for all the language requirements of your clients, you can ensure customer loyalty and repeat business for your company.
Expanding Market Reach and Supporting Cultural Diversity
Inclusivity and diversity are a major concern these days. Employees and clients alike expect it from every organization they work with; after all, it is a basic right. The only way you can maintain and expand your market reach and attract all kinds of talent is by supporting cultural diversity and ensuring unbiased inclusion. One of the most crucial checkpoints for that is to ensure that your training is culturally sensitive, including being available in the languages your users prefer to consume content in. Cross-cultural training programs are essential in making users feel supported and included in their learning journey. Without it, you can only ever hope to make leeway in a limited market, thus, thwarting your global endeavors.
Key Strategies for Effective Multilingual Training
When implementing multilingual training facilities, it is important to understand that what you believe is best for your users might be misplaced. Even if you have the best interests of your target audience in mind, realize that you can never fully put yourself in the shoes of another. It is always more appropriate to ask, answer, and explore the needs of your learners thoroughly before putting into practice any measure.
Choosing the Right Languages for Your Audience
Language is a hugely diverse facet of society. Currently, about 7000 languages are in use, and it is safe to say that the majority of these have dialects. Without proper surveying, it would be impossible to know exactly which language and dialect your target audience would be comfortable in. The best way to go about this is to poll your users, study their responses, and zero in on a reasonable number of language options that cover the entire base. Even after implementation, rigorous and continuous testing must be conducted at regular intervals, especially when dealing with a dynamic audience base, to ensure that the applicability of the lessons still stands.
Leveraging Technology for Language and Localization Support
One of the biggest challenges in translating traditional training materials, such as documents and screenshot-based simulations, is that they rely heavily on static images. These materials are typically produced in English and are difficult to translate without hiring translators or using AI tools for the text. More importantly, the system screenshots must be recreated for each required language, which is a time-consuming task. This effort multiplies with each additional language. For instance, 100 pieces of content in 10 languages suddenly equate to 1,000 resources that not only need initial translation but also require ongoing maintenance whenever the system changes.
Want to know how Assima Train can translate training materials without creating multiple copies using its patented cloning technology?
Here’s a sneak peek.
Incorporating Cross-Cultural Elements in Training Content
Translating your lessons by the book will only get you so far in being conscious of the cultural nuances of a language. There are many local expressions, proverbs, and slangs that only mean something in that particular language. Translating them literally will only create content that goes over the head of the target audience. Moreover, there are often taboos and no-nos that are only relevant in a particular language or culture, which must be taken into account so as not to offend people. Keeping all this in mind, it should be a rule to make all content go through a native speaker or local translator who ensures that these cross-cultural elements are not lost in translation.
Considering the Context of the Content in Interpreting Meanings
Not only do local expressions pose a challenge for accurate translations, but technical phrases can also create issues. The same word can have different meanings in the context of different industries, use cases, and even departments. For example, the word “plant” in AI translations would most likely be interpreted in the context of gardening. However, in the manufacturing industry, “plant” typically refers to a large facility with manufacturing equipment that produces necessary products, requiring a completely different translation. Such interpretations would be lost unless the context is taken into consideration.
Case Studies: Successful Multilingual Training for Global Adoption
Assima has been a forerunner in training and digital adoption software for over two decades now. Our clients usually operate on a global scale and require international user training. This means multilingual training is often a factor at the forefront of their requirements. Take AkzoNobel for instance. They were facing the challenge of providing localized training to 100,000 end-users without compromising on training quality or straining their budget. With Assima, they were able to provide remote, online training at all their locations in 13 languages without incurring extra expenses.
In a similar fashion, Assima helped Plan International, a children’s charity, implement training for their global SAP rollout in the 53 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas, where they operated. The challenge was to provide consistent training in a cost- and time-effective manner to all their employees in their preferred languages. With Assima, they were able to do deliver training in multiple languages, including English, Spanish and French.
Conclusion: The Future of Multilingual Training in an Increasingly Globalized World
As a global organization, it is essential to consider the linguistic needs of your international audience before delivering any content. Failing to do so can weaken your connection with them and may even result in losing employees or clients. A simple investment in multilingual training systems can help you overcome this challenge and ensure user satisfaction across your employee and client base. Assima can help you do just that with the innovative translation feature and multilingual support that comes with Assima Train.
Reach out to us for more information on how we do it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s Answer Some of Your Questions.
When you have a global user base, your users usually span multiple countries and categories. Each has their native or first language that they are most fluent and comfortable in. If you offer monolingual training, many of them would have issues understanding and implementing that knowledge, affecting the results they produce as well as their own satisfaction.
Most software applications for training do not come with multilingual capabilities as that is, most often, a secondary need, especially if the vendor’s client base includes a significant percentage of organizations with very local needs. So, getting translation and language services or products can become an additional expense. Moreover, often, companies are not equipped to provide their training materials in all the languages that their user base needs. Arranging for that can become quite a responsibility.
The best way to avoid language barriers in user training is to make language preferences a standard question in user surveys and market research. If you tackle the issue from the very beginning, it will never become a big enough challenge that needs effort to be overcome.
While using in-built translation tools is the most effective solution for delivering multilingual training, that is often not possible. In such cases, utilize an external tool that has high compatibility with your software so as to ensure consistency.
Multilingual training ensures that users get the choice to train in the language of their preference. This can be the entire difference between a motivated user base and an unsatisfied one. Moreover, limited language options can have repercussions later in the results of their work, bringing in errors and difficulties in completing even the easiest of tasks due to a faulty understanding of the material.
Conduct regular polls and surveys to remain acquainted with the major language preferences of your user base. When you choose the final options, ensure that it covers every base, and includes as many top choices for the people as possible.
There are many cultural nuances that trickle into language. Unless you know about these nuances, you can never provide accurate translations, especially for native speakers. Cultural sensitivity and adaptation are a must when providing multilingual training to ensure the best results.
The advent of AI and with it, ML and NLP, has resulted in a major overhaul in the way digital translations work. Accuracy has increased manifold and semantic refinement is far better. AI should definitely be a consideration when choosing tools for multilingual training.
You may use metrics like ROI, user satisfaction and engagement, and session durations and bounce rates of the training modules to measure if your multilingual training program is effecting any significant change.
Any industry that demands global operation and maintains an international workforce will benefit from multilingual training. E-commerce, retail giants, international banking, international transport and aviation, diplomatic relations, etc. are some relevant examples.
