5 Overlooked Benefits Of Investing In A Multilingual LMS

5 Overlooked Benefits Of Investing In A Multilingual LMS
Summary: The world is now a village (thanks to the internet and enhanced global infrastructure). Which means that your audience probably hails from the far reaches of the globe. In this article, I share the many overlooked benefits of investing in a multilingual LMS.

Why You Should Invest In A Multilingual LMS

Generally, when someone tells you to ‘learn the language’, it’s not from a positive point. ‘The language’ is mostly English, but it could apply to any dominant tongue, whether it’s Portuguese or Swahili. Still, there is a lot of benefit in letting people study in whichever language they’re most comfortable with. It enhances overall efficiency but can also build cohesion. Plus, because the context is the best way to pick a new language, it may have unexpected consequences. You start out wanting to help your expats blend better. But you could end up exposing your ‘locals’ to foreign language skills in the process. Here are 5 advantages of investing in a multilingual LMS.

5 Unexpected Multilingual Learning Management System Benefits

1. Clarity

Things get lost in translation every day, and we don’t even know it. If we only speak one language, we may not realize our message has been misunderstood. And even in a multilingual workplace, speakers don’t necessarily have the same combination of languages. With a multilingual LMS, the set-up gives corporate learners wider access. They can train in a language they’re more comfortable with, but they can also refer to other languages. It’s a fun, unobtrusive way to improve foreign language skills.

When we learn a new language in school, we often develop a formal/academic context. A multilingual LMS can broaden our language scope. It introduces industry-specific jargon, but also provides contextual use. The mix of conversational registers and technical terms ensures the online training material is clearer and more effective. The result is a deeper understanding and enhanced recall. It also opens up avenues for social interaction by offering communication tools and expanding vocabulary.

2. Engagement

The ‘western’ approach to life can be problematic for those who hail from different cultures. There are endless cases of people who were doctors or professors in their native nations. But when they get to the West, they cannot find employment in those sectors and must retrain or find jobs that don’t require a degree. They simply can’t demonstrate how talented they are because they can’t express themselves at the required level. At least, not in the target language without the help of a multilingual LMS.

In the online setting, this can present as apparent disinterest. They may not use the LMS because they don’t understand what’s happening. They don’t ask for help because they don’t want to look ‘dumb’ … and they don’t know how to ask. They lack the language skills to explain where and how they’re stuck. An LMS that supports multiple languages improves autonomy because they can get help on their own. They’ll become more active in their online training sessions, boosting their team, and helping them mingle with co-workers.

3. Communication

Multilingual individuals – especially those who learned both languages organically – are clearer communicators. They have more nuance in their speech. Studies show their brains work more efficiently, too. It’s not about intelligence. It’s about neural pathways developed from infancy, making it easier for them to build mental connections between ideas and senses. Still, practice makes perfect, so allowing them to engage in multiple languages at work will improve their faculties. It will benefit the dominant corporate language. For example, by using the multilingual LMS in their native tongue and comparing to the English version, they improve their vocabulary.

It can work the other way too. They can work in English (or the main office language) and when they get stuck, cross-check their preferred translation. This helps them get better in both languages. As an added benefit, they can now work more smoothly with colleagues who only speak one language. They’re able to internally translate concepts before, and then share them, making them more efficient in general communication.

4. Expand Your Customer Base

If you’re thinking about investing in a corporate multilingual LMS, it’s not just your employees who benefit. You also have the ability to reach a broader customer base by offering translated consumer online training resources. For example, product knowledge tutorials and videos that feature the customer’s native language. They get all the information they need about your product, service, and brand through the multilingual LMS. Which makes them appreciate your organization that much more because of its dedication to globalization (and personalization).

5. Testing Knowledge Mastery

Giving corporate learners information in a language they comprehend is crucial. But you also need a way to gauge whether they actually understood the online training content and can apply it in real life. A multilingual LMS offers corporate learners the ability to assess skills and knowledge in their preferred language. For example, corporate learners in Germany automatically receive the German exam at the end of the certification online training course. Likewise, qualitative assessments like branching scenarios and online training simulations are translated so that they can evaluate the real-world application. But it also gives your organization the opportunity to identify areas for improvement regarding the eLearning course design. Low assessment scores in one region of the world might not necessarily mean that corporate learners don’t possess the knowledge. It might simply be a matter of poor translation or lack of localized online training content.

Conclusion

You don’t speak to your boss the same way you speak to your colleagues. Even at home, your exchanges with siblings and parents have different word choices. And you communicate most effectively when you’re relaxed and at ease. This doesn’t just apply to rank and hierarchy – it applies to language as well. A multilingual LMS facilitates varying registers and comprehension levels. By incorporating other languages into your LMS, you improve corporate learner performance, both in their native tongue and foreign ones. Online training content will be clearer and easier to remember, so corporate learners will be more actively involved. Improved language skills broaden perspectives, creating common ground for happier, more cohesive workspaces.

How do you find a multilingual learning management system that delivers maximum ROI? Our eBook Value For Money LMS: How To Find A Platform That Offers The Best Return On Your Investment features insider secrets to invest wisely and qualify top vendors quickly.