| Businesses are getting bigger. That should not surprise | | | | It is unlikely that you could not find any suitable |
| us when we see chains like Tesco moving into the US | | | | employees who would be willing to move to new |
| and Europe from what started out as an East London | | | | offices considering the responsibility they would be |
| market stall in 1919. With this expansion in business, | | | | gaining. But then you have the problem of trying to |
| companies are moving into new markets that they | | | | make your business fit in with the new county's culture |
| have little or no experience of. Employees from | | | | and protocols. How would a handful of people from |
| London are been transferred to offices in China, Japan | | | | London know how business works in China without |
| and the US. South America is growing in terms of | | | | the help of local business experts? This strategy may |
| business and continental Europe is also a popular | | | | also work against you by alienating the locals who |
| destination for overseas business offices due to the | | | | could be doing the job just as well if only the time had |
| healthy economy in countries like France and | | | | been taken to integrate them into your business |
| Germany. It is important that core messages and aims | | | | structure. |
| are not lost in translation, so companies need to find a | | | | Finally, and I would say thankfully, there is another |
| coherent way in which their offices can communicate | | | | option available to businesses who are expanding their |
| with each other. | | | | presence into overseas markets. Whilst it may be true |
| But what are the options available to large businesses | | | | that the most common language in the world is |
| looking into setting up offices on a global scale? Should | | | | Chinese mandarin, in the business world, English |
| they hire translators to mediate between English and | | | | remains the most used language with which to |
| non-English speaking employees, move some of their | | | | communicate. EFL training, or English as a foreign |
| local employees to head up their foreign offices or | | | | language training, can be used by companies around |
| train all of their employees to speak a common | | | | the world to make sure they every one of their |
| language? Discussing the negatives and benefits of | | | | employees can communicate with each other through |
| each option will help businesses to decide what is right | | | | a common language. |
| for them. | | | | Courses for beginners can be taken so that each |
| Translators can be a godsend to companies who | | | | person has a basic level of English language |
| need a quick and easy solution in the short term. When | | | | knowledge, meaning that the manager of your Hong |
| they are meeting with other businesses who speak a | | | | Kong branch will be able to speak with the head of the |
| different language, a translator can help both sides to | | | | New York office, and there will be no confusion. This |
| understand each other without confusion. However, | | | | kind of communication is best in the long run. Although |
| when you are looking at a long term solution for | | | | there will be a large initial cost for global training, it is |
| communication within your own company, a translator | | | | much lower than the permanent use of a translator |
| will be costly and will slow discussions down, with | | | | and will allow your company to integrate into its new |
| employees becoming frustrated that they have to go | | | | surroundings better. |
| through a third party when messages need to be | | | | EFL training courses can help businesses to make a |
| transferred. It is also possible that important instructions | | | | smooth transition into a foreign market. As countries |
| may become confused when technical and business | | | | become leaders in the business world, and attract |
| specific language is used. | | | | existing companies to set up offices in their lands, it is |
| The second solution is probably the easiest to carry | | | | essential that communication is not lost. Expanding |
| out. Moving some of your employees from your | | | | should be a successful step, it should not slow down |
| original headquarters to new overseas offices ensures | | | | your progress. |
| that you will always be able to understand each other. | | | | |