Spanish — Prepare for the World’s New Language of Business

03/07/07

The statistics are powerful, and the trend is undeniable. According to the Census Bureau, the Hispanic population in the United States grew nearly 58 percent between 1990 and 2000, to more than 33 million Spanish-speaking residents. By the year 2050, the number is projected to jump to 100 million people.

In addition, consider how much of the rest of the world population speaks the language, and you will understand why Spanish is quickly becoming essential in business and commerce.

How will these changes affect your company in the future? And what can you do today to prepare?

First, identify your business’ need to communicate in Spanish. Before long, most companies will need to offer at least part of their internal and external communication options in Spanish, but many factors will dictate the speed and extent to which you will need to do so.

For example, if your workforce or client base is national/global or centered in an area with a high percentage of Spanish speakers (such as California, Texas, New Mexico or Florida), you are probably already catering to the needs of your Spanish-speaking customers, community and employees.

However, Spanish fluency is increasing even beyond the traditional border states. The popularity of Spanish TV programs and music, the availability of instructional Spanish classes and books for adults and schoolchildren, the prevalence of bilingual telephone prompts and dual language options on ATMs — all of these are evidence that Spanish is fast becoming part of everyday life across the country.

Still, every company is special, and the need for Spanish options will be greater for some than for others.

If your company is just beginning its efforts to adapt to an increasingly Spanish-speaking world, a few small steps can make a difference. For example:

Begin using bilingual signage in the workplace

Make bilingual abilities a requirement for select positions

Provide a Spanish language option on your corporate toll free number or Web site

Enlist the help of a document translation service to prioritize and produce Spanish versions of newsletters, manuals, catalogs and press releases

Encourage diversity by offering incentives for employees to study Spanish

You may not see the impact of these changes overnight. However, starting to incorporate Spanish options will help ensure that you are able to break down the language barrier and communicate effectively at every level of your business.


Federal Easy-Post™ - Bilingual


October 2005