As the UK looks to expand its business with countries around the world, language skills have never been more important. However, research suggests that 70% of British companies lack foreign language skills for the countries they do business with, and 77% of UK adults cannot speak another language well enough to hold a simple conversation. This gap suggests significant opportunities for Spanish, Mandarin, French, Arabic, or German speakers to make a difference and help the UK be more competitive globally.
Learning another language can lead to jobs that take you worldwide or open doors to specialist careers in translation and localisation. But experts suggest there are plenty of other, more surprising benefits too.
Expand Your Business Reach
Can you get by just speaking English? “You can if you’re carrying a camera, but not if you’re carrying a briefcase,” says Nataly Kelly, VP of localisation at enterprise software company Hubspot.
She suggests that more than half of customers report that accessing information in their own language is more important than price. So, language skills can help you connect with customers overseas and grow your company’s sales.
Make Better Decisions
The benefits of language learning go far beyond communicating with people in other countries. Psychology professor Albert Costa from Pompeu Fabra University in Spain found that people who work in their second language make fewer mistakes in reasoning tests.
He suggests that using another language can give people a bit of emotional distance from the problems they are working on, allowing them to be more rational. Other researchers have also found that a second language can help you think more objectively—all valuable skills for any type of work.
Improve Your Multitasking
Researchers from Penn State University found that bilingual speakers are better at filtering out irrelevant information and focusing on what’s most important; bilinguals are likely to perform better in high-pressure situations with multiple tasks to juggle.
Matt Hulett, president of the Rosetta Stone language learning company, says these skills can be widely helpful in areas ranging from product development to technology. “It can also be a boon in creative fields like design and marketing, where strategic thinking and the ability to multitask across several disciplines are crucial,” he says.
Upgrade Your Networking
The size of your network can make all the difference to the career opportunities that come your way, so why limit yourself to one country? Making connections across borders is much easier when you can speak each other’s language.
“Understanding a language also means understanding its cultural norms and etiquette,” says brand strategist Brian Rashid.
This includes knowing how to greet business partners, understanding appropriate conversation topics, and recognising the subtleties of non-verbal communication in different cultures. This insight “opens you up to a large group of professionals and individuals who speak the same language, considerably widening your network of helpful contacts.”
Boost Your Brain Health
Learning a new language can be good for your brain health as well as your career prospects. Studies have shown that bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia and improve memory. According to research from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information in the United States, people who speak more than one language tend to have better cognitive abilities as they age.
But how does this translate to career benefits? A healthier brain can enhance your professional performance in several ways:
- Improved memory retention, helping you recall important details in meetings or presentations
- Enhanced focus and concentration, allowing you to manage complex tasks more effectively
- Stronger problem-solving skills, enabling you to tackle workplace challenges creatively
By investing in language learning, you’re not just preparing for international opportunities but also cultivating cognitive skills that can enhance your performance and longevity in any career path.
