The world is getting smaller — at least in the business world. Teams are more global than ever, with folks collaborating across borders and bringing their unique talents to the table. While this is great for diversity and innovation, it throws a curveball at a department that thrives on clear communication: Human Resources (HR).

Here’s the thing: not everyone speaks English as a first language. This can create a communication gap when it comes to important HR documents such as employee handbooks, company policies, and those oh-so-fun (but critical) labor law posters.

Topics covered in this article:

• HR Translation Benefits
• When HR Should Consider Translating Policies
• Translating Employee Handbooks (and other important documents)
• Multilingual Workforce Labor Law Poster Requirements
• General Best Practices for Translating HR Documents
• Localizing Content for International Employees
• Finding the Right Professional HR Translation Service Provider

HR Translation Benefits

HR translation ensures everyone understands company policies and procedures. But there are a few main benefits the company will experience when translating critical employment documents:

• Reduced Legal Risk: A clear and accurate translation of your essential documents ensures all employees understand their rights and responsibilities, potentially reducing the number and severity of legal disputes.
• Boosted Employee Morale: Feeling valued and included through accessible company documents means happier and more engaged employees.
• Empowered Employees: Accessible documents foster a sense of belonging and increase employee satisfaction.
• Enhanced Compliance: Multilingual posters demonstrate your commitment to fairness and compliance (even they’re if not mandatory).
• Improved Talent Acquisition: Translating recruitment materials and job postings helps attract a diverse pool of candidates, ensuring that top talent from various linguistic backgrounds can understand and engage with your company’s opportunities.

From translating safety courses, to fostering an inclusive culture, to meeting Language Access requirements, investing in Human Resource translation services is a step in the right direction.

When HR Should Consider Translating Policies

We hear this question often: at what percentage of employees who speak another language should you consider translating policies?

Let’s face it: waiting until everyone’s struggling to understand the latest company policy isn’t ideal. A good rule of thumb is to consider translation when your workforce hits 10% non-native English speakers. But it’s also a good idea to be aware of legal compliance requirements for your company’s industry, state, federal, and global customers.

Example: The state of California requires a company to translate its policies if 10% or more of its workforce speaks a language other than English.

At the time of this writing, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Tennessee also have language regulations. However, regardless of the state, it’s important to confirm with legal counsel and your compliance team if a language requirement applies to your organization.

Employee Surveys for Discovering Internal Language Barriers

Proactive planning ensures everyone’s on the same page from the get-go. Here’s a cool trick: conduct a quick survey to gauge employees’ preferred languages and languages spoken at home. This will allow you to focus your resources on the languages that matter most to your people.

Think of it like this: clear communication keeps your company running smoothly. By translating things early on, you’re making sure everyone is on the same page and can do their best work!

Translating Employee Handbooks (and other important documents)

Employee handbooks are rulebooks for your team, outlining expectations, rights, and responsibilities. If a significant portion of your workforce can’t understand the handbook, that’s a problem. Translating employee handbooks is critical for multinational companies. Here is our complete guide to translating employee handbooks.

The employee handbook is a crucial document, but it’s not the only one that benefits from translation. Here are some additional documents you might consider translating for a multilingual workforce:

• Onboarding Materials: New employee orientation documents and training materials should also be translated for a smooth onboarding experience and to ensure all employees understand expectations from the start.
• Performance Reviews: Translated performance review forms ensure clear and fair evaluations for all employees, regardless of their native languages.
• Company Policies: Translate anti-discrimination, harassment, and other company policies to foster a safe and inclusive work environment. Understanding their rights and responsibilities creates a level playing field and promotes a more positive work experience for all.
• Talent Acquisition Materials: Translating job descriptions, engagement surveys, and internal intranet site content ensures all potential and current employees have access to crucial information, helping to attract a diverse talent pool and foster an inclusive workplace.

Read the Ultimate Guide to Translation for Human Resources for a complete list of documents to consider translating.

Multilingual Workforce Labor Law Poster Requirements

What about those labor law posters hanging around the break room?

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) does offer various labor law posters that employers must display (https://www.dol.gov/general/topics/posters), but most are only available in English.

There is no Federal requirement to provide labor law posters in languages other than English. However, again, it’s important to be aware of and compliant with other governing bodies that apply to your state and industry.

This article indicates that there are at least 43 states that encourage and publish bilingual Labor Law posters, which indicates a strong recommendation for multilingual HR documents.

Exceptions to Multilingual Labor Law Posters

While Federal regulations generally don’t require translating labor law posters, there’s an exception for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The FMLA requires employers with a significant portion of non-English speaking workers to provide the general notice in a language their employees understand (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-825). This regulation offers a clear standard for FMLA posters in multilingual workplaces.

State and Local Laws: Check Your Corners

Federal rules might be a bit relaxed on multilingual posters, but that doesn’t mean your state or city doesn’t have stricter guidelines. It’s always best to double-check what your local laws say about labor law posters and languages. The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division is a good starting point to find relevant state-specific information (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd).

General Best Practices for Translating HR Documents

Here’s the bottom line: even if the law doesn’t require it, creating an inclusive workplace in which all employees feel informed and empowered is a best practice. It shows you care about clear communication and compliance.

Finding a qualified translation service is crucial for accurate and effective HR document translation. Here are some general best practices to follow when you begin considering translating HR documents:

• Provide Labor Law Posters in Multiple Languages: The DOL actually offers downloadable versions of their posters in various languages (https://www.dol.gov/general/topics/posters). While not mandatory, it’s a simple and effective way to make sure all employees have access to the information they need.
• Think Beyond Text: Pictures are worth a thousand words, or at least they can help bridge the language gap. Consider using pictograms or other visual aids on your posters to make the information easier to understand.
• Audio and Digital Options: Maybe some employees prefer to learn by listening or reading on a screen. Explore providing the information in audio or digital formats, and make sure these are available in multiple languages as well.
• Industry Expertise: Look for a service with experience translating HR documents and familiar with your industry’s specific terminology. This ensures accurate translations that capture the nuances of your company policies and procedures.
• Cultural Nuances: A good translation service understands the importance of cultural sensitivity. It will consider cultural differences when translating the handbook and other HR documents to avoid misunderstandings. This will help ensure the message resonates with your employees.
• Confidentiality: Critical considerations would be:
  1. Does the translation company offer a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to keep your information private?
  2. Is the company using public AI translation services that might share or repurpose your proprietary information beyond translation?

Localizing Content for International Employees

It’s not just about swapping words. A joke that cracks you up might fall flat with your colleagues in Tokyo. The same goes for work documents. HR translation goes beyond basic translation—it’s about localization. This means adapting your content to your target audience’s specific cultural context and linguistic nuances.  For example, translating a harassment policy for a team in France might require considering legal differences and cultural norms compared to the U.S.

Okay, so how do you actually tackle finding the right HR translation services for your company?

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when searching for a translation service:

• Work with a professional HR translation service: They will have the expertise and resources to handle the complexities of legal and HR terminology. For example, Interpro only works with experienced translators who are native speakers of the target language to ensure the best localization of your content. Interpro holds two ISO certifications that demonstrate our commitment to quality translation and customer service.
• Maintain consistency: Use the same translation partner and style guide for all your HR documents. This ensures a clear and consistent voice across your communications. We recommend this with an HR multilingual glossary to keep HR-specific terminology standard across documents and languages.

• Prioritize accuracy: Make sure your translation service will double-check everything to avoid any misunderstandings or mistakes. The Interpro methodology involves a translation process with several layers of quality assurance, even offering certified HR translations if needed.

Fostering a Language-Inclusive Workplace

Let’s be honest, translation can be tricky. There are legal terms to navigate, confidentiality concerns to understand, and cultural sensitivities to consider.  But by working with a professional service and following these tips, you can minimize potential risks and ensure your workplace communications are accurate and clear in all the languages your team speaks.

Investing in HR translation services isn’t just about compliance, it’s about creating a more inclusive and welcoming work environment for your entire team. Happy employees are productive employees, and clear communication is key to employee happiness.

In summary, navigating a multilingual workforce requires clear communication. Qualified HR translation services bridge the language gap, ensuring everyone understands company policies, handbooks, and even labor law posters.

Ready to take action?

1. Survey employees and identify the most spoken languages in your workplace.
2. Partner with a qualified translation service experienced in HR and cultural nuances. Interpro offers complimentary localization consultations if you’re ready to start translating but don’t know where to begin.

Investing in HR translation isn’t just about checking a box; it’s about creating a truly inclusive work environment in which everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed.

The post The Ultimate Guide to HR Translation Services: What to Consider and Why appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.

Plus, how will your employees uphold the company’s expectations if they can’t understand these documents? Translating your human resources documents can also protect the company from claims that the employee did not understand their rights and responsibilities.

But how do you find credible human resource translation services that you know will translate your HR materials accurately with a reasonable turnaround time?

Don’t worry! This is your Ultimate Guide on how to find a Professional Human Resource Translation Service to translate anything – from employee manuals and handbooks to codes of conduct and company policies.

Step 1: Determine what human resource documents you want to translate.

A professional translation agency can complete the translation process with any file type, format, software or platform available. Whether you’re translating PowerPoints or Word Documents, PDFs, video files, captions, training courses, or employee surveys, the format you work with shouldn’t be a problem for your translation agency.

If you find yourself getting stuck, a great translation service will also provide advice and be a resource you can consult with on the best way possible to tackle your translation projects. They will be able to answer any questions you have during the translation process.

When quoting your project, a translation agency will need your source documents and materials that you want to be translated.

Types of Human Resource Documents that Can be Translated:

Human Resource’s Mandatory Paperwork at the Start of Employment

• Employment contracts. If your industry uses contracts for employment, translating these documents may be a legal requirement.
• Employee manuals and handbooks. Many company policies and codes of conduct are included in the manual. Translating employee manuals can critically help a company’s multilingual employees.
• Insurance documents. Make benefits accessible for all employees by translating employee benefit policies.

Human Resource Training and Safety Materials

• Compliance documents. Certain industries might have compliance documents that employees must be able to read and understand (this includes other languages).
• Workplace safety documents. Material safety data sheets, evacuation routes, and other safety documents should be translated to ensure safety is thoroughly understood.
• Training programs and videos. Translation is not just for paperwork! Don’t forget to provide access to any multimedia like videos, slide decks, and audio recordings.
• Performance review materials. Help them get the maximum understanding of feedback from their performance review and translate their copy.

Day-to-Day Tools for Human Resources

• Tip sheets and planning tools. Any resources that make it easier for employees to perform their job duties should be available to everyone.
• Guides for managers and employees. Employee development materials and guides should be translated for both parties.

Corporate Communications (Sometimes for Human Resources or Internal Marketing Department)

• Corporate websites. From the website content to the user interface, websites should be translated for all employees (as well as any markets you do business in!).
• Company-wide emails or memos. Anytime communications are sent to employees, these should be translated for all to understand.

Again, your translation agency should be able to handle any file type or format that you work in.

Step 2: Five questions to ask a potential translation agency.

When selecting a translation agency service to translate your human resources documents, there are a few crucial questions you should understand and ask your potential translation agency. You should feel more confident in moving forward if your translation agency can answer these questions.  Plus, you can always ask for a sample translation!

Do you have ISO Certifications?

You’re looking for a company that will deliver services in accordance with ISO Certifications 9001 (Quality) and 17100 (Translation). Learn more about why you want an ISO-Certified Company here.

Do you use machine translation?

Ideally, your translations will be completed by human translators, but some companies use machine translation, which is notorious for making errors and bad translations. You’ll want to do the following:

• Ask more questions to ensure they have proofreading and revision processes to catch any errors.
• Ensure that pricing reflects that Machine Translation is being used, and not a human translator.

Do you include proofreading and revision in your translation process? What is your translation, revision, and proofreading process?

Not only should your translation agency include proofreading and revision as part of their translation workflow, but they should also:

• Ensure that the translator and revisor are two separate people. Just as you shouldn’t proofread your own work in English, your translator and proofreader should be two separate people.
• Look for how they will resolve any errors you find in the final translation. The translation agency should have a policy to resolve any errors that occurred during the translation process quickly.

Are your translators Subject Matter Experts in human resources, and are they located in the country where the target language is spoken?

Your translation agency should try to pair your translation project with:

• the language and
• the topic being translated. If you’re translating complicated medical instructions or a binding legal contract, you want to ensure that the crucial message is translated, not just word-for-word. And by ensuring the translator is located in the target country where the language is spoken, you’ll get a Subject Matter Expert in the language (resulting in the most accurate translations).

What is the turnaround time for the average translation project?

Project turnaround times depend on the number of words you’re translating, the number of languages, if it’s simple document translation or if you need voice-over for videos. But your translation agency should be able to let you know if your project will take days or weeks.

Step 3: The translation agency should provide a project quote and Project Manager.

Once you receive and approve a quote, it’s time to start the project! Good translation agencies will provide a dedicated Project Manager.

Ultimately, you’ll save time and money using a good translation company that provides a dedicated Project Manager for your translation projects. Your Project Manager takes on all aspects of translating a document once you provide them the finalized version in English.

Your Project Manager will be your single contact for all your language needs. They will organize your language team, communicate project updates, and ensure your project is delivered on time. Here is an example of what a translation team could look like for a simple document that needs translated into two languages:

As you can see a Project Manager is critical to keeping your work load at a minimum and getting the most for your investment when working with a translation agency.

The translation agency will then match your translation project with a subject matter expert (SME) who understands the content in your target language.

An SME will examine the content in English and localize the content to the target language. This is an example of an English to French document translation for a company that repeatedly used the phrase “as easy as pie” in their English onboarding materials.

Or another example of an SME…

• You’re translating human resource benefits plans, employee manuals, and employee contracts from English into Spanish
• A good translation agency will then provide you with a translation team that will include a professional translator who is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) of translation documents from English to Spanish.
• Depending on the complexity of the material being translated, your Spanish translator may also be an SME in legal jargon. This helps ensure any legally binding agreements are localized to the target language and fully understood.

Step 4: Human Resources receives the final translated documents.

The translation agency will deliver the final translation, exactly as you sent it, just in a new language! The goal is for the person reading the translated material to never know that the content was translated – just that it was written for them, in their native language.

English to Spanish Document Translation Example

It’s crucial to ensure that all of your human resources documents, materials, and communications are translated accurately and with a reasonable turnaround time.

A Warning about Machine Translation

Companies that use Machine Translation (also known as MT) can be more affordable but are often more inaccurate. They are incapable of taking tone and circumstance into consideration, which can lead to potentially damaging miscommunications. Protect both employees and your company by partnering with an expert human resources translation services firm.

Have more questions about translating for human resources that we didn’t cover? Let us know! Contact us today!

Get a Professional Translation Service for Your Human Resource Translation Materials

HR professionals can find a partner in Interpro Translation Solutions. No matter the number of items that need to be translated, the number of languages, or the timeline, Interpro has an expert team to meet your translation needs. Our proven expertise in human resources translation services quickly delivers accurate information to support your employees.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Translation for Human Resources: Tips and Best Practices appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.

Need to translate your employee handbook but not sure where to begin? Learn everything your company should consider before translating employee handbooks or other HR documents. Plus, our best recommendations on how to start the translation process.

Legal Requirements First: Do employee handbooks need to be translated?

If you’re not sure if you need your handbook translated, here’s what we can tell you:

As an HR professional, you know that federal law plays a large part in employment agreements. One requirement is that employees must have access to HR documents in a language that they can understand. This could include the employment contract, employee handbook, company policies, pay stubs, and benefits information.

So then answer the question: Does your company hire multilingual staff? Or contractors, vendors, or partners that may have English as a Second Language? Translating employee handbooks might be crucial for you.

Additional legal language requirements may apply depending on your location, industry, subject matter, and audience. We highly recommend consulting with any compliance organizations with which your company works and asking if they have multilingual language-access requirements.

Laws aside, it’s important that documents be translated accurately for your employees. Translating documents into a reader’s native language has been shown to increase comprehension. Many HR-related documents might fly under the radar and not get translated despite the need for multilingual employment documents.

We list the types of handbooks that are commonly translated later in this article but list other HR documents that are commonly translated in the Ultimate Guide to Translation for Human Resources.

Prepare for Translating Employee Handbook: Do Your Translation Homework Before Seeking a Quote

So you’ve decided you need your employee handbook translated… now what?

If you’re considering an external translator or translation company, you need to be able to answer the following questions:

1. What languages (and dialects) do you need for translation?
2. How much localization is required?
3. Do you need one handbook translated? Or are there other handbooks, policies, websites, and documents? (Think: does your handbook refer to a vacation policy or insubordination policy?)
4. What are the file formats? Word Documents and PowerPoints? Or Adobe InDesign files with PDFs?
5. Do any of those documents require Multilingual DTP or Engineering?
6. Can you provide any information, such as a style guide, glossary, or translation memory, to assist with the translation?
7. Will your company provide a secondary review with someone that speaks the target language?

Some of these answers might have tricky responses.

For example, say you need a handbook translated into Spanish – but which dialect? There are over 7 dialects of Spanish to choose from. A localization professional will help you pick the dialect that’s right for your audience.

This article will help you answer these questions and get you started translating your employee handbook.

You can also meet with one of our experts in managing translation projects for a complimentary localization strategy session.  Interpro is happy to help and get your questions answered.

How much does it cost to translate employee handbook(s)?

This question can only be answered accurately with a quote, mainly because there are too many variables that impact the cost.

These are the biggest factors that will impact the cost of a translation:

1. What’s your target language(s)?
2. How many pages is your document? Is it multiple documents?
3. Do you need Multilingual DTP or Engineering? (Translating images, audio, video, websites, certifications, quizzes, or eLearning courses)
4. How much localization is required?

Essentially, if you need to translate a Word Document with just text and nothing else, expect lower costs and fast turnaround. Have an eLearning course with videos and images? The intricacies of the file type will cause a higher cost and longer delivery times.

This is why we recommend looping in your translators when you are writing the English version. They can help you make decisions that will make localization (and saving cash) easier when it comes time to develop the multilingual versions.

Types of Handbooks to Translate

• Administration Handbook
• Sales Handbook
• Customer Service Handbook
• Fulfillment Handbook
• HR Handbook
• Marketing Handbook
• Safety Handbook
• Maintenance Handbook
• Production Handbook
• International Student Handbook Translation

Other types of HR documents to translate:

• Employment Policies
• Employee Guidebook
• Code of Conduct
• Compensation and development
• Benefits and Perks
• Working Hours, PTO, and Vacation
• Employee Resignation and Termination

In addition to documentation, a good translation company can help you translate any training that goes along with your documents, including:

• computer-based training, tests, certifications, and surveys
• online courses or modules
• new employee orientation

What is Multilingual DTP, and do you need it for your handbook?

Multilingual Desktop Publishing (or Multilingual DTP) means the translator can also localize images and design files and not just Word documents. Translators like Interpro can translate from any file type, including InDesign, Microsoft Office Suite, PowerPoint, PDF, or any other authoring software.

So do you need Multilingual DTP for your handbook? Only if your handbook has images or graphic elements.

If a Multilingual DTP specialist is needed for your project, they will adjust:

• Text expansion and pagination. German text requires more space than English text, which could affect the layout and format. This could add or remove pages, depending on the text.
• Justification and leading. This is your basic right/left/center alignment (among your other complicated options like text on a path). And the spacing between lines to ensure legibility.
• Font and character matching and compatibility. How does your Helvetica font translate to Arabic? (Your DTP specialist will have the font, and make sure it’s not the equivalent of using Comic Sans in Arabic!)
• Right-to-Left languages. Consider languages like Arabic and Hebrew may have to have a page completely reformatted to accommodate the new alignment.
• Image and graphic localization. Sometimes this means recreating the text elements in the graphic, but sometimes it means finding or creating a brand-new graphic.
• Proofreading and quality control of the final document. A DTP specialist will ensure the translated file meets the expected digital or print specs and that you have everything you need when you want to update the document in the future.

Using native design tools to format the translated content keeps it consistent with the original file. With Multilingual DTP, you can translate:

• Images, graphic elements, and videos;
• Interactive Employee Handbooks;
• Instructor Led Training;
• Any employee educational course, including audio, video, websites, quizzes, and comprehension tests.

Multilingual DTP goes far beyond documents and handbooks. Multilingual DTP can be applied to any image or graphic anywhere, like on this multilingual website Interpro translated.

The bottom line is: if you have a graphic you need to translate, you need a translator with a Multilingual DTP specialist.

United States Language Example: Translate an Employee Handbook to Spanish

Why call out Spanish? Because this is the most commonly requested HR translation service in the United States. But it’s also a great example of how a language can have many dialects to consider in translation.

Many companies are hiring Spanish-speaking individuals for new employment talent, even for domestic companies that do not operate globally.

According to the United States Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey, approximately 41.5 million people in the United States speak Spanish at home, representing around 12.6% of the total population.

When it comes to English-to-Spanish document translation, there are many different dialects of Spanish. Specifying “English to Spanish translation” isn’t enough – here are just a few of the Spanish dialects available:

• Latin American Spanish
• European Spanish (Spain)
• Mexican Spanish
• USA Spanish
• Universal/International Spanish
• Catalan (Spanish adjacent, or part of the Spanish language family. Think of how a yellow labrador is in the dog family)
• Galician (Spanish adjacent – similar to Catalan)

Speaking with a localization expert can help you pick the right Spanish dialect that will resonate with the reader.

International Language Example: Canada Requires English and French

Canada is a bilingual country with both English and French as its official languages. Businesses in Canada are required to include both French and English on any packaging and labels, and French has to be listed first.

This also applies to:

• Employment Documents
• Signage
• Customer Service
• Websites
• Interpreting Meetings and Events

(Learn about the localization differences between Canadian French and European French here.)

Find a Subject Matter Expert for Employee Handbooks

You need your translator to be a subject matter expert in three specific ways:

1. An expert in the target language and culture.
2. An expert in project management and how to create fast, accurate translations.
3. An expert in your industry (in this case, HR handbooks, employment policies, legal contracts).

As you might imagine, federal laws and regulations require accuracy when being translated. It’s critical that your HR translator understands and can accurately translate legal terms to be understood in the target language. An accurate translation can help limit miscommunication at best and legal action, injury, or even death.

Look for an HR translator who is also a subject matter expert in employment law or has vast experience translating employment documents and policies.

For additional assurance you’re working with a qualified translator, see if the translation agency holds ISO certifications. Learn more about why ISO Certifications matter. 

Ideally, your translation service should be such an expert at the language and subject matter the reader will never know the handbook was translated in the first place.

Consistent Translation of Information for Employees

It’s important to maintain consistency between translated documents. If you have reference materials from previous translations, you’ll want to provide those in addition to source files as soon as possible.

Example: If you call your employees “teammates”, you want to make sure they are called “teammates” every time, and not a mix of other terms like “employees”, “staff”, “crew members”, or “associates”.

Here are some ways to help keep a translation consistent when you translate documents:

• Write with the same jargon and references across all the English company documents, and share the jargon and references with your translator. Like in the “teammate” example, share that with your translator so you can find a word of equal meaning in the target language.
• Share your Brand Guide. Or, at the very least, use the same branding and formatting for the translated documents. Consistent branding signals are official company documents.
• Create a Glossary or Style Guide. Similar to a brand guide, but for translation. You or a company like Interpro can create these documents that outline the tone and certain specific translation preferences.
• Use one translation service that offers a Translation Memory, especially if you’re translating into multiple languages. It saves money over time and keeps your translations consistent.

Adding these steps to your translation process will help ensure an efficient and accurate translation and that all rights, responsibilities, and conditions are clear to your employees.

What is a Translation Memory?

Speaking of consistency, a translation memory (TM) can help with any translation project, especially when it comes to human resources translation services. TM is a linguistic database used by a translator to help leverage words and phrases during the translation process.

Once a word, phrase, or sentence (referred to as segments) is translated, it becomes part of the database. Translators using a translation memory tool can take advantage of the automation the tool provides, similar to using find-and-replace in Word.

Leveraging a TM allows for quicker turnaround times, increased efficiency, and consistent translations (and faster translation keeps costs down). Make sure you ask your translation service if they utilize a TM in their process.

You should also own your TM. We say should because Interpro sees your TM as our intellectual property. It is a digital asset your team hangs on to for future translations, even if you choose to use a different translator or translation company. But not all translators see it this way, so it’s good to ask the question.

Write for Localization and Multilingual Access

There is a growing need to provide access to information in multiple languages. And there’s no better place to begin than with the employee handbook.

Localization is key when performing HR translation for global companies—but what is it? While translation uses the same words in another language, localization adapts the content for a culture or region. The translation is just one part of the localization process.

A skilled HR translation service will tailor the translation to the target cultural audience.

To  localize your multilingual handbook, do two things:

1. Provide information to your translator on the reader’s demographics and how much localization you’ll need (the translator should also be able to provide consultative advice on this as well).
2. Write your English text in a way that is easy to translate. (See articles linked below.)

How do you translate a document professionally?

For the most professional, consistent translations, we recommend using a professional translation agency with ISO Certifications, quality analysis processes, and historical proof of delivering consistent, accurate translations.

We recommend checking out these three additional resources for professional translation:

1. 8 Tips When Writing for a Multilingual Audience – Tips on how to write your English sources so they translate easily with less hassle to you.
2. Schedule a Complimentary Localization Strategy Session and get started with an Interpro a localization specialist today.

Get a Professional Translation Service for Your Human Resource Materials

Interpro has an expert team of translators, DTP specialists, and engineers to deliver accurate translations according to schedule. Our proven expertise in human resources translation services quickly delivers accurate information to support your employees.

The post Translating Your Employee Handbook: A Guide to Success appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.