Oui, boss!

As the digital wave sweeps across the job market, the need for a niche set of skilled professionals is being felt like never before. Alongside a healthy demand for professionals who have sound knowledge of programming languages like Python, Swift or Java, the demand for speakers of multiple languages is also rising. 

Polyglots who carry proficiency in reading, writing and speaking multiple languages, especially Chinese, French, Spanish, Arabic and a host of Indian regional languages are said to wield an edge over competitors in a not-so-rosy job market. 

Human resources (HR) experts point out that technology-driven companies not only need individuals with domain expertise in innovative technologies and programming languages, but also polyglots whose linguistic abilities provide them with add-on skills such as flexibility, problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking, and a curiosity to learn. 

“Polyglots demonstrate a high degree of social skills and adaptability, which the job market strongly needs,” says Aditya Narayan Mishra, director and chief executive officer, CIEL HR. 

Anuj Kacker, co-founder and chief operating officer, MoneyTap, says exposure to distinct languages and cultures transforms polyglots into better communicators and creative problem solvers. “They bring a new perspective and lateral thinking to the table. People working in technology especially need the empathy and skills that polyglots naturally have.”

According to Kanchi Chawla, vice president - human resources, ixigo, polyglots can help companies build a deeper insight into developing innovative solutions. “Studies also reveal that polyglots are more talented cognitively and help in fostering a culture of learning in the organisation. Having multilingual teams also helps companies in gaining a competitive edge in the market and taking on a multilingual strategy for products to increase brand awareness.” 

Although hiring in India has somewhat been sluggish in the recent past, estimates by the IT/ITeS industry suggest that this sector alone, which is one of the leading private sector job generators in India, will create 25 to 30 lakh jobs by 2030. 

Jobs in linguistics, translation and research will greatly demand polyglots, says Mishra, who feels that functions such as customer service, account management, sales and team management will also need these individuals.

An employee with the administrative department at MoneyTap, Mubarak Nila is a speaker of seven languages. Knowing multiple languages gives Nila an advantage to interact with people better, says Kacker. “From the CEO to the field executives, Nila can converse with everyone efficiently in their respective languages and build a rapport. While welcoming new employees to the company, he talks to them in their mother tongue and makes them feel at home. He is crucial in helping us negotiate better deals with local vendors.”

Polyglots help companies enhance their relationships with all stakeholders including employees, customers, clients and vendors, and thereby contribute to enhancing the growth and profits for organisations. 

Says Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, co-founder, Wakefit.com, “Language skills provide our customer experience team the power to connect with customers and make them feel valued and comfortable with our products and services and helps us to increase our sales. This puts our company at an enormous advantage.”

Experts say even though Indians, in general, are speakers of two to three languages, being market-ready from a job perspective involves developing not only speaking but reading and writing skills as well. Apart from bringing in distinct advantages to organisations, polyglots, merely by being polyglots, gain significant advantages in the job market. 

According to a recent hiring forecast by CareerBuilder.com, 39% of American employers plan to hire bilingual candidates. Moreover, polyglots also earn better. Language specialist recruitment agency Euro London points out that learning a new language can add 10 to 15% to your average wages.

Companies are looking to beef up their multilingual teams as business demands transcend language barriers. Chawla says with nine out of ten internet users estimated to rely on regional languages, companies are laying more focus on building products and experiences driven by regional content. “Technology-focused companies are becoming cognizant of the deep digital divide of language in the ecosystem and are aggressively investing in building diverse multilingual teams who can help to attract the over 500 million vernacular digital users.” 

“Our customer experience team contains 50 individuals. We are currently aiming to increase the team size by 35%,” says Ramalingegowda.  

ONE IS NOT ENOUGH

• 39% – Of American employers plan to hire bilingual candidates, according to CareerBuilder.com
   
• 10-15% – Leaning a new language can add to your average wages, as per Euro London