The first days and weeks of employment shape how a new employee understands the organization, their responsibilities and the resources available to them.
When employees speak different languages, providing important onboarding information in a language they understand can help them begin their roles with greater clarity and confidence. It can also help HR departments communicate workplace expectations consistently from the start.
A well-planned translation process ensures that important information is not overlooked or rushed after the employee has already started.
Begin With the Essential Onboarding Documents
New employees often receive several documents at once. Some explain workplace policies, while others require the employee to make decisions, provide information or confirm that they understand specific requirements.
Depending on the organization and the employee’s role, HR may need to translate:
- Offer letters and employment agreements
- Employee handbooks
- Codes of conduct
- Workplace policies and procedures
- Benefits information
- Payroll and direct-deposit instructions
- Timekeeping and attendance policies
- Confidentiality agreements
- Job descriptions
- Emergency procedures
Professional corporate translation services can help organizations maintain clear and consistent language across these materials.
HR should also review previously translated documents before reusing them. If a policy, benefit, deadline or contact person has changed in the English version, the translated version must be updated as well.
Prioritize Policies Employees Must Understand
Some onboarding materials are more important than others because they explain an employee’s rights, responsibilities or workplace expectations.
Anti-discrimination and harassment policies, attendance requirements, leave procedures, disciplinary policies and complaint-reporting processes should be communicated clearly. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission provides information about prohibited employment practices involving hiring, training, compensation, discipline and other areas of employment.
Translated policies should communicate the same information as the original documents. They should not be shortened, informally summarized or altered in a way that changes their meaning.
HR departments should also maintain consistent terminology across related documents. For example, the name of a department, benefit or reporting procedure should appear the same way in the employee handbook, orientation presentation and acknowledgment form.
Translate Safety Information and Training Materials
Safety information is one of the most important parts of employee onboarding, particularly in construction, manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, transportation and other environments where employees may encounter workplace hazards.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration states that employers should provide safety training in language and vocabulary employees can understand.
Materials that may need professional translation include:
- Safety manuals and training presentations
- Equipment instructions
- Hazard communication materials
- Emergency evacuation procedures
- Warning signs and workplace notices
- Personal protective equipment instructions
- Injury-reporting procedures
The language used in safety materials should be direct and appropriate for the intended audience. Specialized terminology must be translated accurately, but the final material should still be easy for employees to follow.
Make Benefits Information Easier to Understand
Benefits packages can contain unfamiliar terminology even for employees who speak English fluently. Health insurance, retirement plans, paid leave and other benefits may be especially difficult to understand when the information is presented in an employee’s second language.
Translating benefits summaries, enrollment instructions, eligibility information and important deadlines can help employees make more informed decisions. HR should also consider whether employees may need language assistance during benefits presentations or individual meetings.
Whenever possible, translated documents should preserve the organization and formatting of the original material. Tables, headings and numbered instructions should remain easy to follow so employees can compare information and complete forms correctly.
Plan for Interpreting During Orientation
Documents alone may not be enough. New employees should have an opportunity to ask questions and participate in discussions during orientation and training.
Professional interpreting services may be helpful during:
- New employee orientations
- Benefits presentations
- Safety training
- Meetings with supervisors
- Equipment demonstrations
- Workplace policy discussions
- Question-and-answer sessions
Interpreting can be provided onsite, virtually or by phone, depending on the number of employees, the languages required and the type of meeting.
Sharing orientation presentations, training materials and important terminology with the language services provider in advance can help the interpreter prepare for the meeting.
Include Digital Onboarding Materials
Many organizations now complete part or all of the onboarding process online. New employees may receive links to training videos, employee portals, electronic forms and digital policy acknowledgments.
HR should review the entire onboarding process from the employee’s perspective. Translating a handbook may not be enough if the instructions for accessing it are available only in English.
Digital content that may require translation includes portal instructions, automated emails, e-learning courses, video subtitles, training scripts and frequently asked questions. Buttons, menus and system-generated messages should also be considered if employees need them to complete required tasks.
Learn more about how multilingual HR documents can support a more inclusive workplace.
Protect Confidential Employee Information
Onboarding documents may contain personal, medical, financial or employment information. HR departments should use a professional language services provider that treats employee information as confidential.
Sensitive documents should be transferred securely and shared only with the people involved in the project. HR should also clarify whether translated forms must match the original layout and whether any document requires certification.
Employees or coworkers should generally not be expected to translate confidential onboarding materials informally. Professional linguists provide greater consistency, impartiality and protection for sensitive information.
Create a Repeatable HR Translation Process
Instead of handling every request separately, HR can create a simple process for multilingual onboarding:
- Identify the languages commonly spoken by employees.
- List the documents every new employee receives.
- Prioritize safety, policy and benefits materials.
- Review source documents before requesting translation.
- Maintain approved translations in a central location.
- Track updates to both the English and translated versions.
- Arrange interpreters for orientations and training sessions.
- Ask employees whether additional language assistance is needed.
A repeatable process can save time, improve consistency and make it easier to onboard multilingual employees as the organization grows.
Supporting Multilingual Employee Onboarding
Reliable Translations, Inc. provides professional translation and interpreting services for HR departments and organizations in ANY language.
We can assist with employee handbooks, workplace policies, benefits materials, safety documents, training presentations, onboarding forms and other HR content. Qualified interpreters are also available for orientations, training sessions and employee meetings by phone, virtually or onsite in many areas.
If your organization has HR documents to translate or onboarding sessions that require interpreters, request a quote or contact Reliable Translations, Inc. to discuss your upcoming needs.