Business Benefits Of Learning a Foreign Language (Mandarin)

Numerous factors in business might influence your career. One of them is being able to speak another language. To advance further in your job, learning a foreign language is considered to be a critical business skill nowadays. In the age of globalization, learning Chinese will help you, as an employee, get many more opportunities in your future career. Here are the top 5 business benefits of learning Mandarin:

1. Improve your communication skill

It is essential to develop your communication skills as more companies go global. Understanding the language improves cross-cultural communication with your coworkers in the two countries. This particular skill can help you and your business partner communicate more effectively. The fact that Mandarin is a language spoken by millions of people worldwide will be very advantageous to you personally.

2. Globalization

As previously stated, more and more businesses are going global.  China's booming economy makes it one of the most sought-after places to expand business in Asia. Being able to communicate in Mandarin can make a big difference for a firm to succeed in China. Mandarin also gives businesses stronger competitive advantages when they approach China as a new market opportunity. In addition to your communication skills, you will have a greater understanding of the needs of the customer.

3. Translation is bad

Translation errors do sometimes occur. This can be troublesome and time-consuming. Furthermore, there are situations where the translation is confusing and leads to misunderstanding. Employers will be more likely to want to send a Chinese-speaking representative to deal more smoothly with business. Why can’t that be you?

4. Create relationships

It goes without saying that business deals are built on trust and relationships. Oftentimes, partners are  looking for qualities such as reliability, credibility, and most importantly, relatability. Particularly in China, this is  the case, where contacts and connections can directly influence your ability to do business. In comparison to a non-speaker of Mandarin, a Mandarin speaker can accomplish much more with their work. Consider how you can better serve local Chinese customers by understanding their perspectives, respecting their language, and demonstrating your understanding of their culture.

5. Complementing other business skill sets

Learning Mandarin will not only help you provide better customer service, but it will also make you a better team player. You will be able to develop better strategies as you gain a deeper understanding of your customers' needs. Studies find that those who can speak another language will approach problems more creatively and adapt more quickly, especially when making decisions. At the end of the day, foreign language skills are useful for all professionals.