Human Resources (HR) is a fundamental department in every business. Ensuring your workforce is happy and has an equal understanding of policies and practices is essential to running an office smoothly. However, misunderstandings and gaps in continuity are an unfortunate inevitability if your staff are unable to read or understand essential HR material.
This means translation and localization are vital. Keeping everyone on the same page by removing language barriers not only keeps your business running smoothly but helps employees thrive.
We certainly know a thing or two about translating HR documents and working to specific guidelines and industry standards. Our team has 20 years of translation experience and comes with specific HR sector knowledge.
In this article, we’ll run through the key HR documents you should translate and why.
17 HR Documents You Need to Translate
1. Applicant Tracking System
An applicant tracking system helps to streamline and manage your company’s hiring process.
From sharing job openings to storing applicant data and organizing interviews, it’s an essential kit for recruiting top talent, meaning accurate translation here is crucial.
2. Company Handbook
For new starters - and long-serving employees who may want a refresher - your company handbook is the blueprint to all policies, procedures, and expectations.
It’s a one-stop shop that can also feature the company’s history, culture, values, and benefits, which means high-quality translation of this handbook is important to keep everyone on the same page.
3. Compensation And Benefits Overview
Your compensation and benefits overview guides all employees on what they can expect in terms of their direct pay, salary, and any benefits, such as health insurance or stock options.
As it’s full of important information, you want to make sure its translation is specific and high quality.
4. Dress Code
For many companies, a dress code policy can slip neatly into the company handbook.
However, for some industries - such as construction or healthcare - dressing appropriately can be a health and safety matter.
It’s for this reason that accurate and detailed translations should be sought to keep everyone appropriately dressed and safe.
5. Exit Policy
An exit policy outlines the activities that take place should an employee leave the business.
Whether leaving voluntarily or terminated by the company, translating this document appropriately is extremely important as it aims to remove any misunderstandings that may happen during the process.
6. Holiday Schedule
Holiday schedules and workplace rotas minimize the risk of over- or under-staffing, saving you potential wages and time spent on planning logistics.
However, they only work when everyone is on the same page.
Ensuring they’re translated appropriately (so your entire workforce can understand the schedules) is crucial.
7. Job Descriptions
If you recruit globally, your job descriptions should be made available in every language.
First impressions count, and you want to attract the brightest talent out there, so high-quality translation matters.
8. Job Profiles
Job profiles need to clearly articulate what the job involves, as well as provide a full breakdown of responsibilities and salary.
More than this, however, they should set out expectations from both the employee’s and the company's perspective. This makes a detailed translation fundamental.
9. Mission Statement And Statement Of Values
Like with the company handbook, you want to clearly and easily explain the culture, values, and goals to anyone who joins your business.
Your mission statement or statement of values does this, and because they can be emotive, it’s important they’re translated in a way that’s contextually relevant to the audience.
10. Organization Chart
Giving your staff a breakdown of who’s who in the company is a really useful way to explain roles and responsibilities.
A detailed organization chart will list your internal structure and provide useful information for staff.
This is where a service like transcreation comes in, as it provides a unique level of nuance and detail to complex documents.
11. Performance Metrics
When everyone’s pulling in the same direction, it makes your company’s successes that much easier to achieve.
But to get there, you all need to be on the same page first.
Having a clear and easy-to-understand set of performance metrics allows people to benchmark their work, so they must be easily understood no matter the language.
12. Salary Structure
Providing a clear salary structure - also known as a pay grade - for your employees allows them to see what they can expect to earn at a minimum and what their maximum earning potential is, as well as the steps it’ll take to get there.
This kind of information is vital for career progression, so it’s important for it to be articulated clearly in a reader’s own language.
13. Staffing Plan
A staffing plan helps your company understand the number and types of roles you need to achieve your business goals.
It’s an important part of any business plan and can understandably change from time to time as the company goals change or grow.
Having a high-quality translation of your staffing plan allows you to share important business information accurately.
14. Training And Development
Whether you have internal training plans or outsource development opportunities, you’ll want to keep track of your employees’ learning and growth.
Training and development documents are often complex and multifaceted, so expert and detailed translation is required.
15. Travel And Expenses Tracking
Tracking travel and expenses are par for the course for all businesses.
However, suppose the documents and tools needed to submit them are in a different language. In that case, you have an unpleasant barrier for the staff to overcome.
Ensure smooth and fuss-free processes with high-quality translations.
16. Time And Attendance Standards
Keeping track of time and attendance is integral in cutting waste and ensuring success for your business.
However, this only works if every one of your employees can track their time and attendance using tools in their language.
17. Vacation And PTO Allowances
Similar to dress codes and salary structures, your vacation and PTO allowance documents will be used time and again by all employees to inform and educate.
Making sure they’re accurately written in an employee’s native language ensures nothing will go missing in translation.
Get A Quote For Your HR Translation
When it comes to translating HR documents, it's really important that all your employees understand your company's rules and procedures, no matter what language they speak. Accurate translations make sure everyone is on the same page, which helps avoid confusion and keeps the workplace running smoothly.
Get a free consultation with LinguaLinx to talk about your HR translation needs. Our team is here to help with expert advice and solutions, so you can keep your workplace happy and productive. We have over 20 years of experience in translation, especially with HR documents, and we always meet the highest standards.
At LinguaLinx, you can trust us with all your language needs. We have ISO 17100 and ISO 9001 certifications, which mean we meet strict quality standards.
Reach out to us today to see how we can help your business translate HR materials clearly for every employee. With LinguaLinx, you choose a partner who cares about quality and clear communication.
