How does language training impact DEIB in your workplace? Hear from Roche’s D&I expert

In an increasingly globalized world, language learning has unique value for individuals and organizations to drive impactful change.

HR leaders must now be aware of potential discriminations and exclusions that can arise from a diverse, multilingual workforce where strategies for inclusion are lacking.

What does this mean for HR and L&D leaders today? Are language challenges in your workforce holding back initiatives to encourage diversity and inclusion?

Speaking with Sanjay Rishi, Global Product Development Diversity & Inclusion Lead at Roche – the multinational Swiss healthcare giant with over 100,000 employees in 150 countries – here is what we learnt about the role of language in achieving an inclusive workspace.

A key part of diversity in the workplace is related to culture and nationality which are inextricably linked to language.

And there is clear business value in nurturing linguistic and cultural diversity in your workforce. As Rishi puts it:

Data gathered by Upwardly Global demonstrates that businesses with more culturally diverse executive teams are 33% more likely to see above-average profit. Without that ability to understand, communicate, and connect with other cultures, a lot of business opportunities may be lost.

While diversity inherently creates space for widened perspectives, without a deliberate effort to drive inclusion and belonging, this self-same benefit can be to the detriment of certain groups. For example, the native language of an office’s geographic location may dominate and create divisions in your workforce.

“If you come from a minority population, then there may be this weight of expectation that you should conform and integrate with the majority population because inclusion isn't taken on as a conscious exercise.” says Rishi. “So, there's a massive risk there that you end up with diverse populations whose gifts you’re not tapping into whatsoever, or worse, you're making them feel marginalized.”

Many companies seek to solve this problem by offering training in English to drive equal communication and opportunities.

The short answer is yes and no.

On the one hand, English is a great leveler, one that forges a tangible bridge between businesses across the world. Proficiency in English can often open doors for individuals, particularly for those whose work spans multiple countries, using English as the default business language.

Conversely, English proficiency can create a type of ‘glass ceiling’ when it comes to career progression. Often, there is an unspoken expectation or even bias at the executive level for fluent English, which risks preferential treatment of English speakers in opportunities for career progression

On top of this, a significant percentage of international workforces do not speak the language of the company headquarters, putting a strain on the capacity for full-workforce inclusion and access to opportunities. Training to cover this gap is still far less common worldwide than company-wide English training.

The only real approach for HR leaders, therefore, is to balance the global need for English and the localized need for inclusivity in workplace communication – something that Roche has experimented with:

"When we've pushed out [internal] global campaigns for the whole company, we've tried to translate those into 26 core languages,” says Rishi. “So that they are accessible for populations around the world, recognizing that Roche has operations in over 100 countries."

Through people-first inclusion strategies, as well as learning and development initiatives, your organization can release the extraordinary power in your workforce by considering the reach and potential of language.