What do you do if your remote team's communication is hindered by linguistic barriers?

1 Assess your team's linguistic needs

The first step to improving your remote team's communication is to understand your team's linguistic needs and preferences. You can do this by conducting a survey or a meeting to find out what languages your team members speak, how proficient they are in the common language of the team, and what challenges or difficulties they face in communicating with others. This will help you identify the gaps and opportunities for enhancing your team's linguistic skills and resources.

2 Provide language support and training

The second step is to provide language support and training for your team members, especially for those who are not fluent in the common language of the team. You can do this by offering online courses, coaching sessions, or peer-to-peer mentoring to help them improve their language proficiency and confidence. You can also provide them with tools and materials, such as glossaries, dictionaries, or translation software, to help them understand and express themselves better.

3 Use clear and simple language

The third step is to use clear and simple language when communicating with your remote team, especially in written form. You can do this by avoiding jargon, slang, idioms, or metaphors that may be confusing or ambiguous for your team members. You can also use short sentences, bullet points, or headings to organize your messages and make them easier to read and follow. You can also use visual aids, such as images, diagrams, or videos, to supplement your verbal or written communication.

4 Encourage feedback and clarification

The fourth step is to encourage feedback and clarification when communicating with your remote team, especially in verbal form. You can do this by asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing, or summarizing what you or others have said to check for understanding and agreement. You can also invite your team members to ask questions, share their opinions, or express their concerns if they are not sure or comfortable with something. You can also use gestures, facial expressions, or emojis to convey your tone and emotions.

5 Respect and celebrate linguistic diversity

The fifth step is to respect and celebrate linguistic diversity in your remote team, rather than seeing it as a problem or a barrier. You can do this by acknowledging and appreciating the different languages and cultures of your team members, and learning some basic words or phrases in their languages. You can also encourage your team members to use their native languages or dialects when appropriate, such as in informal chats or greetings. You can also organize some fun activities or events, such as language games or quizzes, to foster cross-cultural awareness and understanding.

6 Review and improve your communication practices

The sixth and final step is to review and improve your communication practices with your remote team on a regular basis. You can do this by soliciting feedback from your team members on how they feel about the communication quality and effectiveness in the team, and what suggestions or improvements they have. You can also monitor and measure the communication outcomes and impacts, such as the team's performance, satisfaction, or engagement. You can also seek external help or advice from experts or consultants if needed.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?