IndexIntroductionMultilingual and interculturally competent workforceAdvantagesDisadvantagesPrioritize English proficiency for the entire workforceAdvantagesDisadvantagesExamine companies operating in a new cultural environmentWalmart in Germany and the German supermarket Aldi in the UKCorporate language policies and their effectsConclusionReferencesIntroductionThe dominance of the English language has grown and currently many activities are conducted in English. Therefore, the English language has been accepted as a lingua franca, a language used by people who do not have the same culture or use of the native language. Although the English language does not have the largest number of native speakers, it is a common second language in most countries; therefore its use is growing exponentially. International companies have choices regarding language policies within the organization. Some global companies hire multilingual and interculturally competent staff. This means that the person understands and can speak multiple languages ​​even if not fluently and has the necessary knowledge about different cultures. Other companies prioritize recruiting their entire workforce with proficient English-speaking staff as most international companies conduct their operations in English. Taking language and culture as its main topic, this essay considers the challenges international companies face for effective communication, discussing which approach between multilingual and intercultural staff and an entire workforce proficient in English is most effective, giving the reasons of the choice of approach. The essay illustrates the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and examines two cases of companies working in new cultural environments to arrive at the choice. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Multilingual and interculturally competent workforce Benefits Choice of language. Multilingual staff can express their thoughts and ideas in a different culture using any language of their choice. Some situations encountered by staff working in new cultural environments require the use of the community's native languages ​​for better understanding (Verboom, 2016). For example, in some cases, staff may encounter customers who do not understand English. Understanding the native language and culture will help the staff communicate with the customer without the use of a mediator in this case. Diversity and inclusiveness. The company promotes different cultures and languages, strengthening the workforce's sense of belonging. Expatriates are free to apply due to the company's diversity (Van der Worp et al. 2017). Having different cultures and languages ​​allows employees to share and learn about other people's cultures and languages, ultimately promoting multilingualism in the company. Diversity improves the company's efficiency as the company seeks the highest skills in the industry regardless of their culture or a particular language level. Disadvantages Alienation. Multilingual people find it easy to code-switch, consciously or unconsciously. Code-switching in the presence of someone who doesn't understand the language can create a feeling of alienation and create unnecessary tension among staff. Language barriers. Cultural and linguistic diversity is an asset and a liability as the company will encounter language barriers (Van der Worp et al. 2017). This will make it difficult for the company to collaborate and the company will have to introduce measures to harmonize the language used in the workplace. Prioritize competence inEnglish for the entire workforce Benefits Easier to collaborate and communicate. When all staff use the same language communication becomes very easy.Through effective communication employees can collaborate effectively (Rao, 2019). Additionally, employees do not need to use a mediator. This is especially useful since there is no distortion or loss of meaning due to translation from a source language to a target language. Disadvantages Loss of meaning. In situations where the majority of the workforce is proficient in the English language, if a customer arrives who is not familiar with the language, the staff is forced to use a mediator. Although a mediator is vital in facilitating communication between the parties, a disadvantage is that meaning can be lost when translating from the source language to the target language, for example, from Mandarin to English, which leads to difficulties in understanding what is necessary for the success of a process. the business deal.Culturally challenged. Prioritizing an English-proficient workforce leaves the company culturally challenged. Since the company operates internationally, it is likely to acquire different customers with different cultures. Not recognizing and appreciating cultural diversity can prevent the company from acquiring customers from cultures that feel the company doesn't understand what they are looking for. Companies further discourage expats from working there as their English proficiency may not match the level required by the company. Examining Companies Doing Business in a New Cultural Environment Walmart in Germany and the German supermarket Aldi in the UK Walmart has expanded into several nations; however, his venture into Germany was unsuccessful. The failure occurred because Walmart did not consider the culture of the German people and therefore did not adjust its practices to adapt to the new market. For example, cashiers were supposed to smile at customers, which according to German culture, smiling at strangers is strange (Nizam, 2016). Employees, therefore, perceived Walmart as a stressful work environment. Another practice that annoyed the Germans was the daily motivational exercise of WALMART singing, which they did not find motivating in the slightest. German supermarket Aldi has been successful in the UK. Unlike Walmart which used the practices in its American branches in the United States, Aldi has patiently made the necessary changes to ensure its long-term success. For example, the supermarket has the best employee salaries which motivates the staff to continue working as no other store matches them (Robb, 2020). Aldi standardizes the pay for all workers in the same category regardless of nationality. The store further encourages feedback used to improve some of the processes in the supermarket. Corporate language policies and their effectsLanguage policy. These are the guidelines that govern the use of language in an organization. The purpose of a language policy is to help the company meet its needs (Sanden, 2015). Collaboration is an effect of language policy. For example, companies establish a corporate language that encourages staff collaboration because it is easier when everyone uses the same language. A language policy also facilitates easier communication between people with different native languages ​​without the use of a mediator. The policy recognizes that linguistic diversity is a valuable asset to the company, while recognizing that it can also represent a barrier. Politics, therefore, takes advantage of the diversity resource.