Category: E-learning

Voice Over vs Subtitles in eLearning Localization
08/08/2023

Voice Over vs Subtitles in eLearning Localization

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on Voice Over vs Subtitles in eLearning Localization

Long gone are the days where your whole life revolves around your commute to work or school. Many people can choose where they want to live and can work remotely. College students can learn from the comfort of their bedrooms in their parents’ homes instead of going away to college.

Because employees can be trained remotely, students can learn from home, and countless other endeavors can happen digitally, it’s no surprise that eLearning courses are more popular today than ever before.

Businesses can capitalize on that popularity by making their eLearning courses accessible through localization. When they do choose to localize their eLearning content, they will not only have to consider the on-screen text and graphics, but also assess whether their course includes audio narrations or captions. They may decide to localize just voice-overs or subtitles to save time and money. Ideally, they’ll localize both, but if they feel they have to choose between the two, here’s what they need to know.

The Difference Between Voice-Over and Subtitles

These days, most eLearning courses combine both audio and visual text. They may have a narrator (on or off-screen) and slides or text graphics that highlight the main points of what the speaker is explaining.

When localizing eLearning courses that have audio material, this leaves you with the option of choosing to localize the voice-overs or subtitles of the audio content for the sake of speeding up the localization process and saving money. It’s always a good idea to localize any on-screen text.

Choosing to localize one element over the other will come down to the course content. If the course relies more heavily on audio narration than written content, then it may make more sense to localize the audio of the course. If the course features on-camera hosts who speak frequently, then the dubbing of the audio can be costly and you may find that localizing the subtitles gets the job done well. Localizing subtitles takes less time than localizing voice-over content, so this is usually the more affordable route to take.

Pros and Cons of Voice-Over Localization

Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons associated with focusing on voice-over localization.

Pros

  • More engaging for the viewer
  • No loss of audio
  • Less text on the screen

Cons

  • More time-consuming than localizing subtitles
  • Less cost-effective
  • Voices may not match the on-screen speaker’s speaking movements and gestures

Pros and Cons of Subtitle Localization

There are of course also advantages and disadvantages associated with localizing subtitles.

Pros

  • Easier and faster
  • Cost-effective
  • Improves accessibility of video content

Cons

  • Subtitles can distract from on-screen text
  • The learning experience becomes less immersive
  • Text may be too small on mobile eLearning experiences

The Takeaway

Depending on the specifics of the course that needs localization, choosing to localize just subtitles or voice-overs may be the way to go. Which is the right fit will depend entirely on the unique needs of the project. For example, if there’s already a lot of text on screen that could make the use of subtitles confusing or if the narrator is off camera, then localizing voice-over content may be more important.

At times a combination of localizing both elements would be the best approach. In any case, it’s always advisable to talk to your eLearning localization partner and they will be able to provide advice and quotes for the different paths you can take to make your eLearning courses accessible in multiple languages.

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What is the Difference Between VR, AR, MR, and XR - Portada
13/06/2023

What is the Difference Between VR, AR, MR, and XR?

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on What is the Difference Between VR, AR, MR, and XR?

There are many exciting new and emerging technologies making a splash these days and it can be easy to confuse them with one another. Virtual reality (VR) as well as augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and extended reality (XR) are four types of technology that you likely hear referenced, but how do they differ? Keep reading to find out.

VR

VR is a type of immersive experience that involves simulating reality using computers. Headsets are a vital component of VR, as you can use reality headsets to experience realistic images, sounds, and even sensations—all of which help replicate the feeling of being in a real environment or an imaginary world. While it isn’t always possible to do so, an authentic VR environment makes it possible to engage all five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste).

AR

AR takes a real-world environment and augments elements using computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics, or GPS data. The point of AR is to augment existing reality and to add to it in one way or another. Currently, smartphones and tablets are the most common way to access AR, but some custom glasses are also being used. Pokémon Go is a great example of AR. With that game, players use their phone to interact with the world around them, finding and catching Pokemon in their own backyards/their surroundings.

MR

MR, which can also be referred to as hybrid reality, merges a virtual world and the real world to create a new environment. In a MR environment both physical and digital objects can co-exist and interact together in real time. MR can place new imagery within a real space and can make it possible to interact with this imagery in our physical world.

XR

XR is one of the more recent technologies emerging in the immersive virtuality space. XR stands for extended reality and encompasses all forms of combined real and virtual environments. AR, MR, and VR are all included in XR. You can think of XR as an umbrella that brings those three terms together. The term XR is helping group all of this technology together and is making this space less confusing for consumers.

When XR Goes Global

When consumers interact with these virtual worlds (whether VR, AR, or MR is being utilized), language is often involved in one way or another. This is why it’s so important to localize the content featured in these worlds. That way, users worldwide can take advantage of the new developments and trends in immersive virtuality without being blocked by a language barrier. Localization also takes cultural differences into account, which can apply to all of the senses that these technologies can utilize to create a more immersive world.

After all, if the point of these technologies is to create truly immersive experiences, then localizing the world you’re creating for your target audience can help accomplish that goal.

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What is Technology Enhanced Learning and What are the Benefits
30/05/2023

What is Technology Enhanced Learning and What are the Benefits?

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on What is Technology Enhanced Learning and What are the Benefits?

Technology touches virtually every area of our lives, including how we learn. Which is why it’s no surprise that Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is rising in popularity. In short, TEL applies technology to the process of teaching and learning. Many students find that TEL helps them learn information more quickly, understand it better, and retain that information for longer.

To better understand what TEL is and what its benefits are for students, keep reading.

What is Technology Enhanced Learning?

TEL is used to enhance the learning experience and how educators teach. Educators can turn to both analog and digital technologies to help their students learn more efficiently and effectively. Any technology that improves how someone learns can be considered TEL.

So, what does TEL look like exactly? Today, TEL can be found in the form of ebooks, video content, audiobooks, smartphone apps, computers, tablets, and video games. Virtual classrooms that make it possible to learn in group settings from the comfort of home are also an example of education opportunities that TEL can improve upon, as are e-learning courses.

The Benefits of Technology Enhanced Learning

Due to the pandemic shutting down schools and workplaces, TEL made a great impact on how many of us learned in the past few years. Thanks to TEL, it became possible to continue elementary, high school, college, and graduate-level education from home. Workplaces also embraced TEL to host employee trainings and many found that virtual trainings were both time and cost-effective.

TEL can be combined with more traditional learning techniques to meet a student’s needs. Other benefits include:

  • Versatility. TEL can accommodate accessibility features to appeal to different audiences by allowing users to alter font sizes or to listen to the audio content in lieu of reading written content.
  • Localization. It’s possible to localize TEL resources in a language that the user is most comfortable with.
  • Flexibility. TEL gives students the option to learn where and when is best for them.
  • Engaging. Many children find TEL style learning to be more engaging — this is especially true when gamification techniques come into play. Millennials who grew up with technology can also find TEL such as e-learning courses to be more engaging than attending an in-person lecture or reading a training manual.
  • Customizable. Students have the ability to learn at their own pace when learning via TEL instead of a physical classroom environment.
  • Less limiting. A textbook has a limit on how much information it can hold. Teachers now have the ability to get more creative and can turn to resources like video, audio, and interactive learning to help their students learn.

The Takeaway

Technology can be extremely beneficial in regard to providing quality learning experiences that adapt to each learner’s unique needs (whether those needs are related to a specific subject matter, a disability, or a preferred language for learning). Shying away from technology can do both teachers and students a disservice and it’s more than likely that TEL is here to stay.

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25/04/2023

The Challenges of Localizing L&D Content

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on The Challenges of Localizing L&D Content

Localizing learning and development (L&D) content can help global companies massively expand their training resources. Adapting L&D content not just into a target audience’s native language, but taking cultural differences into account, can help you create more engaging and effective educational materials.

Before you launch your next L&D localization project, read on for some of the challenges associated with this process that you should be aware of.

Selecting the Language

Although English is the most widely spoken language throughout the world, that doesn’t mean that the majority of English speakers are native speakers. As tempting as it is to save time and money by only creating L&D content only in English, be careful here. If your audience is lower in proficiency, they may struggle to gain a lot from your learning materials. Localizing the content to their native language can greatly help with engagement and retainment.

Working with Text, Audio and Video

One of the main challenges associated with localizing L&D content is the sheer scope of the project. You need to localize text, audio, and video content. Even design elements such as navigation buttons need to be taken into account during the localization process. After translating the file, the design team will need to make changes to the graphics and format of the content as the new language will present in varying lengths which can affect how the content looks and the timing of certain design elements.

Cultural Sensitivity

It’s important to find the balance between an effective e-learning course and the adaptation of particularities to accommodate the target audience. When you are adapting L&D content for a new audience, keep the following elements in mind and how they can best suit the needs and preferences of the culture you’re targeting.

Cost Effectiveness

It’s understandable why the cost is often top of mind when planning any project, but it’s important to balance cost-effectiveness with the work needed to create successful L&D materials. These are a few ways to reduce costs during localization without sacrificing quality.

  • Don’t localize until the source content is completely finalized. This will help you save time localizing edits made to the source content.
  • Provide native editable files to your localization team. Extracting text from PDFs and images or converting .story files into .xliffs is time-consuming and requires extra formatting work.
  • Choose between localizing subtitles or voice-over content. If you can’t afford to localize both, select whichever format plays a more prominent role.

Finding the Right Partner

Finding a partner that has the experience and the ability to advise as well as deliver a quality product is imperative to the success of a localization project. Localization requires a nuanced understanding of cultural differences and in the case of L&D content your project will benefit from the vast knowledge of e-learning best practices. Looking for a localization partner that can check off all these boxes can make a huge impact when it comes to the end result of your project.

The Takeaway

If possible, start thinking about your multilingual program from the very beginning. If you already have a monolingual course that you need to be localized into multiple languages, seek out expert advice. A localization partner with experience in localization of L&D content will help you determine how to proceed with each element of your training course.

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HOW-TO-BUILD-AN-EFFECTIVE-GLOBAL-LD-TRAININGPROGRAM_PORTADA
21/03/2023

How to Build an Effective Global L&D Training Program

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on How to Build an Effective Global L&D Training Program

Many global businesses adopt an English-first approach to learning and development (L&D) training for their employees. Whilst English is a widely understood language, it’s important for businesses with a global workforce to remember that a strong understanding of the English language is not a guarantee for every single worker they employ.

Understandably, creating L&D materials in English is a popular choice for global organizations that feel they neither have the budget nor time for translations, but assuming people understand English is one thing and assuming they understand the cultural differences is another. The clash is inevitable.

While you’re likely to start with an English training program, there are a few things you can take into consideration and do in the development stage in order to make its localization easier and more cost-effective.

Choose Function over Form

Everyone loves a beautiful design, but when it comes to creating effective L&D training materials, the function must take priority over form. This is especially true when creating L&D content that requires localization. For example, adding animations can be visually appealing and add a fun flair to the L&D experience. However, when you have to localize complex design elements repeatedly, you may find those extra special touches don’t justify the cost of localization. Before choosing design elements, think about how they will affect your localization needs and if they provide enough value to justify localization.

Choose Your Layout Wisely

When you translate written content, this can affect the visuals of your L&D content greatly as other languages can take up much more or less space than written English text after translation. More often than not, other languages take up more space than English text. When choosing your initial layout, it helps to be strategic knowing that your space needs may change. Leaving a decent amount of white space in your original design can make a huge difference. While you can request that the localization specialist keep their new text concise and your designers can shrink the size of the text a bit, having more white space available to add expansive text can give you some much-needed breathing room.

Make the Choice Between Subtitles and Voice-Over

In an ideal world, you would localize all voice-over and subtitle content in your L&D materials, but this cannot be easy to pull off budget-wise as you would need to not only translate the subtitles and voice-over scripts, but hire a new narrator and record new audio content in all target languages. You may find that you need to choose between localization with just subtitles, voice-over, or dubbing to accommodate your budget. Think carefully about which format will best highlight your training materials.

Be Patient

The localization process is one that is best not to rush. To start, it can be helpful to wait until your source content is complete to provide the localization specialist with editable files. This will not only save you time, but money.

It’s also a good idea to coordinate timelines with your localization partner to ensure that the turnaround is viable and won’t require compromising quality to get the job done on time. Your localization partner will be able to advise which steps are needed to complete the project correctly and how long it should take.

The Takeaway

How can you make it easier to incorporate all of these tips into your L&D plans? Don’t leave planning the localization step for the end. If you keep localization needs in mind from day one, you’ll save money, time, and a headache.

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E-learning Elements That Require Localization
14/02/2023

E-learning Elements That Require Localization

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on E-learning Elements That Require Localization

While e-learning has been rising in popularity for years thanks to how accessible, engaging, and cost-effective it is, it’s not a surprise that in recent years interest in e-learning has skyrocketed. Especially as a resource for companies looking to train their global workforce. Speaking of a global workforce—having an online course that is suitable for learners that speak different languages requires the localization of several elements within the course so that the whole learning experience is a smooth one.

These are some of the elements worth keeping in mind.

Mouse cursor movement captures

Most e-learning programs contain an instructional nature that include cursor movements. These movements may point to actions that the narrator is explaining. They play an important role and need to be taken into account during the localization process. This may seem odd since these are cursor movements not text, but the cursor movements need to properly time up with the accompanying narration and the timing may be off once the narration is localized into a new language.

Content and narrative translation and formatting

E-learning content includes on-screen text that has to be localized when you want the content to appear in a new target language. When you localize text, it often changes drastically in length which can require formatting changes to make the design of the program flow as intended. Similar to the cursor movement captures we discussed earlier, you also need to make sure the timing of audio content is lining up with any written content in the e-learning materials—as well as any subtitles. The timing of slides can also be impacted by the length of audio and visual text.

Subtitles and voice-over recordings

How large a budget for a localization project is will determine whether or not you need to localize voice-over recording and subtitles or just subtitles—which is a more cost-effective option as you don’t have to hire a narrator and record new audio. That being said, this extra step does greatly enhance the quality of the end product and creates a better user experience for the person engaging with the e-learning product.

Graphics

On-screen graphics in e-learning courses and training materials can contain text. If the text is embedded into the graphic, that text will need to be translated in an external file and then the original graphic can be localized into the target language with the help of a graphic designer or DTP specialist.

Navigation and action buttons

Because e-learning content often incorporates navigational and action-related buttons that contain text (such as “next” or “submit”), these buttons require localization. If you fail to localize this important type of content, the user can end up confused and frustrated and not able to proceed with their learning opportunity. Authoring tools usually allow the creators to set up the UI language. By selecting the desired language, you can have localized buttons. However, it’s important to remember to do so. If the tool doesn’t allow it, then you can include this in the content that needs to be localized. There can be cases in which the instructional designer creates their own buttons. Depending on how these buttons are created, they may require separate localization as well.

The takeaway

It’s advisable to work with a localization partner who has experience with e-learning content and that has the capacity to work on each of these elements (since they require different professionals such as localization project managers, translators, DTP specialists, voice-over actors, and subtitlers). If they can provide a comprehensive solution, the end result has a high chance of being pretty seamless.

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Why the Education Sector Should Embrace Digital Transformation
24/01/2023

Why the Education Sector Should Embrace Digital Transformation

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on Why the Education Sector Should Embrace Digital Transformation

The pandemic pushed many traditional educational organizations to enter the online world of digital education. They all dipped their toes into the water by moving classes to Zoom and Google Meet, but the truth is that it takes a lot more than that to meet the demands of a digital generation.

There’s no time like the present for education to catch up with technological advancements to better serve and engage their users—aka learners. There is also a high percentage of teachers leaving traditional education institutions to work in the eLearning industry as of late, which is another factor the education system needs to take into account as they look to the future. Let’s take a closer look at why the education sector should embrace digital transformation.

What Does a Digital Transformation Look Like?

A digital transformation greatly surpasses typical software or hardware upgrades. A true digital transformation is just as philosophical as it is physical. For education institutions, a digital transformation may look like creating a learning environment that connects in-person education resources to digital ones so that students can belong to a robust ecosystem that combines security, technology, and education services.

A digital transformation can help create a more personalized, collaborative, and interactive learning experience.

How to Digitally Transform Education

So, how exactly can the education sector undergo a digital transformation? Let’s look at a few paths education institutions can take to enhance their digital presence in a meaningful way.

  • Multimedia digital textbooks. Heavy textbooks will soon be a thing of the past, as students can now access source materials from their digital devices wherever they are whether that be at home, the library, or in the classroom.
  • Bring your own device (BYOD). Enabling students to use the digital device they work on best in the classroom to take notes and work on their assignments can help foster engagement and retainment.
  • Personalized curriculum. With artificial intelligence, it’s now possible to create customized learning experiences for students by using artificial intelligence.
  • Game-based learning. Not only does game-based learning help encourage students to study, but it can actually help them better retain the information they’re being taught. This is a concept known as gamification and it’s very commonly used in e-learning materials.

The Benefits of Digital Transformation on Education

Why would education systems invest ample time and money in a digital transformation? To start, doing so actually increases access to education from students because the education experience becomes less reliant on one specific geographical location. This accessibility just adds to the convenience associated with a digital transformation. From being able to access source materials from any device, to collaborating and sharing notes digitally, to more spaces for interaction between teachers, students, and peers with their instructors and fellow students, there are tons of valuable benefits of a digital transformation for students.

The Takeaway

Through a digital transformation, educators can help enhance students’ learning experiences by fostering better communication and connecting them to more educational resources and materials.

Digital transformation in education is bringing down geographical barriers, allowing learners worldwide to choose what they want to learn regardless of location. Localization can help expand the target audience of whatever educational program that is already online. In addition, students can benefit greatly from localization as learning in their native language can greatly boost their engagement with the education materials, how they understand it, and how they retain the information.

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Transitioning Teachers in the US Look at New Career Paths in Instructional Design
06/12/2022

Transitioning Teachers in the US Look at New Career Paths in Instructional Design

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on Transitioning Teachers in the US Look at New Career Paths in Instructional Design

Post-pandemic burnout is affecting many professionals, but teachers who had to face especially difficult workplace challenges over the past few years are particularly struggling with burnout. Many teachers that are choosing to veer away from their original career path are heading towards the instructional design industry, as it allows them to leverage their backgrounds in education while giving them the opportunity to work remotely instead of in a classroom. They can put their classroom-honed instructional design skills into the creation of eLearning content.

Instructional design involves creating learning experiences and materials resulting in the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills. Even though instructional design encompasses all learning materials, it’s most frequently associated with corporate training and eLearning for universities or other educational institutions.

Let’s look at some tips that teachers can use to find a job in instructional design and to thrive in that role.

Highlight Adaptable Skills

Transitioning teachers are facing the challenge of adapting the skills they gained in classrooms into ones they can utilize in a new career in the learning and development (L&D) space. How they frame their skills during their job search can help them illustrate to potential employers just how adaptable their teaching skills are.

For example, teachers have experience trying different teaching approaches in order to see what works for their students and what doesn’t. They know how to adapt their content to suit “their audience”. They have also seen firsthand the challenge of having students in their classrooms who don’t speak English as their native language. In 2019, 10.4% of K-12 students were English-language learners (ELL) students and by 2025, an estimated 25% percent of public school students will be ELL students.

Expand Their Network

As teachers look for new horizons, it’s key that they find networking spaces that can help them enter the L&D space successfully. There are multiple non-profit organizations, like GLDC (Global Learning & Development Community), that offer resources and create an environment where they can connect with other professionals in the industry and can get career advice.

Mariana Horrisberger, eLearning localization specialist and business development manager at Terra, is one of the organizers of GLDC. She co-leads meetups every Wednesday and Friday, where they get together to meet peers from the industry, discuss L&D topics, and share their knowledge and experience with those making their first steps into this field. They also currently have a Project Club led by Russell Sweep, where they discuss the eLearning Heroes Challenge of the week and provide feedback to each other’s projects. In 2022, this organization hosted a Summer Break Room during the month of July to get transitioning teachers together to network and share information and advice about the industry. Another networking group that could be of interest is Teaching: A path to L&D led by Sara Stevick—where members share important information for teachers looking to transition to the eLearning industry.

Keep Localization In Mind

It’s essential that as teachers transition to this new space—and given the global aspect of the eLearning industry—they keep localization in mind. Meaning that while they work on creating courses, they remain aware of aspects of their work that could potentially present challenges during localization. Accessibility is a top priority nowadays, with students from all corners of the world trying to learn the abilities necessary to work and succeed in the modern world and being knowledgeable of internationalization is a skill that can help them land their first job in the industry.

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VR & localization the key to an immersive experience for users worldwide
23/11/2022

VR & Localization: The Key to an Immersive Experience for Users Worldwide

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on VR & Localization: The Key to an Immersive Experience for Users Worldwide

Virtual reality (VR) refers to a simulated experience that can either be totally different or very similar to the real world. It is achieved by creating a sensory environment using primarily sight and sound to create an interactive and immersive experience. VR is rising in popularity day by day and by 2025, the VR industry is expected to be worth more than $22 billion. One reason for this industry’s continued growth in popularity is due to VR’s endless potential to create experiences and immersive environments, as these headsets can make it easier to integrate games into education, entertainment, and many other endeavors.

Standard VR systems tend to rely on VR headsets in order to generate the realistic sensations that create the immersive environment that VR is known for. VR headsets generally include what is known as a head-mounted display (HMD). This HMD is a wraparound headset that blocks light and real-world images so the user can focus on the virtual world they are entering. During 2022, it’s anticipated that consumer AR/VR headset shipments will reach 13.24 million units.

It’s also expected that over time as improvements to VR hardware are made (such as designing smaller and more stylish headsets) and as they become more affordable, that interest in this industry will continue to grow. For example, a less cumbersome device may increase popularity in healthcare training such as training simulations for surgeons.

Let’s take a closer look at the applications and industries that VR can apply to, as well as why localization for VR is becoming a growing need.

Applications and Industries

These are some of the industries that are embracing VR:

  • Entertainment. VR is especially common in the gaming sector as VR can create an exceptional game experience for players who want to immerse themselves in the world the game takes place in.
  • Training. The learning and development possibilities of VR are nearly endless—especially for providing a more hands-on corporate training experience.
  • Tourism. Imagine being able to make someone feel like they are visiting your city and encourage them to visit by introducing them to your most exciting sites virtually.
  • Well-being. A more immersive wellness experience can be found when you combine VR with apps that help guide meditation, workouts, mindfulness, and relaxation.
  • E-learning. Many students engage with their learning materials and retain them better when using VR during the e-learning experience.

VR Localization

The fact that more industries are adopting VR and with headsets becoming more affordable, it is natural for this technology to reach new markets and people that speak different languages. This is where localization comes in.

When someone is engaging with an immersive experience, you don’t want them to become confused by language or prompts they don’t understand. Localization makes it possible to translate elements like prompts, buttons, in-app menus and messages, narration or voice-over cues in the app the consumer uses. Anything that requires interaction on the part of the user needs to be easily understood by them or else you risk your message not coming across clearly, or the user not being able to properly navigate the experience—all of which can lead to the user leaving a bad review of the app. Content in the app store also needs to be localized, as the app store description helps them select and decide to purchase the app. Making sure this text is in a language the user understands can make a difference in the total number of downloads.

As VR adoption continues to expand and more industries realize the potential it has, it’s only a matter of time before the localization needs in the industry also increase. This is key to ensure access to this technology and its applications are not restricted to English speakers only, making these virtual worlds into more inclusive and diverse spaces.

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4 Reasons To Localize Your Global Training Program - Portada
25/10/2022

4 Reasons To Localize Your Global Training Program

Posted on | by Jacqueline De Marco | Leave a Comment on 4 Reasons To Localize Your Global Training Program

Running a business that employs workers from around the world is no easy feat, but it makes it possible to expand into new markets and to tap into a diverse talent pool. Companies that make localization a key part of their global training pipeline can benefit greatly. How? Let’s look at four different ways that localization can improve your global training strategy.

Employees Learn Better

Even if your workforce all speaks the language of business—aka English—, providing employees with access to training materials in their native language can help them learn better. Doing so can also make them feel like they belong to a more inclusive workplace environment. You can help avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and can make it easier for them to retain information by allowing them to learn in their native language. If you can provide your employees with resources that make thriving in their job easier, why wouldn’t you?

Employees Get Maximum ROI on Learning Initiatives

When employees understand and retain educational materials better, that clearly benefits their personal and professional development, but their employers also benefit. If you’re going to invest a lot of time and money into creating learning initiatives and then are going to have your employees commit more time and resources to consuming that content, you want to get the most ROI possible. When you provide localized training materials, you can help increase productivity and can enhance retention of the learning materials — all of which end up benefiting you as their employer.

Companies Create a More Equal Workplace

Employers should take whatever steps possible to create a more fair and equitable workplace. One way to do this is to give all employees, no matter what their native language is, the same level of opportunity when it comes to improving their skills and reaching their full potential at your company. If a company doesn’t localize its training materials, they risk putting non-native English-speaking employees at a disadvantage. While they may not mean to do this, they may make it more difficult for their employees to grasp critical concepts by not localizing their training materials. If you want a global workforce, you need to support them properly and localization can help you do that.

Companies Enjoy Optimal Resource Utilization

When you expand your workforce globally, you must also enhance your training efforts to make them work on a more diverse scale. While localization is an investment, that investment will pay off and save you time and money in the end by helping you make the most of the resources you already have. When you localize your global training program, you create a better company culture, help employees learn better, and make a fairer working environment, and as a result, your employees will thrive. You want all of your employees to have the best chance of understanding and retaining learning materials and localization can help you reach that goal.

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