Breaking language barriers
Workers in Germany are not only flexible with their working hours, they’re also flexible about the language they use for business. With Germany located in the heart of Europe, multiple languages are spoken in the workplace and with clients. Like most scientists and researchers, Jeyarajah documents the majority of her work in English, but it’s common for her colleagues to discuss business in a customer’s native language, even if they’re not fluent.
“A lot of times, clients from other European countries are more willing to discuss business if you speak their language. You don’t need to be fluent in a language, but knowing whatever you do is helpful,” she said.
For example, Jeyarajah isn’t fluent in French, but she picked up the basics of the language in school and often takes messages for her co-workers left by French clients.
Quigless, whose office speaks about half German and half English to clients, agrees that customers are more comfortable when they are able to communicate in their native language. “When they can tell that I’m fluent in English, their confidence diminishes,” she said, “so I try to speak German whenever I can.”