Prepare an English version of internal documents using high-precision automatic translation to enhance engagement of foreign employees! (MTrans for Office - Word utilization edition)

Previous BlogAs mentioned in the previous blog, the number of foreign workers currently working in Japan has reached approximately 1.5 million and is expected to continue increasing in the future.

And there are challenges that come with the increase of foreign employees. That is the "language barrier". Even in companies where internal documents and communication have mostly been in Japanese, from now on, it is necessary to communicate smoothly with foreign employees just like with Japanese employees.

For example, let's think about "employment rules". It is an internal document that exists in almost all companies, but do we only need to prepare it in Japanese from now on?

In this blog, we will consider whether a translated version of "employment rules" is necessary.

 

■Table of Contents■

1. Is a Foreign Language Version of the Employment Rules Necessary?

2. Use MTrans for Office to prepare an English version of "Employment Regulations".

3. Anything is OK as long as it is a Word document!
Contract, report, and proposal translations are also possible.

4. Free Trial Now Available

 

1. Is a Foreign Language Version of the Employment Rules Necessary?

Article 106 of the Labor Standards Act states that, "regarding employment rules,"

Described as follows.

Simply reading this, one could interpret that it is sufficient to store the "Employment Rules" in an easily accessible location. However, can it be said that the obligation to inform has been fulfilled simply by preparing a Japanese version of the "Employment Rules"?

Generally, documents like "Employment Rules" are written in difficult Japanese. To understand this content, advanced Japanese language skills are necessary. There may be companies where only foreign employees with advanced Japanese language skills are employed, and there may also be companies where there are many foreign employees studying Japanese. In the latter case, foreign employees who cannot understand the "Employment Rules" may be placed in an unfair position compared to other employees.

Considering the trend of increasing foreign employees in the future, it may be necessary to prepare at least an English version of the "Employment Rules".

 

So, how should we prepare the English version of the "Employment Regulations"?

First, there are two options: asking someone in the company who is good at English, or hiring a professional translation company. The latter is the most reliable option in terms of quality, but it may take more effort and time.

Next, automatic translation is possible. It can quickly provide an English version compared to translation by a person.

In reality, it is necessary to carefully consider which method to choose, taking into account the balance of quality, time, and cost.

 

Here, we would like to consider the method of preparing an English version of the "Employment Rules" using automatic translation software.

 

2. Use MTrans for Office
to prepare an English version of "Employment Rules"

Human Science has released the automatic translation solution package MTrans for Office that supports Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

MTrans for Office is an automatic translation solution for businesses that allows for easy and high-quality translations. For more information on how it differs from typical automatic translation software, please see this blog post.

 

At Human Science, we have heard various complaints and concerns about machine translation software from our customers. MTrans for Office is an automatic translation software that solves these issues and pursues user-friendliness and high-precision translation quality.

 

Here, we will introduce the process of translating/editing the sample file for "Employment Rules" using the "Translation" function of Word and MTrans for Office.

 

●Translate the same document with Word's "Translation" function and MTrans for Office●

 

As you can see, when using Word's "Translate" function, modifications such as font size and line breaks are necessary. However, with MTrans for Office, the original file layout is preserved, minimizing the need for tedious editing work!

All that's left is to compare and correct the Japanese and English versions. With this, we can distribute the English version of the "Employment Rules" to foreign employees.

 

However, please be aware that this is an automatic translation, so caution is necessary when handling it. Let's prepare a rule that instructs employees to contact the general affairs department immediately if there are any questions. By immediately revising the English version upon receiving contact, the English version of the "Employment Regulations" will become easier to understand and more accurate, making it easier for foreign employees to work.

 

3. Anything is OK if it's a Word document!
You can also use it for translating contracts, reports, and proposals.

In this blog, we have looked at "employment rules" as the theme, but MTrans for Office is also very active in other Word documents.

For example, please use MTrans for Office for all Word documents such as contracts, sales reports, and internal meeting minutes.

Even if a document is only in Japanese, it should improve understanding by preparing the same document in other languages such as English, even if it cannot attract the interest of foreign employees. In addition, preparing other language versions can also improve engagement of foreign employees.

 

If you are struggling with the "language barrier" with foreign employees, please consider MTrans for Office.

 

5. Free Trial Now Available

We are currently distributing a free beta version trial.

MTrans for Office is an automatic translation software that supports not only Word, which was introduced this time, but also Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint. It is perfect for those who want to make email translation easier or translate proposals and estimates quickly.

Feel free to apply for a trial!