A company with Three Languages
Nowadays, with the globalization issue most company not only utilizes one language. Mostly for a company in Indonesia, they have two languages, English and Bahasa.
For multinational company, English is a main language for daily purpose business communication, all documents and presentations. Since they operates in Indonesia, they also use Bahasa to maintain relationship with customer and some level of employees.
At local company Bahasa is the dominant language. Even though English is still needed especially if they have partnership or client with foreign company. In advertising preparation, communicate in English will be much more effective for certain target market.
A company with three languages is my company now, the 5th company that I ever join with. Local company, local production, local brand with international quality, look and ambiance.
Bahasa is the main language, every meeting always start with…”selamat pagi…semangat Siang!” Communication, document, presentation, mostly in Bahasa.
English become the second because sometime we have a meeting with buyer from foreign company, supplier from abroad, agency discussion, or just light chit chat between co-worker and friends.
The interesting one… Javanese is the 3rd language. Since our founder still hold on heritage and have lots of international exposure, some time she talks in English with mixed of Javanese. No wonder maturrnuwun… nuwun sewu… Sampun? Replaces thanks, excuse me and shall we finish?
This traditions influence company culture. For the Javanese woman who could communicate in Javanese fluently like me, I get advantage on this. And you know what? There are bunch of employee just like me. They prefer talk in Javanese. It is closer, friendly and remind of our culture back home.
“Hey? I don’t talk in Javanese… I don’t understand” someone complaint. We just laugh. Capability for talking Javanese not determine the job performance, not mention in the KPI, but in the globalization issue, it is fun to have working environmental that Javanese still using to communicate, from BOD level until lower staff.
It just one reason for me, to stay here.
