Abstract:

Τhe complexity, volatility, uncertainty and the rapid technological changes that dominate the world of work put pressure on employees to acquire new and upgrade existing skills to be competitive and employable. In times of crisis, such as economic downturns or political instability, companies face unique challenges that require flexible and adaptable professionals and multilingual workers capable of bridging cultural gaps, building relationships with international partners and navigating complex business environments. Being able to communicate effectively in different languages with colleagues, clients, and partners can help employees take advantage of challenges and overcome obstacles with confidence. Multilingual professionals are often well equipped to handle cultural differences, and address misunderstandings that may arise in high-pressure situations. Multilingualism combined with digital literacy can facilitate communication and increase global career opportunities, especially in the context of teleworking. The main aim of this research was to identify the importance and the benefits of multilingualism and digital literacy for gaining career opportunities in times of crisis. A sufficient number of semi-structured interviews were carried out among the employees of two multinational companies based in Greece. The results highlighted the advantages of multicultural professionals of having cross-cultural deep understanding, building dynamic and effective teams due to their fluent communication and their flexibility and adaptability of easily acting as teammates in heterogeneous working environments as well as their capacity of becoming and retaining digital literate. Thus, social skills such as communication, multilingualism and digital skills gained through work experience and engagement to lifelong activities enhance employees’ job mobility in different teleworking forms within in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Keywords:

Multilingualism, digital literacy, employability, career opportunities, teleworking, crisis periods, lifelong learning.