Acceso usuarios
Marina Mattheoudakis, Eleftheria Katsavarou
The present study aims to provide valuable insights regarding the necessity of multilingual skills in the public sector to successfully address linguistic diversity. To this end, we investigated the linguistic profile, language needs and attitudes towards multilingualism among civil employees in the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum and the Ministry of the Interior in Greece; the main research tool was a questionnaire specifically designed for the purpose of this study. The main findings, based on the analysis of 243 responses reveal that while English serves as the primary language for task completion and professional communication, there is a notable demand for proficiency in less common languages. The findings also reflect a broad range of diverse language practices among monolingual staff, highlighting the need for targeted training programs to effectively equip employees with the knowledge and skills required. Furthermore, the study advocates for a balanced approach to language policy that integrates both top-down government intervention and bottom-up participation from civil employees, allowing for more comprehensive solutions to the complex nature of linguistic diversity.
