Webcasts via the intranet combined with live translators is one method for addressing a multi-lingual, global audience, according to Heidi Collins, keynoter at the first day of The Conference Board’s Corporate Communication and Technology Conference. Collins, who runs Air Products’ knowledge management efforts, said that’s how her company delivers information to employees who don’t speak English without assuming the cost of translating written materials produced for Air Products’ intranet.

The Webcasts coincide with major announcements, primarily earnings releases, which the organization uses as an opportunity to discuss its performance with employees. Having worked with translation issues many times, I can vouch for the fact that it would, indeed, be cheaper to have a few translators do real-time translations of Webcasts than to produce written copy in a new language. The concept is a smart blend of online technology and old-fasioned techniques that makes a lot of sense.