You might think you don't really need bilingual employees on staff, especially ifmost, if not all, of your business is done within theEnglish-speaking community. But no less than five studies sayotherwise, points out a report in Entrepreneur, and someof the benefits might surprise you.

Not only can bilingual employees be valuable in serving abroader customer base, but speaking another language can keepemployees in better mental health. Bilingualism benefits employeesmentally, says the report, and increases their productivity in theworkplace — both good things for their employers — and it canalso delay dementia, according to the American Academy ofNeurology.

Of course, while employers would certainly prefer theiremployees stay healthy and of sound mind, there are more practicalconcerns conferred by bilingualism which might be more convincingto the boss.

A Penn State University study shows bilinguals arebetter at prioritizing tasks and working on multiple projectssimultaneously. Bosses in favor of multitasking should be veryhappy to hear this.

Then there's this: A NorthwesternUniversity study says bilinguals process information moreefficiently and easily than monolinguals. If your businessconstantly runs on tight deadlines, you might want to consider howhelpful that particular skill can be. Another study, this onefrom the National Institute of Health, says bilinguals oftenperform better on tasks which require conflict management.

A different study says knowing a foreign languagereduces heuristic biases in decision making. That could lead tobetter business choices, something that's always in demand.

The report points out employees endowed with objectivity andmental sharpness are viewed as assets to their employers, and addsmany businesses spend a considerable sum to recruit bilinguals whenthey realize they need them. It suggests employers considerlearning a second language as professional development, and investthe money in workers who are already with them and know theirbusiness.

Even if you have to provide an incentive to get these employeesto commit to study, you'll also be letting them know you value themenough to invest in them. The report says this “is good for theirproductivity, which ultimately makes it good for yourbusiness.”