As businesses continue to extend beyond borders, and communication between international partners becomes more frequent, multilingualism has become a sought-after criterion for talent recruiters. Nowadays, employees are tasked with working in multiple languages and excelling at business discussions in foreign tongues.
In countries like Israel, where the official language is Hebrew, employees also work in other languages, catering to the country's diverse demographic and global business ethic.
While Hebrew remains the country's primary language, employees frequently communicate in Arabic, English, French, and Russian, reflecting the nation's multilingual nature.
However, a common annoyance in an office where people work in multiple languages is constantly updating and switching keyboard settings to match the desired typing language. This process typically involves manually changing the settings each time, leading to interruptions in workflow, slowing down productivity, and increasing the frequency of typing mistakes if the wrong language layout is active.
While solutions like keyboard stickers are available, they do not eliminate typos and mistakes, and there is still no inherent keyboard solution designed explicitly for multilingual speakers.
A Tel-Aviv-based start-up is working to provide a fix for this keyboard frustration
MKNL Technology Ltd. has created a customizable keyboard tailored to individual users.
The keyboard starts as a blank slate, with no pre-printed keys. The user selects up to four languages for the keyboard and then assigns a specific color to each language. When switching between languages, the whole keyboard adapts, displaying only the active language keys in their designated color.
Without clear indicators for each language, users are forced to rely on memory or distract themselves from their tasks to focus on their keyboard, which can lead to frustration or mistakes. If a computer doesn’t cater to a user’s language needs, simple tasks like writing emails or creating documents become unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming.
For example, the American Society of Administrative Professionals says the average typing speed is 40 words per minute. However, this speed can be significantly reduced if users constantly struggle with mismatched characters. MKNL Technology’s solution eliminates these disruptions, enhancing workplace productivity. With each language fully taking over the blank keyboard in its designated color, users receive visual cues for a more efficient experience.
Daniel Binkin, the founder of MKNL Technology, started his career in the telecommunications industry over 50 years ago in Israel. He achieved significant success by taking two companies public, one on the NASDAQ and the other on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Since then, he has been creating telecommunication solutions, leveraging his decades of experience to stay ahead in this changing landscape.
By streamlining processes and lending a helping hand to employees' existing power, MKNL Technology Ltd. is positively impacting individuals who have taken the time and dedication to learn multiple languages. The keyboard removes the tech confusion and reduces room for error, enhancing the work experience for all users, no matter what language they use.