The Management of Linguistic Diversity in the Automotive Industry as an Imperative for the Application of IATF 16949:2016[La Gestion De La Diversité Linguistique Dans L'industrie Automobile Comme Impératif Pour L'application De L'IATF 16949:2016]

In a globalized industrial context, managing linguistic diversity represents a major challenge for operational efficiency. This study examines the requirements of the IATF 16949:2016 quality standard, which mandates that work documentation be understood by personnel, and considers this requirement as a lever for performance improvement. Based on a case study conducted at a major automotive supplier in Morocco and drawing on the analysis of 150 questionnaires completed by operators, the study shows that a monolingual documentation policy can generate barriers that hinder comprehension at theoperational level. Conversely, the adoption of multilingual documentation emerges as a decisive factor in the effective appropriation of work procedures. From this perspective, the findings demonstrate that translating work instructions into a language understood by the teams, far from constituting an additional burden for the company, represents a direct investment in human capital. In sum, investing in the translation of operational documents is not merely a compliance cost. It is a strategic approach that turns the language barrier into a lever for performance, quality, and safety, and it generates a tangible return on investment for the company.