Our changing workforce - the Hispanic population Ted Wilburn, CSP Zurich Services Corporation

Our changing workforce -the Hispanic population

Ted Wilburn, CSPZurich Services Corporation

© 2005 Zurich Services Corporation -

Why are you here today?

• Not a class on speaking Spanish• About understanding cultural differences• Successfully managing workers from a different culture• So, where do we start?


Why is this important to you?

• Workers with limited English are at much higher risk of injury and death

• Workers from a different culture may be less likely to ask questions or understand what is expected of them

• While we need to manage all workers, language and cultural differences will increase the challenges


Natives and immigrants

• The greatest risk of injury/death is to recent immigrants with limited skills in English

• Less than 14 percent of the population, in construction, they make up 23 percent of the fatal injuries

• Recent Hispanic immigrants are more than twice as likely to be killed as a long-term Hispanic resident


Hispanic - what does this term mean?

• We use the word, but what does it mean?• Take a couple of minutes and write down the characteristics

of a Hispanic worker• Where are they from? What motivates them? • Strengths and challenges


Hispanic

• Term used by the U.S. Census Bureau• It does not refer to a particular country• Many people of Hispanic descent are U.S. citizens, many of

them by birth• Most Hispanic people do not see themselves as “Hispanic,”

but of a particular country • Let’s look at some of those


• US total population - about 300 million people• Hispanic population - about 15 percent - 45,000,000


Many people have been here for years• Tejanos - Texas

• California - Land grant families

• Puerto Rico - U.S. Commonwealth


South America

• Most of South America is of Hispanic origin

• Brazil is of Portuguese origin - but Chileans, Ecuadorians, Argentines, Columbians, Bolivians, etc. are Spanish-speaking people


Central America

• Includes Salvadorans, Costa Ricans, Panamanians, Nicaraguans and Guatemalans


Caribbean

• Island countries, such as Cuba, Dominican Republic and many others


And of course, Mexico

• But just as there is diversity in the U.S., Mexicans are also a diverse people. Tijuana and the Yucatan areas are quite different.


Key point

• The groups we have just discussed have different histories, customs, cultures, traditions, foods and local slang.

• Just as there are differences between New York City, Alabama, Hawaii and Iowa

• It is important to recognize that people from Mexico, Cuba, Chile and Puerto Rico will be different.


Cultures

• Imagine you live on an island in the South Atlantic- and visit America for the first time. Take a minute and think of five impressions you would have of American people - and their culture.


Describe Americans

• What would your first impressions would be of Americans?


In general…..

• Rich• Loud• Drive fast cars• Talk fast• Work vs. family• Eat a lot• Have lots of things• Did I mention rich?


Lets shift gears….

• You just got word that tomorrow morning you will get ten new workers. They are all of Hispanic descent.

• Take a minute, and jot down a description of what characteristics you expect.


Key point

• All Americans are not rich, loud or fat• All Americans do not drive fast cars or talk loudly• Expecting all members of a very diverse group to have the

same personality, characteristics, work habits or knowledge level is not efficiently managing your workers


Hispanic cultures

• The following will not apply to ALL Hispanic workers• It may help understand some of the cultural differences you

may encounter• It may help you avoid some common problems• Problems like these…….


The complaint

• “What’s the problem, anyway? I gave him the papers to fill out and he gave me a different last name and date of birth. Asked if he could finish the work today and he said yes - but he didn’t. Told him to tie off - and he didn’t. Never looked at me once when I was talking.”


What we have here is failure to communicate• What you may be experiencing is a difference in cultures• Let’s start with a couple of easy ones• Dates and names


Dates

• Write down your birth date, using only numbers• You probably have something like 7-11-56• Which is how you write July 11,1956• Americans are among the few people in the world that write

month, day, year• Everyone else wrote November 7, 1956 • Day, month, year


Names

• In Hispanic cultures, the last name (apellido) is usually NOT the LAST name in order of names.

• Julio Diego Garcia Flores is:• Julio Garcia - son of Mr. Garcia and his wife, who was Miss

Flores before marriage• Maria Consuela Flores de Garcia - de indicates husband’s

name of a married woman


Note to computer people

• Your software has spaces for 3 names• Hyphenate the last two • Garcia Flores becomes Garcia-Flores, and will now sort

alphabetically• Using mother’s maiden name as a security question is not a

good idea - it is shown in the name!


The answer is always yes

• Many Hispanic cultures teach saying no is insubordination - to your parents or employer

• “Can you use a nail gun?”• Yes!• Better question may be “Do you have a card showing you

were trained to use a nail gun?”


Manana

• Manana (man-yan-nah) does mean tomorrow• It may not mean your tomorrow• Rather than “I need this done tomorrow,” you may have

greater success with “This must be finished by Tuesday at noon.”

• Use specific days, dates, times


Eye contact

• OK- but why don’t they pay attention when I talk?• Remember insubordination?• Many people are taught to look into the face/eyes of a superior

is to challenge or disrespect that superior• Respect is shown by not making eye contact• Some of you learned about this in the military


Family comes first

• Family plays a strong role in Hispanic life• Means the extended family - grandparents, uncles, cousins,

sisters, in-laws, etc.• Care for family members may be a strong force

- “Wear the respirator- this dust is not good for you.”- If the dust makes you sick, you will not be able to care for

your family. Wear the respirator.”


Church

• In many Hispanic cultures, the church has been an integral part of social life

• Birthday may be less celebrated than your Saint’s Day• Missing mass is a very bad thing - as is not responding

to a request for help from the church. Working on a religious holiday may be a conflict.

• Good managers will recognize the place religion may have in the lives of their workers.


Unofficial leaders

• Not unusual to find a worker other workers look to and pattern their behavior after

• May not be a foreman or supervisor• May be an older worker or with your company longer• Cultural respect for older persons - might be addressed as

Uncle (Tio) whether related or not


Women at work

• Can be a significant cultural clash- “Can’t your husband care for

you?”- “Why are you not taking care of

the children?”- A friendly smile may be

interpreted as romance• Really significant cultural clash when

Hispanic immigrant men and women are in the same job


The piropo

• In some countries, a poetic tribute to a woman’s beauty• Americans may call it a pick-up line• Problem – as part of the EEOC training, you told workers

sexual harassment is not permitted. But that translates as sexual assault.

• Instead - “Piropos are not permitted. It is the law.”


Speaking of the law….

• Many immigrants may avoid police officers• Not because they are criminals - police may have played very

different roles in their home community and yours• The practice of seeking small bribes (la mordida) is common in

several places• Language barriers contribute to the confusion


Other law

• In many countries, Notaries Public are attorneys• Need papers drawn up? See a Notary• In America, notaries may only witness signatures,

certify a document is a true copy, etc.• Filing of legal papers, legal advice, etc. should come

from an attorney or paralegal, etc.


Banking

• You have probably never worried about your bank running out of money, closing or being taken over by the government

• This may be a major concern to Hispanic immigrants• As a result, they may turn to check-cashing services, etc. for

money handling, or keeping all funds in cash


Language

• Learning to speak Spanish is outside the scope of this class. There are a couple of points we should mention:- Translation - changing a written document from one

language to another is not decoding- There is no one-for-one substitution of words- Some words don’t translate perfectly, like safety- Translation does not help if the worker cannot read at the

level of the book


Interpretation

• Converting spoken words from one language to another has the same problems

• Different dialects of Spanish use different words for some things. So do English dialects.

• Computer translations may have problems. In English, I cut my finger, want that cut of meat and did not make the cut - all have different meanings

• Problem is increased by use of slang in our work

• “Headache ball” is not “La bolla de dolor de cabeza”


Spoken Spanish - basic rules

• Letter H is silent “hora” is “ora’• Letter J is H “Julio is “Hulio”• Double L’s are Y “Pollo” is “poyo”• The two most useful expressions you may learn:• “Como se dice….” or “How do you say….”• “Despacio” or “slowly”


Rewarding workers

• Praise, especially in front of peers, is always good

• Money also works. However, if the worker has family they support in another country, money may not directly reward the worker

• Several companies have used gift cards (or international telephone cards) as rewards - along with the usual coolers, lunchboxes, thermos bottles, etc.


Safety at work

• Language and culture can affect safety• Language - You did not know how to tell him• Culture - My boss gave me a tool with a bad cord. He must

mean for me to use it- so I will fix it. Where is the duct tape?• A key management point- assure workers that asking

questions and saying “I can’t” are acceptable


Sometimes things go wrong

• When investigating accidents, be sure you can communicate with witnesses. You and the witness must both trust any interpreter.

• Workers may need assurance that reporting accidents does not result in punishment.


Situation

• “I fired one worker for violating a safety rule. The next day, five other workers did not show up.”

• ????????


What happened?

• Worker may think he was fired for having an accident, instead of the safety violation

• They may all be members of one family• You may have fired the only person with a car!


Key points in managing any worker

• Respect and care for the person- What sports did you play when growing up? What foods do

you like? Tell me about your family. - Using a worker’s name when talking to them


Be prepared to explain culturally different terms to recent immigrants

• “Preferred provider?” My medico speaks Spanish.• “Direct deposit?” But where is my money?• “Life insurance?” I need money when I’m dead?• “401K?” Retirement? But I have children to care for me.


Training can be a huge issue

• You need to assess language skills first• If limited, focus on show, not tell• Have worker demonstrate the new skill• Remember that translating written material may not help if

worker cannot read it (English or Spanish)• Some materials are available in Spanish from OSHA, MSHA and

several associations - see handout


Aids to communication

• Do encourage workers to use English• Do not ridicule accent or pronunciation• Avoid slang - “horseplay” does not translate well• Don’t use a $25 word when it is not needed - “Bring to

fruition” does not communicate better then “completed”


Successful companies

• TRAIN supervisors in cultural differences• REWARD all workers that increase language skills• COMMUNICATE with all workers• GROW managers• RESPECT all workers


Take some time

• Learn and respect the background of your workers• Understand their background and yours may differ• If languages differ, check to see that training was delivered in

an understandable form• Language should not be an excuse for unsafe conduct• Remember our ultimate goal - for everyone is…


At the end of the day

We should all get to go home

Documents

Our changing workforce - the Hispanic population Ted Wilburn, CSP Zurich Services Corporation