Language and Workplace Efficiency
Minority language speakers on the job
Community interpreters are often firsthand witnesses to the communicative barriers that exist on job sites across the US. As a Spanish Interpreter, I can certainly speak to the numerous headaches that both employers and employees feel when they are simply not able to speak each other’s language. Through my experience interpreting for businesses whose workforce is largely composed of limited English-speakers, I find myself returning to the question of how the worker’s perception of their job changes based on the language they speak. In other words, do workers feel that they are able to perform to their greatest potential if they can not communicate in the dominant language of their workplace? And more generally speaking, what is the direct impact that language has on a job setting?
It would seem that linguistic and ethnic diversity in the workplace should promote creativity and insight into solving problems essential to the business. Although this is likely true, distinct languages coexisting on a job site may simply create barriers to productivity. I do not say this in support of a monolingual, ethnocentric view on workplace standards, but rather question how businesses are addressing the issue of language when the majority of their workforce is limited English-speaking. During times of heightened immigration in the US, the farming and manufacturing sectors in particular are becoming overwhelmingly employed by migrant workers. Consequently, the linguistic divide is undeniable. The degree to which it impedes workplace efficiency, however, is another matter. Clearly, someone who does not speak the dominant language of their workplace is at a disadvantage, but what happens during the shift from minority to majority language at work? By this, I mean to wonder if English-speaking Americans gain a sense of insecurity or even resentment toward speakers of other languages as they become outnumbered at their workplace. As an interpreter, I have seen a clear divide between ethnic groups in various job settings largely due to differences in language and culture.
More importantly, gaps in communication can result not only in a misunderstanding of the job requirements and expectations, but also in a lack of worker rights and even safety issues. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), language barriers are a factor in at least 25% of all on-the-job accidents. If this is the case, bridging the language gap can not be a preference, but a requirement. This is where professional translation and interpreting services can help to eliminate language barriers and increase workplace efficiency. Speaking from experience working with businesses in the midwest, I also recommend corporate language and cultural training (for both employers and employees) to support the effort toward open communication in the workplace. These services create a greater sense of unity among employees by being able to communicate with one another and express their needs to produce the greatest quality of work.
I have seen the desire from speakers of different languages to communicate with one another through nonverbal communication or utterances that they can understand, and I believe that anyone who works with diverse populations would second this want. Because of this, I again emphasize that employing a professionally-trained interpreter is an investment not only in workplace efficiency, but also in collaboration among workers.
