Updates from the Leading Association for the Cleaning Industry Worldwide

Managing Your Multicultural Work Force

Recent projections estimate that by 2050, 19 percent of the U.S. population will have been born in another country; right now, 12 percent were born elsewhere — including one out of two new U.S. workers. More than 23 million adults are classified as limited-English proficient (LEP); 46 percent of foreign-born U.S. workers are LEP, as are 62 percent of low-wage immigrant workers. In addition, 30 percent of immigrant workers have not completed high school.

What do these numbers imply for your organization? How do you effectively hire, train, and engage your employees when a large percentage of them come from different linguistic, cultural, and educational backgrounds? It’s hard enough when everyone speaks the same language, but with a multicultural work force, it’s even more challenging. Conversely, how can you attract LEP employees to your company when everyone is looking for entry-level workers? Below is a four-part plan to success:

1. Recognize the effort. It sounds like an easy thing to do, but saying “thanks” goes a long way in making employees feel valued. You can send a short, hand-written note, or leave a small Post-it on a locker or paycheck. Try doing a Google search for the phrase “thank you” and say it in the employee’s native language.
2. Say “good job” often. You can say “I appreciate all your hard work” or just simply “great job.” You could start a program in your department handing out stars or chips when you catch an employee going the extra mile. Once the employee earns 10 chips, he or she could cash them in for prizes.
3. Culturally speaking. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, says, “Culture generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance. Culture is manifested in music, literature, lifestyle, food, painting and sculpture, film, and similar things. It also includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, and norms of behavior such as law and morality.”
   
   Every time you get a new employee from a country you are not familiar with, look up that country in the online reference manual CultureGrams or do a Google search. Find out how to say good morning or hello in his or her language and what the major holidays are so you can say “Happy (XYZ) day” when appropriate.
4. Offer training. Help your employees meet their personal goals of learning English, how to use a computer, or even passing their citizenship test. Many times, entry-level employees have more than one job or only one car so there might not be opportunity for that employee to go to the local community college or adult school after work to study English. Offering classes that will help your workers better communicate with customers, co-workers, supervisors, teachers, and doctors can make them feel like the company they work for really cares about them. Many of these entry-level workers have never used a computer so offering basic computer classes on company time or right after work is also a great opportunity for these employees.

Once the word spreads, applications from foreign-born persons for your entry-level jobs should come flying in. Happy hiring!

Ronna Timpa has been CEO of Workplace ESL Solutions since 1993. She can be reached at 702-873-3520. Or, for more information, visit workplaceesl.com.

ISSA Launches Spanish-Language Web Site

ISSA has officially expanded its global member services by launching a Spanish-language Web site dedicated to the association’s Spanish-speaking membership base. The new site serves as the only comprehensive Web site dedicated to the Latin American cleaning market, providing regional news updates, educational videos, ISSA membership and services information, and much more.

“We are pleased to release our first non-English-language Web site, a truly international member benefit, stemming from ISSA’s long-term strategy to foster a global community for the cleaning industry using the Internet as a key medium,” said ISSA Executive Director John Garfinkel. “We believe the site is not only valuable for Latin American cleaning professionals, but also for Spanish-speaking employees of ISSA-member companies worldwide as well as companies interested in targeting the growing Spanish-speaking market.”

The launch of a Spanish-language site comes on the heels of the creation of a regularly published Spanish-language e-newsletter, which members can register to receive at the new Spanish site. Also, many of the most popular ISSA Educational Quick Clips — ISSA’s ongoing series of free, online videos — have been translated with Spanish subtitles.

Bridging the Gap

When visiting the new site, members will be able to access a variety of resources, including (coming soon) an assortment of valuable educational videos produced in the Spanish language, featuring industry professionals speaking on a number of industry topics and business trends; the latest Latin American industry news and updates; Spanish-language articles on industry hot topics and offering business advice; and detailed information regarding ISSA events and membership services. A searchable directory also is available to provide quick access to detailed ISSA-member company information.

In addition, pertinent news covering the Latin American market will be translated into English and posted in the news section of ISSA.com to help non-Spanish-speaking members remain informed about this growing region of the industry. Advertising opportunities also are available for companies trying to reach this market.

 All information in "ISSA Reports" is furnished by ISSA. ©2008. All rights reserved.