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The wood products industry is in a constant state of transformation, leaving supervisors to grapple with not only changing technologies and customer demands, but also the effective management of an increasingly multicultural workforce. Of the 135.2 million people that make up the employed civilian population ages 16 and older, 16.2 million are Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Of those 16.2 million, 14.2 percent work in managerial and professional positions, 23.6 percent work in technical, sales and administrative support jobs, 22.1 percent are in service occupations, 14.7 percent are in precision production, craft and repair, 20.8 percent are operators, fabricators and laborers and 4.6 percent work in farming, forestry and fishing.
No matter what the industry, most supervisors agree that this new group shows a sense of dedication and hard work that often is lacking in the typical American worker, and are therefore grateful for the eagerness and availability of these immigrants. At the same time, many supervisors are frustrated, having difficulties managing this group on a day-today basis.
Language Limitations
The most obvious difficulty, as most supervisors will tell you, is the language barrier. I constantly hear statements like, "If I could just communicate with them" and "If they would just learn English!" Supervisors often rely on one or two Hispanic employees who happen to know some English to convey instructions to the rest of the group. This can be a dangerous practice when they have no way of knowing for certain that their words have been accurately conveyed to the recipient. Even using bilingual professionals to interpret conversations with word-for-word accuracy does not guarantee that understanding has taken place, as the expected behaviors do not always result. Many employers have attempted to send their leaders to Spanish classes that wind up yielding little or no results, since supervisors often resent having to learn a new language in their own country. Or, employers may have tried unsuccessfully to offer free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes after work for their Spanish-speaking employees, only to find them poorly attended. All of these efforts seem logical, so why do we continue to be frustrated?
The Culture Gap
What many of us in the workplace are missing is the fact that there is a challenge far greater than the language barrier that must be addressed before our communication efforts can be successful, and that is the differences in culture. This cultural barrier is greatest when a workforce has a high population of firstgeneration immigrants who come directly from developing countries and who have been in the United States only a short time. These employees have grown up with significantly different customs, social norms, mannerisms and experiences. For this reason, their perspectives on life and work differ from our own, as do their behavioral tendencies. Since a leader's role is defined by his or her ability to affect the behaviors of others, understanding these behavioral tendencies is paramount to being able to successfully manage Hispanic employees. Approaching them from a purely American perspective—only substituting English words for Spanish words—does not go far enough when trying to influence their behaviors.
The Hispanic Perspective
There are many differences between the Hispanic and American cultures. Some are obvious, while others are subtle. It is a natural tendency for all of us to expect that people will behave or react in a manner similar to the way we would in any given situation.
The first step to overcoming the cultural divide is to realize that everyone is different. Even within our own culture or "in-group," no two people see the world in exactly the same way. It's important to remember this, especially when using generalizations to talk about an entire ethnic group. These generalizations are useful in understanding behaviors, but not everyone fits the stereotype of the "typical Hispanic." In fact, it may be necessary to "unlearn" some of the misconceptions or overgeneralizations some people have about this group. For example, not all Hispanics are "Mexican;" a Hispanic who doesn't speak English well is not necessarily unintelligent; and, just because someone is Hispanic doesn't mean they will be automatically accepted by other Hispanics. These are just a few misconceptions that must be dispelled as we make a concerted effort to understand and reach out to the individuals in our workplace.
It would be impossible to address all of the implications involved in working with this group in one article. Therefore, I would like to address some of the major cultural tendencies that might lead your Hispanic employees to behave differently than non-Hispanics, despite your communication efforts. Again, these generalizations apply most to first-generation Hispanic immigrants who have had limited experience in the United States.
Workplace Hierarchy
One issue that can have significant impact on managing Hispanics is the Latin American view of hierarchy in the workplace. Latin America traditionally has been a very class-oriented society where there are much bigger distinctions between the upper and lower socioeconomic classes. In most Spanish-speaking countries, those who work in blue collar professions typically think of themselves as separate from managers who would be considered in the upper class. Stemming from ancient pre-Hispanic traditions, Latin Americans typically maintain a sense of "power distance" when dealing with their supervisors, engaging in respectful and subordinate attitudes and behaviors. As a supervisor, they consider you to be in charge and speak to you very formally. As a result, they may not be comfortable using your first name as is customary in the modern U.S. work environment.
To avoid upsetting you, they also may be resistant to giving you bad news. For example, if you ask a Hispanic employee how his work is going, or how he's doing, you quite likely will hear an enthusiastic, "Bien! Todo bien!" —"Everything's going fine!" Even if the employee is experiencing a problem, he doesn't want you to lose faith in him or think that he can't complete a task. This can be a real problem when the safety or productivity of the crew is at stake. To ensure that all the details have been communicated accurately, supervisors must learn to ask their Hispanic employees specific, open-ended, probing types of questions.
Because of the Hispanic culture's "working-class" mentality, supervisors often may find it difficult to get Hispanics to take initiative on certain tasks or projects. I often hear supervisors tell me that their Hispanic employees do an excellent job on what they are asked to do, but do not proceed to the next logical step unless specifically told to do so. As a subordinate in Latin America, it could be considered overstepping one's bounds to make a decision without the supervisor. In a hierarchical society, the worker's job is to do exactly what he is told, while the supervisor makes all the decisions autocratically. This is in sharp contrast to the trend of the modern U.S. work environment in which ownership and self-direction are encouraged and expected. The working-class mentality can be very problematic when seeking to promote an otherwise hard-working, productive employee into a leadership position. Management may need to invest extra time with Hispanic employees in team training or leadership development to successfully integrate them into the work environment.
Time Perception
Another significant distinction between the Hispanic and U.S. cultures is the perception of time. For centuries, Latin America has been fraught with wars, unstable political climates, poverty and natural disasters. This has led this culture to believe strongly that fate is out of their hands. As a result, Latin Americans have largely embraced religion with the firm belief that God is in control of their destinies.
This sense of fatalism has a significant effect on the day-to-day behaviors of many Hispanics. Because they believe that their fate rests solely in God's hands, many Hispanics do not overly concern themselves with the future. In fact, what's happening right now is much more important than what will happen one hour from now. For this reason, unacculturated Hispanics working in the U.S. may not understand the importance Americans place on deadlines or being on time. Even in the white-collar business world in Latin America, it is not uncommon for a meeting scheduled for 8 a.m. to start 30 to 45 minutes late. The idea is that there is plenty of time to get things done.
From an early age, Americans typically are taught to take control of their destinies. We make elaborate plans for our future such as where we will go to college, how many children we will have, what age we plan to retire, and even how much money we will have. At work, we try to plan every minute of every day so that we can squeeze as much into it as we can, always thinking about what's next on our schedule. Hispanics, on the other hand, take a more relaxed view of time. They are likely to work diligently when it's time to work, but when work is over, they might not think about work again until the next day. Hispanics tend to learn quickly how serious we are about starting on time in this country; however, supervisors should be prepared to fully explain why a deadline or schedule is so critical to company operations.
In contrast to Americans, Hispanics typically do not elaborately plan for the future. Supervisors and managers should keep this in mind when trying to plan their department's vacation schedule. To a Hispanic, three to six months may seem like an eternity away. It is not uncommon for them to ask for time off at the last minute to make a trip back home to visit family, particularly around the holidays. You should try to be as flexible as possible, but also be sure to emphasize to them the importance of giving as much notice as possible.
The tendency toward fatalism also can affect the Hispanic's willingness to use safety equipment. They may believe that if they are "destined" to be in an accident, there is nothing they can do about it. Further, they may assume that their use of such equipment is a personal choice and does not affect anyone else. Supervisors should explain to them OSHA-related laws and how employee safety is the company's responsibility. Such laws are seldom enforced in many Latin American countries, so Hispanic employees may not be used to them. In fact, they may be reluctant to report minor injuries or accidents for fear their employer might fire them.
It's About Trust
Another aspect of Hispanic culture that is critical to understanding the behaviors of your employees is the concept of "confianza," or trust. In the Hispanic world, trust is not automatically given; it is earned. For example, just because you know someone doesn't mean you accept him or consider him a friend. In the United States, we tend to overuse the word "friend" when talking about people we know. For example, it's not uncommon to hear statements like, "I have this friend at work …" whether you know that person well or not. For Hispanics, to be considered an "amigo" is quite an honor. To be considered a "friend" to a Hispanic is to be considered a part of his in-group or collective. Friends often are held in the same esteem as family members, and in Latin America, nothing is more important than family.
On the job, Hispanics tend to want to work with people they trust, which is why many family members often wind up working together at the same company. By the same token, Hispanics are not as likely to be as accepting of a new co-worker if that person is not a member of the in-group. Even if that person is Hispanic, he could very well be rejected as an outsider, especially if the group is expected to work as a team without the constant presence of a supervisor. Since trust is a crucial element in team dynamics, participative teambuilding activities that focus on trust and inter-reliance can be an excellent way to overcome these issues.
As a supervisor, it is extremely important for you to develop trust with your Hispanic employees. To do this, make an extra effort to be warm and friendly. Ask them about non-work related things such as their families and where they are from. Even if you don't speak any Spanish, a warm smile and greeting goes along way. Once you have become "un buen patron," a good boss, in their eyes, and have earned their trust, Hispanic employees likely will become very loyal to you. Though they may never tell you this directly, you are likely to experience gestures such as receiving a dish of homemade food prepared just for you or an offer to help you with projects outside of work.
Gaining this trust relationship with Hispanics is crucial. At the same time, the consequences of losing their trust can be devastating. By being unaware of certain cultural differences, you can unwittingly alienate yourself from your Hispanic employees, regardless of what language you are speaking.
For example, an associate of mine had a client in the meatpacking industry. More than half of the company's workforce spoke Spanish only. To communicate with others, the plant superintendent relied on one Hispanic lead man who could speak English. Because the lead man was the only one he thought he could communicate with, the superintendent neglected to try to get to know the rest of the workforce. One day, the superintendent came out into the plant, displeased with something the lead man had done, and began shouting at him. The superintendent was not aware that Hispanic men in particular are extremely image-conscious and very sensitive to being criticized in front of their peers. Deeply offended and embarrassed, the lead man walked out. The lead man, a wellrespected leader, was the Hispanic employees' only link to the company and the only authority figure they trusted. Consequently, the other Hispanics that witnessed the incident also left. Half the workforce walked out, and the plant came to a screeching halt. The plant lost all productivity for three days as the superintendent and the rest of the management desperately tried to get the estranged former employees to come back to work.
An American employee would not likely have been so offended by such an admonishment by his boss, as it is not uncommon for Americans to be blunt and "to the point" amidst the stress of the workday. Nevertheless, no amount of translating or interpreting into Spanish would have done much good in this case. But, a few cultural awareness/sensitivity classes could have saved the company a lot money in lost production.
Cross-Cultural Management
As a leader in a multicultural environment, you must learn to manage crossculturally. If you don't personally make an effort to reach out to your Hispanic employees and understand them, you will continue to be frustrated. The more you know about the people you are managing, the easier it will be to approach them and the more comfortable you will be with each other. This does much to set the stage for better communication, regardless of your language abilities. With that foundation in place, learning a few industry-specific words and phrases in Spanish will seem easier. These efforts will be well received by your Spanish-speaking employees, and they will naturally increase their efforts to communicate to you. Pretty soon, you will learn to meet each other halfway.
There will always be a need for bilingual professionals to interpret and translate, but by bridging the cultural gap, you greatly can reduce that dependency. The bottom line is, you don't have to be fluent in Spanish to be a successful cross-cultural manager.
Neal Holladay is a human relations consultant specializing in Hispanic relations and management development. For more information on working with Hispanics, call 336/475-2761 or e-mail [email protected].
In a Snap?
Be careful when using gestures to communicate with Hispanic employees. Certain hand gestures mean different things in different cultures and can be taken the wrong way. For example, never snap your fingers at a Hispanic employee. In some Latin American countries, this is a gesture used only with animals and could inadvertently offend. Being compared to an animal is particularly offensive in Latin America.
Getting a Laugh?
Hispanics are, in general, a lighthearted, social people who love to laugh and joke. But humor rarely translates. Americans tend to enjoy cerebral and witty humor, whereas Latin American humor tends to be more situational and slapstick. Be mindful of using humor when interacting with Hispanics. Degrading humor such as "Your Mama" jokes, for example, are not likely to go over well, particularly among those who are not used to Americanstyle comedy.