Canada and the United States are two countries that are known for their population diversity. Both nations have citizens and residents who come from a variety of cultures, ancestries and languages. While English is a predominant language in both countries, there are large numbers of people in each country who speak a number of other languages – Chinese, French, Spanish, German, Italian, etc. and for a large percentage of those people who are of working age (age 16 and older), English isn’t always the primary language. And when there is such diversity in the population, there become an onus on a company to be sensitive to the cultural and language differences to ensure that all employees and contractors work within the policies and regulations of a company or industry.
[IMAGE CREDIT: Senator Kate Lundy via Flickr]As our economy is more and more global, multiculturalism has become a very common aspect of many workplaces. A challenge for these workplaces is communicating workplace safety protocols where several languages are spoken and understood.
Language and culture barriers can certainly exist in a climate of multiculturalism, and without proper accommodation for the workers, there can be some difficulty in communicating important information, including a company’s health and safety program and guidelines. As one might imagine, if there is a problem with communicating a company’s health and safety program, it would stand to reason that there may be increased risks of illness and injury among workers whose communication needs are compromised. And this not just apply to those who speak different languages, but also those who are blind and cannot read test, or those who are deaf and cannot hear instructions. How can you, as a company owner with employees, or a team leader with charge of executing and managing a health and safety protocol, keep your multicultural workplace safe?
While it may be expensive to do so initially, meeting with these employees where they are in terms of their comfortable language. However, for the cost it takes to publish printed materials or produce video training in multiple languages, think about the potential cost to your company in lost productivity or possible worker’s compensation and/or lawsuit costs if your company insists on producing these materials in only one language that may not be native to the majority of your workers. in this case, worker ignorance is not bliss – it is very risky for them and for you and your company. Now we are not saying that if you are a multilingual company that you should produce your health sand safety program in every language that is spoken, but you can present in major international languages.
One example of this multilingual sensitivity is shown by a mushroom farm that has workers from a whopping 130 different countries. That seems daunting, doesn’t it? This particular farm took steps to inform all of these workers by producing written materials in five major languages that are used in the workplace, and it had supervisors who were fluent in English and at least one other major language, to serve as interpreters to workers. Also, the company developed online video training in several languages, and showed pictures of the various steps in procedures ad protocols to increase understanding. Also, many workers had mentors who showed them how to do the work and looked over shoulders while the workers tried to work and answered comprehension questions.
Yes, this does sound like a lot to do, but if you are a company that is multilingual and multicultural and also sensitive to having a sound health and safety program to promote a positive workplace, the investments in meeting the needs of the workforce while it’s healthy may likely be dwarfed by the cost of illness and injury difficulties if you do nothing. You can contact us at Purcell Enterprises to get a health and safety audit, or we can provide workshops and training about how to address a multilingual workplace and keep everyone safe.