The language barrier is getting larger, not smaller! Despite all the political rhetoric about immigration, our country and its workforce are becoming increasingly diverse. This presents a difficult challenges for employers who must communicate with Spanish-speaking workers, customers and citizens. While it may be popular or expedient to say "let them learn English", that will not happen quickly. Many entry level Hispanic workers come to this country with very little education (typically a 4th to 6th grade education). A few ESL classes at the local church or school will not make them proficient in English. It doesn't take a sophisticated cost analysis to measure the expense that language barriers cause in many organizations. Accidents, quality mistakes, poor service, frustrated customers, inadequately treated patients and victims are often the result of poor communication.
If there are never enough
bilingual employees available, if translators don't seem to be there
when you need them, and if you can't afford telephone interpretation
services, then you should look at the most practical alternative – Workplace Spanish® training. Consider these facts from the U.S. Dept. of Census:
Immigration, a younger average age (younger than US population average), and higher birth rates will continue to fuel the growth of the Hispanic population. While English speakers may not want to learn Spanish, there are many benefits to learning the basics, especially where needed in the workplace. *********************** So be practical and pragmatic in your approach to Spanish training. Realize that it takes time and that the right people should attend the training - those dealing most often with Spanish speakers. A tool such as our Click It™ program, installed on your network, can an invaluable asset for class participants and those associates who will not receive class training.
Take a few minutes to compare the elements of the chart below to determine which approach is best for your organization.
Workplace vs. Academic Spanish Comparison
Workplace Spanish® is designed to help you communicate in Spanish without spending years learning "the entire language" in the traditional academic manner. No grammar - no verb conjugation - no complex language rules. Its purpose is to enable brief, basic Spanish communication in different workplace occupations and situations. Some people call this a "crash course" or "survival Spanish." But it goes beyond that – Workplace Spanish® is designed to help you achieve specific benefits in a short period of time. For example, a nurse can readily learn to ask to basic patient questions; a banker or retail associate can welcome a customer and ask what they need; a supervisor can briefly explain safety regulations and job rules. *********************** Academic Spanish requires learning all the elements of the language – vocabulary, grammar, rules, conjugation, etc. This is important if one's objective is fluency or a high level of proficiency in the language. While nothing replaces fluency, it does take a great deal of time and study to achieve that level. Experts state that it takes 4 to 5 years of continuous study and practice to become fluent in a language.
Once achieved, fluency often must be augmented by learning additional technical terms and expressions for certain occupations. Thus, it's a long road but the rewards are exceptional.
The greatest stumbling block for adults who are striving to become fluent is time. Between job duties, family obligations, holidays & vacations, it's difficult to find the time for the required classes, study and practice.
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