The United States has always been a country attractive to immigrants, which means we have workers whose first language is something other than English.
Across the country, we have jobs which are often filled by workers whose first language is Spanish, Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese or even Russian.
Savvy employers are tapping into this rich segment of the labor pool, and then strengthening the value of those employees by helping them learn English with classes held at the work site.
Advantages of having employees with improved language skills include: • Increased confidence and ability to interact with others, including coworkers and customers.
As workers learn the dominant language of the organization, they can do more and can advance in the company, which increases loyalty and reduces turnover.
As those workers move up, they can mentor the junior or less experienced workers who share the same first language.
• Fewer errors and reduced overtime.
Workers who understand instructions don't make as many mistakes, which means they don't need to spend time correcting them.
• Safety issues.
Being able to speak and read English increases the comprehension of safety-related instructions and warnings, which can reduce workplace accidents.
And if an accident does occur, being fluent in English makes it easier for employees to deal with the situation, whether it's coordinating with local emergency officials or simply cleaning up a harmless spill.
In most communities with non-English-speaking populations, the school systems offer English-as-a-second-language (ESL) classes for adults, often for free or at a nominal charge.
But many workers can't take advantage of classes held in schools, so educators are encouraging employers with enough potential students to hold the classes at the work site, either during or after business hours.
Most adult education programs require between 15 and 20 students in each class.
Work site classes may mean assisting employees who carpool with transportation, but that's far better in the long run than continuing to struggle with language-related communication problems.
Check with your local school board or adult education agency for details on programs that may be available in your area.
Many workplace ESL programs can be customized to meet the needs of specific industries or particular business goals.
Proactively supporting your non-English-speaking workers has an additional benefit of broadening your company's potential customer base.
When workers belonging to particular ethnic groups feel a strong sense of loyalty to their employer, they will share that attitude with members of their community, who may be likely to become customers of the company.
That means offering ESL classes at work can be a marketing tool.