| The impacts on U.S. organizations caused by the growing presence of workers who speak little or no English have received almost no attention by researchers. This research was intended to (a) identify organizational communication issues associated with the presence of employees who had limited English proficiency, (b) explore how organizations resolved language-related problems in the work place, and (c) define what constituted a successful communication environment for one group of these workers, i.e., Hispanic immigrants.; Due to the virtual lack of any information on these issues, this research included extensive interviews with managers and workers, as well as a survey of organizations in the Midwest, to build an understanding of work place language problems and potential solutions. Twelve conclusions were reached. (1) U.S. organizations were willing to accommodate language problems in order to gain workers who were reliable and had a strong work ethic. (2) Managers generally did not perceive that the presence of limited English speaking employees caused negative outcomes. (3) The use of foreign language in the work place was not a major source of conflict in the organizations studied. (4) Cultural rather than language differences appeared to be the major source of friction between language groups. (5) Limited English speaking workers were somewhat restricted in their ability to communicate with management. (6) The effectiveness of organizations in this study depended strongly on the intercultural communication competence of their managers. (7) Communication practices such as teaching English as a Second Language or teaching foreign language to managers could not be linked conclusively to more effective outcomes. (8) The use of co-workers as interpreters was a pivotal, but largely ignored aspect of communication in these organizations. (9) Organizations that relied on word-of-mouth recruiting alone, tended to be dominated by one language group over time. (10) Work force diversity per se was not generally perceived as a benefit by organizations in the study. (11) Good interpersonal relations and dignified treatment were key elements in creating a favorable work environment for Spanish-speaking employees. (12) Many organizations were operating successfully, but many were experiencing significant management problems due to the language barrier.; Variability of the responses indicated that there is considerable scope for further study and intervention. |
