Speaking a foreign language at work - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Burninator · 06-02-2008, 02:03 PM

We have some people in our office that routinely speak another language to one another, during work hours about work. It's different groups, one speaking an Asian dialect and another speaking an eastern European one.

It doesn't really bother me, but it does seem unprofessional. I understand that not everyone is great at the English language and it can be more effective to communicate with someone in your native tongue. But when you do that you are less effective at communicating with everyone else who speaks English, because of lack of practise. And some people in my office I really have a tough time understanding and the language barrier definitely slows things down.

What's everyone thoughts on this? Am I just getting left behind in the ever changing work place?

arsenal · 06-02-2008, 02:06 PM

As long as they are not speaking their native language, and pointing and laughing at you, I don't think it matters.

worth · 06-02-2008, 02:18 PM

In our shop we have a sign in the lunchroom that reads

"WE SPEAK ENGLISH"

in big bold letters. It's kind of a joke, but it has some truth to it. I guess it's not very PC. Probably wouldn't go over well in a downtown office, but in the SE industrial area, it works.

flip · 06-02-2008, 02:19 PM

This is a huge no-no in any business.

You or your supervisor should tell these people english only at the workplace. They have not been hired to be part of an exclusive club that only they can be a part of, where they can talk smack about other employees right in front of them, it causes a lot of suspicion from my experience.

I have had experiences with this and it is completely unprofessional. Even if they aren't talking about you or perhaps the customers, if you're in retail, they still shouldn't do it.

As a customer there is nothing I hate more than going into a business where the employees talk in another language while I'm standing there waiting to get served. Even if they aren't snickering at me it still isn't cool. Obviously there are some exceptions to this like when I go to Chinatown it is expected.

Gozer · 06-02-2008, 02:21 PM

As long as they are actively working to be better at english (opposed to seeing it as a bother) and resorting to their native tounge when they're stuck, then I don't see it as an issue.

If they use english begrudgingly and speak different languages whenever possible, then it would bother me for the reasons you specified.

You have the right to be treated like everyone else (read: those with english as a first language) but you still have the responsibility to everyone else to speak passable english.

GirlySports · 06-02-2008, 02:30 PM

Sometimes I speak Mandarin at work but I try to keep it in my office (door closed) or very quietly and discreetly. I've often yelled at people who speak mandarin or especially LOUD cantonese speakers that they should at least make an attempt to tone it down. You have to be aware of your surroundings and where people are located.

The other day there were 2 people speaking an eastern european language very loudly right in front of the secretary who was talking to a client on the phone. I had to shoo them away.

jydk · 06-02-2008, 02:40 PM

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ken0042 · 06-02-2008, 03:00 PM

We actually had management address this a while ago. Basically they said that all communication within the Calgary office had to be conducted in English. The problem that came up was some business related emails had been sent in another language, and when an employee was terminated quickly and the work emails were needed, they had to get somebody to translate for them.

It's one thing for talk around the water cooler to be in another language, and for the odd little bit to be explained if needed. But our company had to put their foot down with respect to business communications.

I also tend to agree that the best way to get better at a language is to have to use it. I've experienced this myself both with visiting Germany and France.

Kerplunk · 06-02-2008, 03:31 PM

My office is currently composed of 60% Chinese-speaking workers. As a team lead, it annoys me to no end when they are talking to each other in Chinese (as loud as possible, of course) for two reasons: 1) If they are talking about something technical, as a senior developer I cannot interject my opinion if its relevant or offer assistance (or stop them from doing something stupid), and 2) as a team lead I cannot tell if they are talking about work, or if they are arguing, which means I have to put on my manager cap and manage team conflicts.

My manager agrees with me; in the interest of the company (and their growth as a professional in Canada), it would be best for them to speak English on a regular basis. However, as the owner doesn't care, it isn't changing any time soon.

Winsor_Pilates · 06-02-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

We actually had management address this a while ago. Basically they said that all communication within the Calgary office had to be conducted in English. The problem that came up was some business related emails had been sent in another language, and when an employee was terminated quickly and the work emails were needed, they had to get somebody to translate for them.

It's one thing for talk around the water cooler to be in another language, and for the odd little bit to be explained if needed. But our company had to put their foot down with respect to business communications.

I also tend to agree that the best way to get better at a language is to have to use it. I've experienced this myself both with visiting Germany and France.

That makes sense, but if it's 2 people having a private conversation about hockey or whatever else, who cares? they can speak what they want.

As long as their English is good enough for their job, and they use when they should, their private conversations should be left alone.

fatso · 06-02-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worth

In our shop we have a sign in the lunchroom that reads

"WE SPEAK ENGLISH"

in big bold letters. It's kind of a joke, but it has some truth to it. I guess it's not very PC. Probably wouldn't go over well in a downtown office, but in the SE industrial area, it works.

Can you explain this to me? Why is it "not very PC"? Because "PC" people would like the workplace to be a virtual Tower of Babel?

As for the OP, I would say that's it probably unprofessional to not speak English in the office. I mean, if it's two people talking on break to each other where they are presumably alone, it's not a huge deal. But if they're continuing to speak non-English when an English only co-worker enters the room, then they are in the wrong. And of course, they're totally in the wrong speaking non-English intentionally during work hours in front of other co-workers.

The odd comment or whatever is probably cool (things happen), but by-and-large you want to be cultivating a work environment that everyone has equal access to and that makes everyone feel included.

worth · 06-02-2008, 03:42 PM

I don't have a problem with it. I think everyone in this country should learn to speak one of the two official languages if they become a citizen and work here. I said it's not very PC because I could see people getting offended by it and making a big ruckus about it the way everyone seems to these days. I guess there are more sensitive way to do this rather than hanging a sign like that.

The work issue is valid. Work should be conducted in one language only because it will cause communication problems as has been stated in the thread.

FlamesAddiction · 06-02-2008, 03:45 PM

It depends what they are talking about. If it's work related and relavent to work issues, then they should speak English. It's not fair to close people out of information that might be important. If it's personal, like; "You're parked in a no-parking area - you had better move", then I don't see anything wrong with speaking their native language.

Boblobla · 06-02-2008, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatso

Can you explain this to me? Why is it "not very PC"? Because "PC" people would like the workplace to be a virtual Tower of Babel?

I think it is how it was presented rather than the message itself. From my experience in office buildings you need to present everything in a warm fluffy feel good way or people get offended.

Flames09 · 06-02-2008, 06:26 PM

At work I can see why it might annoy people but if it's a conversation between the group then so what. I will admitt I use my language to talk about people around me sometimes, it's the same thing as whispering in your friends ear about the guy/girl infront of you.

604flames · 06-02-2008, 07:32 PM

At my work, we have a sizeable Persian population, and the one (out of four total) managers who is from Iran takes every opportunity possible to speak Farsi to his staff in front of everyone.

While I'm not bitter enough to assume that I'm being discussed (except when I hear my name in their conversations), it really leaves those of us who don't speak it feeling rather excluded, something our GM even brought up (to no avail). Doesn't help that this particular manager re-defines the term "inept" too...

sadora · 06-02-2008, 08:00 PM

I speak Spanish and at work, with other Spanish speaking co workers we'll speak our language. For one, it's easier as some of them don't speak English too well. Second, we never use it to talk badly about anyone. What bothers me is most people's paranoia. What makes most people think that they're important enough for others to be talking about them at every possible chance?

Just a hypothetical, how would you feel about a reversal of the situation. Just say, that you were in a different country, trying to learn the language, and you happened to have other Canadian co-workers. Would you strictly speak the other language when at the work place or you switch back to English with your Canadian co-workers when ever possible? and please, be honest here.

burn_this_city · 06-02-2008, 08:18 PM

They sent an email around my work about this telling people to cut it down. I don't care if they speak their native tongue at lunch or if someone doesnt understand something explained in english. But when its their only form of dialogue between co-workers its a bit much.

ken0042 · 06-02-2008, 08:23 PM

Sadora, I think you may be confusing two very different situations.

Your post seems to indicate personal conversations; which I would expect people would conduct in whatever language is better for them. However the OP speaks about "during work hours about work."

It's one thing to chat with your collegue, but if work is being discussed it should be in a language that the company recognizes as a standard language.

Burninator · 06-02-2008, 08:28 PM

I don't really have much of a problem with people speaking another language when they are having a personal conversation, I am more concerned about when they are talking about work. Kerplunk raised the same issues that I was thinking about.

My office is very much an open concept. It's done like on purpose so people can collaborate and help each other. Even though a conversation is between two people, other people around you are free to interject and join the dialog. But by speaking another language you automatically cut those people out.

I wasn't really concerned about people talking about me behind my back. I doubt they would be, and I don't really care what they have to say about me anyways.