The logistics were ironed out. The training rooms were prepared and I was ready to receive the new Hispanic employees. The workbooks, paper and pencils were neatly placed on the tables and ready to be used. The English instruction would be based on the daily workplace vocabulary. The employees would come to a one-hour class, two times per week, either before or after their work shifts.
The day of the classes arrived but the employees did not. I waited in the empty classroom and wondered how so many employees could have said "yes" to the classes and a resounding "no" to attending.
After some discussions with the HR manager, supervisors and a few employees, the answer became abundantly clear. What I learned has served as a useful landmark lesson that I will never forget.
First, it is important to visualize the layout of this food processing company. It consisted of two buildings, separated by a large, unpaved parking lot. The "office building" contained the training rooms and the administrative staff. On the other side, was the plant building where the employees ran the machinery and produced the food products.
For the Hispanic employees, going to the "office building" was like going from one cultural world to another. It was a place where they felt as outsiders in unfamiliar territory. They were not ready or willing to go to a place where they felt, they didn't belong.
Armed with this newly found knowledge, I was given the go ahead to set up the ESL classes in the production building. Since there were no training rooms available, the only other option was the cafeteria. At the next scheduled class, I appeared with a flip chart and I placed a few cubicle dividers and sectioned off a corner of the cafeteria and turned it into a makeshift classroom.
The results were astounding! Within a matter of days, the classes were filled with enthusiastic employees ready to learn English. The classes were a resounding success and the interest remained high. From this valuable experience, I learned that the best intentions by management must first take into account the cultural sensitivities of the Hispanic employees.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isaac_Botbol
The day of the classes arrived but the employees did not. I waited in the empty classroom and wondered how so many employees could have said "yes" to the classes and a resounding "no" to attending.
After some discussions with the HR manager, supervisors and a few employees, the answer became abundantly clear. What I learned has served as a useful landmark lesson that I will never forget.
First, it is important to visualize the layout of this food processing company. It consisted of two buildings, separated by a large, unpaved parking lot. The "office building" contained the training rooms and the administrative staff. On the other side, was the plant building where the employees ran the machinery and produced the food products.
For the Hispanic employees, going to the "office building" was like going from one cultural world to another. It was a place where they felt as outsiders in unfamiliar territory. They were not ready or willing to go to a place where they felt, they didn't belong.
Armed with this newly found knowledge, I was given the go ahead to set up the ESL classes in the production building. Since there were no training rooms available, the only other option was the cafeteria. At the next scheduled class, I appeared with a flip chart and I placed a few cubicle dividers and sectioned off a corner of the cafeteria and turned it into a makeshift classroom.
The results were astounding! Within a matter of days, the classes were filled with enthusiastic employees ready to learn English. The classes were a resounding success and the interest remained high. From this valuable experience, I learned that the best intentions by management must first take into account the cultural sensitivities of the Hispanic employees.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isaac_Botbol
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