Latino Workforce

Whether you use the term Latino or Hispanic, both words designate culture, not race.

What is communication? It is a "process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior." When you work with Latinos, learning words and phrases in Spanish is a good first step. But you need more tools to ensure effective communication and work productivity. Should you learn Spanish? Absolutely – as much as you can. But do not stop there.

According to P.A. Saunders, a cross-cultural trainer, "A very big barrier for a new project team where members are from different parts of the world is not language. It is the baggage each team member carries in his/her own cultural suitcase." You and your Latino workers are a team, and more often than not, members of such teams have poor English communication skills that compound the cultural misunderstandings. It's important to have an idea of the cultural baggage and customs of your team members to facilitate good communication. According to Mauricio Velazquez, culture includes: language and communication styles, dress and appearance, food and eating habits, time consciousness, relationships, values, beliefs, attitudes, mental processes and learning, work practices, etc.

You may ask yourself, how and where do I learn about Latino culture and values? There's no easy answer to that question. You'll have to be very observant and read what's available on this topic – which is not much. I recommend that you read one of the few resources available. This is a small book (104 pages) by Eva S. Kras titled "Management in Two Cultures. Bridging the Gap Between U.S. and Mexican Managers," published by Intercultural Press Inc. This book was written for U.S. business managers doing business in Mexico. However, you can apply most of the information to any situation in the horticulture industry where Latino workers are involved. Kras' book is based on a series of in-depth interviews that she conducted with 72 Mexican and U.S. executives.

In her work, Kras describes U.S. and Mexican cultural and social traits. She then compares and contrasts the different management styles prevalent in the two cultures – without judging them. You may agree or disagree with her findings and her interpretation. What's important is that you consider these terms when trying to improve your communication with your Latino workforce. Communication is really about understanding, respecting, and even sharing culture, not just using language.

Before we describe some of her findings, let's consider this: just who are the Latinos or Hispanics? Let me answer this very important question. People born and raised south of the Rio Grande call themselves Latinos. "Hispanic" is a bureaucratic term coined by the U.S. government to refer to Latinos and is used primarily within the U.S. Whether you use the term Latino or Hispanic, both words designate culture, not race. Neither term designates a race classification because Latino ancestry could be Spanish, German, African, Native American, Chinese, Arab, etc. In fact, people from every continent and every country have immigrated to America, North and South.

Typically, immigrant Latino workers in U.S. horticulture were born and raised in rural communities in Mexico (some in Central America). They are young, in their 20s most likely, so they refer to themselves as Latinos, not Hispanics. Most Latinos who migrate to the U.S. for work are following a dream. Frequently, they have a basic level of education with little or no knowledge of the English language. Some move to the U.S. permanently, others plan to stay here only for a few years for work, to send money back home, and eventually to return to their home towns.

What are cultural traits? Kras defines cultural traits as broad, strong, pervasive, and dominant generalizations about a culture. Obviously, such traits are not universal because each person is unique. The reality is that the perfect "typical" American or Mexican doesn't even exist. Because of that, it's important to avoid stereotyping. We all want to be respected and appreciated as unique beings. The cultural traits covered in Kras' book relate to: family, religion, education, nationalism, personal sensitivity, etiquette, personal appearance, status, aesthetics, and ethics. These cultural traits influence the following management traits: work/leisure, direction/supervision, theory vs. practice, control, staffing, loyalty, competition, training and development, time, and planning.

Comparing cultural traits
As examples, let's choose two cultural traits – status and education – plus two management styles – loyalty and staffing – for a brief view of how they relate to each other.

Status in many Latino countries is very important. In Latino countries, you'll find many lawyers, physicians and engineers simply because these degrees are perceived as high status. It's common for families of the upper classes to push their children to follow some such careers simply because of what it means for the family. On the other hand, only recently have mid-level technicians gained ground as respectable careers. In traditional Latino cultures, who you are is much more important than what you have achieved. While in every culture and country, family connections are very important, this is much more so in Latino culture. As a consequence, there is less socio-economic mobility than you find in the U.S.

Status in the U.S. is based on achievement. Achievement brings recognition and, sometimes, wealth. However, wealth by itself does not guarantee status in the U.S.

Education in Mexico is based on deductive reasoning; from the general to the particular. A lot of memorization is required with limited practice in problem solving. Breadth of knowledge (rather than depth) is valued. In the past, students conformed to the norms of schools, authority and society. Through the influence of international communications and media, this is changing in Mexico.

Education in the U.S. is more pragmatic and concrete with an emphasis on analytical skills. "Useful" knowledge is valued and disciplined learning (as in memorization) is lax. Especially in higher education, students are encouraged to become highly competent in a very narrow field. Education in the U.S. is, for the most part, U.S. centered. Subjects of general interest are often perceived as parochial and/or unsophisticated. For example, in the U.S., a medical doctor could easily have little or no knowledge of history.

A detailed contrast and comparison of all other cultural traits and management styles can be found in Kras' book. I strongly recommend that you read the book. While reading, consider that these are broad generalizations. If you do not feel identified with some of the traits and management styles described, that's OK. Most likely, you'll be able to recognize these characteristics in some of your fellow Americans. Also, keep in mind that societies in general and people in particular change over time. Doing business with the U.S. and Canada through NAFTA is bringing change to many Mexicans who live in big cities and to their business practices. However, this change may be less noticeable among people who come from small towns in rural areas (the source of most Mexican horticulture workers).

The following are just a few examples of additional cultural issues that aren't described in Kras' book. But I have found that these are important for a productive working relation between Latino workers and their American employers. Most of the advice that follows is for newly arrived Latino workers. In general, Latino workers learn the American "work culture" with time.
 

Paperwork
While the temptation may be great to avoid government bureaucracy, you should learn and follow all laws and regulations regarding how to hire a non-U.S. worker. In this process, be careful with some cultural aspects. Names are a good example. In many Latino countries, a person adds his/her mother's last name to the father's as in "Juan Carlos Garcia Ramirez." Juan is the first name. Carlos is the middle name. Garcia is the father's last name. Ramirez is the mother's maiden name. So, when you file the information for this worker, under what letter will you do so? Under G or R? At first glance, this seems trivial; however, the wrong choice may result in the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service rejection of the working permit.

Something similar can occur with married women. For example, consider the sister of Juan Carlos Garcia Ramirez. Her married name is Maria Elena Garcia de Lopez. Maria is the first name. Elena is the middle name. Garcia is her father's last name but Lopez is the last name of her husband. The word "de" means "of." Following common usage for married women, Maria dropped her mother's maiden name, Ramirez.

Solution: communicate with workers about the correct way of filing their names and make notes in your records.
 

Work environment
It's difficult for anyone to work in an environment we don't like. However, for Latinos this situation is even more difficult. Many times by culture, Latinos are accustomed to working in groups composed of immediate and extended family members. This may be the case in the workplace in the U.S. as well since family members often immigrate together.

While many U.S. workers thrive on competition in the workplace because they grew up in a competitive environment, Latino workers feel very uncomfortable with an environment where they must compete against their co-workers, who often are family and friends. They are accustomed to working as a unit and valuing the results of their work as a unit. Also, self-promotion is seen as anti-social behavior.

These cultural values should be kept in mind when arranging work groups. Who will be in charge of that group? The senior family member? The person whom you select because he or she speaks some English? Without knowing it, the person whom you put in charge of a working team may cause a lot of tension in the group if social norms are violated. Hence, job quality and productivity suffer.

Solution: in a very subtle way, ask the workers to tell you about the relationships of the workers – the hierarchy – so that you can put the right person in charge or let them tell you who should be in charge. Appreciation for good work usually should go to the group, not the individual.
 

Boss and employee roles
Latino employees expect clear, detailed instructions of what to do. In the U.S., we empower employees. For a Latino, empowerment can be misunderstood: "Isn't that my boss' job?" New Latino employees do not innovate on the boss' instructions. Furthermore, they would find it inappropriate to come to you with bad news (e.g., the machine is broken).

"No problem" syndrome
This is also known as the "Yes syndrome." Latinos desire to please others, especially the boss. Saying "No," "I can't do it," or "I don't understand," is perceived as bad manners at best, and even controversial by Latinos. Latinos will avoid saying "no" at any cost. The result is very frustrating for American co-workers and supervisors if they are not aware of this cultural aspect. The bottom line is that American supervisors should be cautious and proactive when giving orders.

Solution: Supervisors should explain very clearly and with specific details what needs to be done. After explaining, the supervisor should ask the worker: "Now show me how you would do it." Do not assume that if it works for you or if it is easy for you, it will work well or will be easy for your Latino worker.

In a similar vein, stress – and repeat frequently – to your Latino workers that it's perfectly OK for them to bring you "bad news" (e.g. the machine is broken). Unless you teach them to do so, they will avoid communicating what is wrong. This becomes very important because it can affect work safety.

Keep in mind that there is no "silver bullet" solution that will cover all of the situations that an employer will face when dealing with a Latino workforce. Having an open mind and being a constant observer of worker reactions may help in addressing the challenges that result from having a multi-cultural force.

Claudio Pasian is associate professor, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, pasian.1@osu.edu.