Are We Ready to Redefine Diversity?

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There was little real analysis given to how the culture itself would change as a 
result of these actions. Nor did corporations see clearly how this was only the 
starting gun in a transformation of American business life. There was an aura of 
benign paternalism about the effort. How narrow such a vision now seems and 
how naïve. But when both sponsors and supposed beneficiaries pushed back it became 
clear that not only were the days of de facto and overt exclusion numbered but the 
days in which conditional inclusion by the kindly powers-that-be were growing short 
as well. Noblesse oblige was not going to cut it. 

We have come a long way from those conditions and from that ingenuous definition of 
diversity. Very quickly the definition came to include women, national and ethnic 
minorities, gays and lesbians. Now every major company has diversity departments and 
affinity groups whose input is actively sought by learning departments and Human 
Resources. But despite the globalization of business, and the seemingly obvious 
lessons that inexorable trend should teach, such a definition is still too narrow. 
Another major demographic trend is gradually bringing yet another once invisible 
minority into the light.

Just as once the corporate world was the bastion of white males, it is now a place 
distinguished by a single language - English. But the world outside speaks many 
languages and companies increasingly realize those languages make their own 
distinctive contributions. And yes, these languages also indicate many new markets.

Every company that seeks to serve a market, whether domestic or foreign, in 
which a language other than English is predominant, has learned to present its 
products or services in the favored language. It's simple. We talk to the market 
in its language and customs and preferences. And the market rewards such courtesy 
and respect. So, why is it that the increasingly significant numbers of employees 
whose primary language is other than English are still not addressed in their 
preferred language? Why is it that most written materials required to bring new 
employees on board are provided solely in English? Why are most internal corporate 
websites only in English? Or e-learning?

This perspective is not contemplating a corporate culture that operates like a UN
assembly in which every meeting requires the services of professional translators. 
We only need to learn the lesson of the Tower of Babel once. English will continue 
to be the lingua franca of business. But accommodation of other important languages 
in recruiting, orientation, training, and internal communications seems only 
reasonable in a diverse workplace that values diversity. This is true whether those
employees speak Spanish primarily and work in a US location or speak Mandarin or
Cantonese and work in China.

If diversity truly is a value in and of itself then diversity of language is no more
outside the bounds of a useful definition than any other characteristic. Language
professionals with multicultural exposure are a key element in the success of diversity
and multicultural initiatives in the US. And companies that welcome and continuously
communicate with their employees and customers whose primary language is other than
English in their own languages will lead the way (and reap the rewards) of sharing
language rather than imposing it.
Enjoy this http://www.demographics.apalc.org

 

See you soon ! 

 
Martha. 

 

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About the Author, if using, please include:

Martha E. Galindo, President and CEO of Galindo Publicidad, Inc.
A multilingual translations agency, selected twice as 
a Florida 100 company. Author of “How Do You Say…?” 
an eNewsletter designed to help you improve your 
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