Workforce Language Services

A recent Providence Journal article highlighted the lessons learned from a survey conducted by Adecco (a temporary staffing agency) about the practical applications of diversity policies.  The survey asked workers how they felt about atempts to recruit and retain a diverse workforce, and those surveyed overwhelmingly stated that the success of various policies fell short of the intended goals.

The article quotes Adecco’s VP of employee relations and diversity as to why this happens:

…Many corporate chief executives believe in the benefits of a diverse work force, but efforts to implement their ideas get bogged down in middle management.

Cooper said it’s important for chief executives to make sure that everyone in the company is on board with their diversity plans. “I have to say I was not surprised [at the survey],” she said. “There are some organizations that are still having problems.”

She said lingering prejudice, worries about cost and inertia can all contribute to keeping companies from achieving diversity goals.

The article concludes with Adecco’s suggestions for better integrating diversity policies into companies.

Joseph Salmons, Professor of German at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote a fascinating paper debunking the myth that immigrants in the late 19th century and early 20th century learned English upon arrival.  His research focused on immigrants from Germany who settled in Wisconsin. 

Contrary to the prevailing thought that these immigrants immediately assimilated into American culture by learning English, he found that German immigrants thrived without ever learning English for generations.  This is in sharp counterpoint to the rhetoric of English-only proponents who believe that modern-day Spanish speaking immigrants are behind the language learning curve and refusing to assimilate by learning English.

The article on UW-Madison’s website ends with a comparision between early 20th century immigrants and today’s newly arrived population:

Salmons says their study suggests that conventional wisdom may actually have it backwards — while early immigrants didn’t necessarily need English to succeed and responded slowly, modern immigrants recognize it as a ticket to success and are learning English in extremely high percentages.

To read the fascinating description of the life of early German immigrants and find a link to the entire paper, click here.

The Salt Lake City Tribune provides an interesting overview and critique of federally funded refugee resettlement programs.  The article raises two issues that are particularly interesting when looked at through the lens of cultural competency: a critique of a “one size fits all” approach to resettlement that doesn’t take into account the different cultures and backgrounds of arriving refugess and the clashes that erupt when refugees are resettled into a new area.

While theoretically Americans like the idea of the U.S. being a place of refuge, in reality small towns are unprepared to fully accept the different cultures and backgrounds of the refugees:

Some critics of refugee resettlement are those who have witnessed turmoil in their communities.
    Ann Corcoran lives near Hagerstown, Md., which stopped accepting refugees after residents put up a fuss. She now writes a blog critical of refugee resettlement.
    “It’s out of hand,” says Corcoran, who contends that, increasingly, refugees are resettled without any notice in smaller towns. She suggests assessments similar to environmental impact statements should be required before refugees move in.
    When clashes erupt, as they have in Emporia, Kan., Waterbury, Conn., and Shelbyville, Tenn., it’s often because longtime residents resent being left out of the loop — and seeing jobs go to people willing to work for less, she says.

What a terrible case of NIMBY (Not in My Backyard)!  I hope the day arrives when towns can welcome refugees who have faced so much in their native countries and celebrate what these new immigrants bring to the U.S. instead of framing their arrival as “turmoil and upheaval.”

To read the entire article, click here.