Inclusion Strategies for Immigrants in the Workplace
A diverse workforce provides many advantages to your company. It heightens awareness and helps you serve a broader customer base, provides different perspectives for marketing and product/service initiatives, and increases creativity and job satisfaction. Programs and training that help immigrant employees navigate the workplace, and help non-immigrant employees understand the benefits of diversity, will improve working conditions for everyone and increase your company’s profitability.
Language
The common term “language barriers” highlights the negative connotation given to situations in which more than one language is in use. This should not be presented only as an obstacle; as a leader or manager you must highlight the numerous benefits that different languages and cultures introduce. The more languages in the workplace, the more customers your company can communicate with and service effectively. Managers and other organizational leaders should take the time to learn the work-related vocabulary of an immigrants’ native language instead of simply expecting immigrants to immediately begin speaking English at all times.
Advancement
A clear path should be set for immigrants to advance and be promoted in the workplace. They should understand the options available and be included in management training when applicable. Immigrants in supervisory roles help other immigrants to feel included and represented in your company.
Communication
Provide written documentation in the form of memos and emails when necessary but follow up, or lead with, in-person conversations whenever possible. Generalized communication seems impersonal whereas face-to-face information sharing prevents many communication errors and goes a long way in building the rapport and trust that immigrants and other workers need in order to feel valued.
Training
Take time out of the work week for short exercises or training seminars that will help all employees with diversity initiatives. Immigrants and non-immigrants should attend trainings that teach them communication skills, both with customers and coworkers. Passive involvement will not suffice in these trainings; help employees truly interact and ask questions in order to learn culturally acceptable practices/language and business standards.
Involvement
Where applicable, add immigrant workers to your marketing materials and recruitment efforts. Your company’s marketing and HR processes should reflect the variety of individuals you employ. When you have job openings, take recommendations from everyone, especially immigrant workers. Donate time or other resources to community organizations or programs in the geographic regions that immigrant workers come from, or organizations that support their communities/needs within the United States. You will find that immigrants feel included and motivated when they are considered in these ways.
Flexibility
If immigrant workers need to work a flexible schedule while adjusting to new surroundings (either for classes, daycare arrangements, family obligations, etc.), allow them to do so. You will find that accommodating needs such as these benefits all employees, not just immigrants. Paying special attention to each employees work-life balance will increase the loyalty they feel to your organization.