How do you manage language differences?
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I’m working at a company with 1000 people with english as first language. We are being acquired by 30,000 staff company who speaks majority Spanish. How do you manage language and cultural differences so that the 1000 people are not disillusioned from simply not being able to speak Spanish.
I found your post interesting. I have never experienced it myself but imagine that makes the situation even more difficult. Hopefully there were several translators and a couple classes on cross-cultural interactions, communications etc.
You should offer language courses (both english and spanish) and courses to understand intercultural differences. This at least would enable the people willing to get along with each other (no one can say “I can´t” as there are supporting offers).
This should have been detected during a cultural DD (I guess none has been performed).I believe the person in charge of this number should have skills for dealing with cultural differences and be bilingual.
This is a a challenging situation! I’d recommend first establishing clear communication channels that accommodate both English and Spanish speakers. Providing translated materials, such as employee handbooks and key announcements, can help bridge the language gap and ensure everyone stays informed. Additionally, offer language training or resources for English-speaking employees to learn basic Spanish phrases and cultural norms, fostering better communication and understanding. Emphasize inclusivity and cultural sensitivity throughout the integration process, encouraging open dialogue and mutual respect.
In my opinion, the potential issue could be beyond the language. Of course these days, language barrier is not a big concern with online tools like Google translate.
Challenge is that how far the target Organization (1ith 1000 staff) is from the acquiring organization (that speaks Spanish). First think that IMO should capture in their Integration plan is to do a culture workshop and close gap, building trust. Building trust can happen with a De-centralized model to begin with without touching on the Operations part, unless it brings Operational synergy in the first year, with just Financial and HR integration. Once the dust is settled down, move over to Operations side of it in the second year or so. This will give a breathing space for both the entities to assimilate the change without any cultural shock otherwise demoralize the staff from target organization.I believe all existing employees (if retained post deal) should be offered ongoing Spanish/English conversation training to overcome the barrier. Please note this is a two way language issue so it should not be for only English persons to learn Spanish nor should it be the other way.
I also struggle with accents for those who speak English as a second language. We end up leaning on written communications so that we can be clear and thorough. That can make it difficult to connect and truly remove barriers.
Language Training: Offer language courses and resources to help the 1000 staff learn basic Spanish.
Bilingual Communication: Implement bilingual communication tools and materials, ensuring all key information is available in both languages.
Cultural Training: Provide cultural sensitivity training to foster understanding and respect between both groups.
Bilingual Staff: Utilize bilingual employees as liaisons and translators to facilitate communication and integration.
Inclusive Policies: Develop inclusive policies and practices that value both languages and cultures, promoting an environment of mutual respect and collaboration.
I think that the management level people of the acquired company with this size, 30K headcount, should have good English skills and convey that information in Spanish to their subordinates to reduce possible problems that could result from language difference. In terms of cultural differences, it is important to be always receptive to the things that are different from what you are used to because we can mutually learn from something different and apply it to the operation/ management activities.
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