Article: Bishop: Language barriers hurt retention

Nation's Restaurant News, April 17, 2006
HR & Service

By Dina Berta

(April 17) - Jill Bishop, a former high school Spanish teacher with a doctorate in linguistic anthropology, spent two years working as a language consultant for Denver-based Chipotle before launching her company, Workforce Language Services, in Chicago. While teaching Spanish and English to employees at 130 Chipotle stores in the fast-casual Mexican chain's central region — Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Texas — Bishop had a firsthand look at how improved communication can impact employee morale and retention.

What is the advantage to employers to spend time and money on providing English instruction to their Spanish-speaking employees?
English training gives them the skills they need to give customer service and interact more effectively with managers. At Chipotle, we saw tremendous results in terms of increased confidence and concrete skills. Before they were afraid of being laughed at. Now they look up from the food, give eye contact to the customer, smile and say, "Thank you."

So, it can make them better at their jobs?
More than that. We saw a decrease in turnover. They were so appreciative of the efforts Chipotle was making to invest in them. It is so rare for employees at this level to get that kind of training. They feel like for the first time an employer cares about them, which goes a long way in making them happier to do their job and committed to staying for the long term, rather than going to the restaurant down the street for 10 cents more an hour.

If restaurants provide the English instruction, why help English-speaking managers learn Spanish?
Sensitivity training is infused in Spanish training. It's hard to learn a language without learning the culture. Often what people take away from the training, even more than the Spanish expression, is the cultural component. They understand so much more when it comes to managing their people. They relate to them better. How can you manage if you can't make them know you care about them? How can you encourage their development if you can't communicate with them?

E-mail the author at: dberta@nrn.com