Managing Millions of "Invisible" Workers: Employing Spanish-Speaking Immigrants (Part I)

Copyright 2006 Relational Sensibilities

Recent events have highlighted challenges related to the illegal immigrant workforce in the United States. Many of the immigrants at the center of the debate are from Mexico in numbers well above 10 million. This discussion focuses expressly on the reality that Spanish-speaking immigrants, whether legalized or not, are a significant presence in the U.S. workforce, especially in certain industries. The fact that these immigrants are associated with low paying, physically demanding jobs is a given. For many in the United States the protests, boycotts, and debates have brought a population to the forefront of American discourse that, for all intents and purposes, has been operating in the background of our economy as a relatively invisible class.

10 COMMON CHALLENGES

1.Effective written communication of policies and procedures that Spanish-speaking employees can relate to and understand

2. Identifying professional or trade-related development opportunities

3. Recognizing the value and individuality of the workers

4. Aligning the workforce with the company