Hi,
As an HR professional, I prefer to be informal and communicate with employees orally in their respective mother tongues as I am proficient in six languages. Can anyone advise me on whether this approach is appropriate? Should I speak to employees only in English regardless of their mother tongue?
Thanks & Regards,
Vidhya HR
From India, Chennai
As an HR professional, I prefer to be informal and communicate with employees orally in their respective mother tongues as I am proficient in six languages. Can anyone advise me on whether this approach is appropriate? Should I speak to employees only in English regardless of their mother tongue?
Thanks & Regards,
Vidhya HR
From India, Chennai
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It is a good idea to speak in the local language or any language to connect with fellow employees. The idea of communication is to make others understand what is being said. Speaking in the local language does not mean one loses sight of being professional and polite and keeping the interests of all in mind. If, of course, there is a mixed crowd with people not understanding a particular language, then using a common language is ideal. It is indeed great to know 6 languages - please speak and be in touch, but remember that others should not get the idea that lingo is being used to win over or do favors. Professional and correct actions should always follow your communication/discussions with anyone regardless of whether Malayalam or English is used.
From India, Pune
3180From India, Pune
Dear Vidhya,
What is the nature of your industry? Does your company have skilled or unskilled labor? If you do not have labor, then there is nothing wrong with making the official language English.
The important question is whether you have a formal policy on the official language. In many companies, especially MNCs, the official language for communication is English. All the meetings and correspondence are done in English. However, that does not mean that speaking in the local language has been banned as such. During the celebration of cultural activities or festivals, the local language is used for communication. Secondly, communication in the vernacular language is done where necessary (like while dealing with government officials), but the preeminence of English is cherished at the same time.
Uniformity in communication helps bridge cultural gaps. Communication in English helps maintain a formal atmosphere in the office, which is also important. If you are from Chennai, then making English the official language should not be a problem as such.
India is a multilinguistic country. Polyglots like you are found more in South India. Nevertheless, if communication in the local language is permitted, it may form an informal group. This informal group could turn into a pressure group and pose a challenge.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
What is the nature of your industry? Does your company have skilled or unskilled labor? If you do not have labor, then there is nothing wrong with making the official language English.
The important question is whether you have a formal policy on the official language. In many companies, especially MNCs, the official language for communication is English. All the meetings and correspondence are done in English. However, that does not mean that speaking in the local language has been banned as such. During the celebration of cultural activities or festivals, the local language is used for communication. Secondly, communication in the vernacular language is done where necessary (like while dealing with government officials), but the preeminence of English is cherished at the same time.
Uniformity in communication helps bridge cultural gaps. Communication in English helps maintain a formal atmosphere in the office, which is also important. If you are from Chennai, then making English the official language should not be a problem as such.
India is a multilinguistic country. Polyglots like you are found more in South India. Nevertheless, if communication in the local language is permitted, it may form an informal group. This informal group could turn into a pressure group and pose a challenge.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Language is the most effective vehicle of expression among human beings. Proficiency in language is not embedded in the person's vocabulary alone. On the other hand, it depends upon how communicative he/she is in that particular language. Effective communication culminates in unity of understanding. That's why Nelson Mandela said: "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart."
When you are multilingual and in HR, in fact, your process of communication becomes easier and faster. Then why should you doubt whether it could be wrong? Is there any order in your organization that your oral communication should be only in English? If there is such an order or official compulsion in your establishment, you should think it over on the lines indicated by our friend Mr. Dinesh.
From India, Salem
When you are multilingual and in HR, in fact, your process of communication becomes easier and faster. Then why should you doubt whether it could be wrong? Is there any order in your organization that your oral communication should be only in English? If there is such an order or official compulsion in your establishment, you should think it over on the lines indicated by our friend Mr. Dinesh.
From India, Salem
Dear Vindhya,
This is my second post. I have addressed your primary concern in my previous post. This post is about my observation.
You started your post by saying, "Being HR, I want to be informal." I would like to put forth my thoughts on this sentence. There is nothing suggesting that HR professionals should be informal while persons working in other departments need to be formal. An organization is a place where people from different backgrounds work together for a common purpose. Therefore, they need to adhere to established forms, conventions, and requirements.
Against this backdrop, my suggestion is that you may speak in any language but it's better to maintain formality. Please be amicable, approachable, communicative, and outspoken but within the framework of formality.
The risk of being informal is that informality can create closeness due to non-official reasons. However, HR professionals are the ones who handle matters of discipline or indiscipline and may need to remove employees from their jobs. Therefore, an informal way of dealing could pose a challenge when tough decisions need to be made or executed.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
This is my second post. I have addressed your primary concern in my previous post. This post is about my observation.
You started your post by saying, "Being HR, I want to be informal." I would like to put forth my thoughts on this sentence. There is nothing suggesting that HR professionals should be informal while persons working in other departments need to be formal. An organization is a place where people from different backgrounds work together for a common purpose. Therefore, they need to adhere to established forms, conventions, and requirements.
Against this backdrop, my suggestion is that you may speak in any language but it's better to maintain formality. Please be amicable, approachable, communicative, and outspoken but within the framework of formality.
The risk of being informal is that informality can create closeness due to non-official reasons. However, HR professionals are the ones who handle matters of discipline or indiscipline and may need to remove employees from their jobs. Therefore, an informal way of dealing could pose a challenge when tough decisions need to be made or executed.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Dear Vidhya,
The bottom line of communication is to be correctly understood - if not, then it would be miscommunication. It is on this understanding of the message that a dialogue advances, decisions are arrived at. If the need of the culture/environment is the vernacular, it is obvious that you would communicate in it. Remember, communication is understanding (the other person) and being understood (you) that leads to effective and meaningful exchange.
Using English - again to be understood - would make no sense if the listener does not know/understand the language. If an employee (a better word is associate) does not understand English, PLEASE DO NOT USE ENGLISH. Your message will be all Greek and Latin to him. If your management feels all communication must be in English for all staff, then you'll have to begin language training and development courses, which may take up to two to three years.
Communicate to be understood!
Regards,
Arif ur Rehman
From Pakistan, Karachi
The bottom line of communication is to be correctly understood - if not, then it would be miscommunication. It is on this understanding of the message that a dialogue advances, decisions are arrived at. If the need of the culture/environment is the vernacular, it is obvious that you would communicate in it. Remember, communication is understanding (the other person) and being understood (you) that leads to effective and meaningful exchange.
Using English - again to be understood - would make no sense if the listener does not know/understand the language. If an employee (a better word is associate) does not understand English, PLEASE DO NOT USE ENGLISH. Your message will be all Greek and Latin to him. If your management feels all communication must be in English for all staff, then you'll have to begin language training and development courses, which may take up to two to three years.
Communicate to be understood!
Regards,
Arif ur Rehman
From Pakistan, Karachi
Dear Vidya HR,
If you are working with a diverse, multi-linguistic set of employees, certainly talking to them in their lingo will provide several advantages. Firstly, it will put them at ease, remove inhibitions, and make them more comfortable to speak their minds. This will greatly help them connect better and engage with the organization.
As is well known, communication is a two-way street. When you choose to speak in their lingo, the chances of achieving clear understanding, acceptance of your thoughts in persuasive efforts, and taking action on them are greater.
To my mind, the greatest benefit of speaking in their lingo is the opportunity it creates for HR to listen empathetically to their real and deeply felt thoughts and to help clear emotional barriers. This cathartic effect is of tremendous importance in fostering understanding about the issues at hand and in resolving knots in the employer-employee relationship.
In short, go ahead and speak their lingo more to listen than to talk.
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR Consultant
From India, Mumbai
If you are working with a diverse, multi-linguistic set of employees, certainly talking to them in their lingo will provide several advantages. Firstly, it will put them at ease, remove inhibitions, and make them more comfortable to speak their minds. This will greatly help them connect better and engage with the organization.
As is well known, communication is a two-way street. When you choose to speak in their lingo, the chances of achieving clear understanding, acceptance of your thoughts in persuasive efforts, and taking action on them are greater.
To my mind, the greatest benefit of speaking in their lingo is the opportunity it creates for HR to listen empathetically to their real and deeply felt thoughts and to help clear emotional barriers. This cathartic effect is of tremendous importance in fostering understanding about the issues at hand and in resolving knots in the employer-employee relationship.
In short, go ahead and speak their lingo more to listen than to talk.
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR Consultant
From India, Mumbai
Dear Vidhya,
I am venturing - please don't get me wrong - to say the unsaid, pertaining to the few lines you wrote concerning your inquiry.
1. "Hi" may be acceptable between the members on CiteHR; otherwise, always use a FORMAL SALUTATION.
2. Being HR - to me is incomprehensible. You could be an HR Manager, HR Officer, Director HR, and if your intention is the HR department/function, the sentence structure would be totally different.
3. Since the antecedent is there, the qualifying noun should be "tongues."
4. The pronoun "I" is always in uppercase.
5. "Can anyone suggest me is it right or wrong please?" Rephrase to "Can anyone suggest to me whether it is right or wrong to say/write...?"
6. "Is that irrespective of their mother tongue" must be followed by a question mark. You should have written "Regardless of their mother tongue."
7. Do also check the spelling of "their."
I hope I am not suggesting too much, that you start working on developing your English language skills. Be of good cheer, always needed of HR personnel.
Warmest wishes,
Arif ur Rehman
From Pakistan, Karachi
I am venturing - please don't get me wrong - to say the unsaid, pertaining to the few lines you wrote concerning your inquiry.
1. "Hi" may be acceptable between the members on CiteHR; otherwise, always use a FORMAL SALUTATION.
2. Being HR - to me is incomprehensible. You could be an HR Manager, HR Officer, Director HR, and if your intention is the HR department/function, the sentence structure would be totally different.
3. Since the antecedent is there, the qualifying noun should be "tongues."
4. The pronoun "I" is always in uppercase.
5. "Can anyone suggest me is it right or wrong please?" Rephrase to "Can anyone suggest to me whether it is right or wrong to say/write...?"
6. "Is that irrespective of their mother tongue" must be followed by a question mark. You should have written "Regardless of their mother tongue."
7. Do also check the spelling of "their."
I hope I am not suggesting too much, that you start working on developing your English language skills. Be of good cheer, always needed of HR personnel.
Warmest wishes,
Arif ur Rehman
From Pakistan, Karachi
Dear Mr. Arif Ur Rehman,
Thank you for your corrections. This forum needs seniors like you who guide the juniors. Nevertheless, your guidance could have been given without being apologetic.
Thanks once again.
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Thank you for your corrections. This forum needs seniors like you who guide the juniors. Nevertheless, your guidance could have been given without being apologetic.
Thanks once again.
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Hi Vidhya,
Nice to see your poster on communication with employees. It's a diplomatic process understanding the perception of taking things for granted. As an HR professional, communication plays a vital role, so using the local language helps in understanding your part in it.
Regards,
Mohana
8072193485
Chennai
From India, Madras
Nice to see your poster on communication with employees. It's a diplomatic process understanding the perception of taking things for granted. As an HR professional, communication plays a vital role, so using the local language helps in understanding your part in it.
Regards,
Mohana
8072193485
Chennai
From India, Madras
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Innovative HR Practices-.doc