Managing a SpanishSpeaking Crew

1
Managing a Spanish-Speaking Crew
2
Introduction

• Rafael Barajas Brief Biography
• Personal and Professional

3
Business

• 25 years as a superintendent
• Section manager, irrigation, equipment operator,
  etc.
• 1984 became superintendent, age 20
• 1990 became a CGCS
• 1993 elected to Board of Directors in Palm Springs

4
Business, cont.

• 1995 moved back to LA, 6 years on Board of
  Directors
• GCSAA 3 years in Career Development
• Currently in Membership
• Certificate in Turfgrass Management from Univ. of
  CA Riverside

5
Managing the Hispanic Employee

• Understanding the Hispanic culture
• Communicating with the Hispanic employee
• Providing a good work environment
• Understanding the laws for hiring Hispanic or
  foreign employees

6
The Hispanic Culture

• Where they came from
• Why they came to the USA
• Cost of living
• Rate exchange
• Lifestyle
• Ranking plus government structures

7
Work Ethics

• Anglo lifestyle and work ethic
• Hispanic lifestyle and work ethic
• Perceptions
• Goals
• Reality

8
Traditions

• Vary from town to city to state to country
• Most are Catholic, celebrate Christmas, Good
  Friday, baptisms
• Dec. 12 Lady of Guadalupe Day
• Independence Days (Mexicos is Sept. 16)
• Cinco de Mayo Battle of Puebla against the
  French
• Strong family ties (attend weddings, birthdays,
  funerals of distant relatives)

9
Communication Problems

• Language barrier
• Misunderstandings
• Poor job performance
• Get the message across
• Message sent
• Message received whose fault is it?

10
Ideas to improve communication

• Encourage English classes
• Provide incentives for learning English
• Hire a good translator on your crew
• Teach them English and have them teach you
  Spanish
• Take computer courses
• Spanish/English dictionaries

11
Work Environment

• Create good work environment
• Always greet staff by name
• Training in native language is the law in many
  states (this includes manuals, posters, memos,
  employee notices)
• Take advantage of knowledge base

12
Employee Retention

• Housing
• Meals
• Bonus
• Insurance
• Vacation
• Savings plans

13
Finding Employees

• Agencies
• Best method is word of mouth

14
Keys for Success

• Communication
• Compensation
• Work environment
• Delegate build team players
• Understand and respect culture
• Respect must be earned

15
Treat each other the way you would like to be
treated. It is nice to be important, but it is
more important to be nice!