Colleague with poor English

[loobylooz]

Hello
Wonder if anyone in a corporate environment can help?
I work at a bank in matrix structure. I was mentoring a woman more junior than me. She is Iranian and did a phd finishing last year. She's 42.
Crux of the issue is poor English: typos, poor grammar, inappropriate context etc. Basically if I don't re - write or review her written work, it is the standard of around an 11year old, with errors.

There is also an issue about inappropriate boundaries. Spreading gossip, trying to do my role, sending work out without my Review without my knowledge with errors and poor English. I was her mentor previously nd introduced her to another group that she's trying to feeeze me
Out of.

I've spoken to her informally and formally via feedback about the boundaries and need to improve English.

This week I heard two
More instances of inappropriate gossip and she sent our 2 emails with poor English, one with a rubbish quality document attached.

I've escalated to my informal line manager and proper line manager.

Obviously it is now awkward between us which is a shame as I like her as a person. I just don't know why she hasn't listened to feedback and why she is trying to do aspects of my role she's not meant to, which she knows would really annoy me.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? It's awkward as I'm
Not her line manager but am more senior than her (2 grades).

Note: this is not goody about non-English native speakers.

I haven't been in your situation, but if you I would take this every seriously and I am glad you have escalated it. Taking the language issue out of it, she is gossiping, trying to freeze you out, trying to take over parts of your job and sending out unacceptable emails. This is not the sign of a good employee.

Erm You're saying this woman has poor English?

You've done the right thing. Let your superior/s manage it and try not to take it personally.
Out of curiosity, how could she have completed a PhD if her written English is so poor?

I honestly don't know re:English level. PhD isn't from a top uni and in a science subject.

Your manager isn't dyslexic, is she, OP? It's a lot more common than people realise and it can be doubly difficult if someone is working in a language that's not their mother tongue. I'm not making excuses for her though, especially not with regards to her gossiping and undermining you, just wondering. I'm also wondering about the PhD, but she may have had extra assistance or support from the uni? And if it was a scientific PhD then the maths or the lab results may have carried it. You've definitely done the right thing though.

When you describe your, ( very identifiable), colleague as having poor English, do you mean that it is badly punctuated, does not 'flow' and is capitalized where it shouldn't be and not where it should be?

Are you sure it's her written skills that are poor?

OP’s written English appears to be fine, for the snarkers above 🙄. Pass on to senior leadership and start a competency process if she continues to behave like this OP.

Out of curiosity, how could she have completed a PhD if her written English is so poor?

I work in a University and you wouldn't believe the level of English some of our PhD students have. Utterly incomprehensible written communication and spoken English so poor that I sometimes struggle to even get the gist of what they want from me.

loobylooz
do you have phd yourself?

Amused bush - thanks for that I didn't realise. I thought there was a guaranteed standard before entry to a phD but I guess universities are grateful for the students and funding.

I have changed some details about the colleague so no, they are not identifiable.

Thanks for all who responded. Hard to know sometimes what to do in these situations.

loobylooz

We ask for IELTS at 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element as a guarantee of English proficiency. However there is a loophole if you have previously studied in an English speaking country, so someone can bumble through their undergraduate degree with sub-par language skills and then walk into a postgraduate programme so long as their grades meet the minimum.

I've seen it happen a lot.

You do need to speak to the woman face to face and tell her where she is going wrong. Gossip in the workplace, unless it is about fairly innocuous or even pleasant things, should not be tolerated. Her written English is something she can work on and will learn with help.

These are the sort of problems that many English people have, I've experienced that. Naturally it's worse if someone doesn't have english as a first language, however it's amazing how quickly people from overseas pick up language.

She must know she is under performing and crossing boundaries.

Nyon, I do not feel the need to repeat my comments in my first post - anyone with a modicum of intelligence can see the correlation between the OP's thread and my observations - the standard of written English is what one would expect from...an eleven year old. 'Physician heal thyself' are the words which spring to mind.

I fail to see the relevence of the OP's colleague having a PhD to the OP's original concern - the award of a PhD to anyone is a major achievement, not least one for whom English is not their first language. Even if it is from a university which is, in the OP's implied opinion, inferior and in a field clearly beneath contempt.

The original post appears to be written by one who is xenophobic, jealous, dislikes said colleague, despite protestations to the contrary, and is, perhaps, fearful that the colleague is, or could be, a better performer than themselves.

If this is what the corporate bubble is like I thank my lucky stars that I but a humble gardener and do not have to spend my days sitting on my pinstriped backside, polishing a chair, trying to climb the greasy pole, whilst undermining anyone who might be a potential threat.

Ascerbic my comments might be, but with good reason - my partner has just submitted her draft PhD thesis, 14 years after starting her first degree and English is not her first language either. I have seen first hand how she has had to struggle against these difficulties and predjudices to achieve what she has. And her written English would put to shame many for whom it is a first language

Hang fire with the xenophobia. I ont think an observation on the state dard of someone language skills is inherently xenophobic. In a work situation, I do think a certain proficiency is necessary to communicate clearly.
When I lived in Spain and was developing my fluency, I would ask people to repeat phrases if I didnt catch them. Sometime they would be patient other times not, but I just saw it as part of learning. And believe me, the Spanish are or shy about making an observation.

If you are going to nitpick Beekeeper, then you used capitalise with a 'z' in your first post and not with an 's'. English takes an 's', US English uses a 'z'.

Furthermore, you might like to spot your mistake in this paragraph
If this is what the corporate bubble is like I thank my lucky stars that I but a humble gardener and do not have to spend my days sitting on my pinstriped backside, polishing a chair, trying to climb the greasy pole, whilst undermining anyone who might be a potential threat.

People in glasshouses and all that.

The OP is not referring to your partner, but to someone who is ignoring what she has been told to do by someone senior to her in the workplace. It doesn't matter what her written English is like...she presumably understands instructions, but chooses not to follow them. That is the crux of the matter. It wouldn't matter were she a native speaker; it's the wilful refusal to do as she has been instructed that is the issue here.