To think this is discrimination or at least unfair?

[Sweet666]

So today the manager at work told us we can only speak English unless we are explaining the work... not allowed to chat basically except in English. So people who can talk good English are allowed to have chats all day but if you can't speak English then you're not allowed to have a chat. I think this is wrong and unfair. Why should you have to be silent all day if you can't speak English but if you are English or speak good English then you're allowed to chat as much as you want?
4

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

@LakeGeneva

Yeah it's discrimination. For people saying "you need to speak the language of the country you're in", how many of the English chavs in eg Dubai speak Arabic?

That said, if you're in a marginal group then your options are limited.

Well to them I would say they should learn Arabic🤷🏻 These arguments are just not really smart honestly.
The fact that someone doesn't do something right doesn't mean everyone has to just say "fuck it".

[SimonJT]

@Moondust001

In England/Wales language is a protected characteristic.

No, it isn't.

It is under the equality act of 2010

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

It's a good practice in my opinion. Helps to integrate the workforce. Improves the language skills of those less fluent. Helps to prevent people being excluded

This - and even more so as you said everyone's in their own little groups at the moment

The sector I used to recruit in involved very many who first language was non-English, who often thought it didn't matter because those they'd be speaking to professionally were frequently non-English too

It does matter, especially if - as seems possible in your case - it could create health and safety issues too

[Riojasmoothy]

I think ot makes perfect sense for a workforce to speak the sane language. Co.mu ication issues are the biggest source of disharmony in a workplace.

[Mumofsend]

If its in England then speak English. Likewise I wouldn't go to Spain and then refuse to speak Spanish.

[LakeGeneva]

Well to them I would say they should learn Arabic

You might say it but it means fuck all. As an English speaking person you can go where the fuck you like and speak English and you won't be required to do otherwise or be threatened with losing your job as a result. Health and safety/cultural niceties notwithstanding, it doesn't matter a damn.

But somehow it's different in the UK?

[Aprilx]

It is very common for employers in the UK to insist that only English is used. It would be relatively straightforward for an employer to justify why they have this requirement and so long as they do that justification, they are not going to be found guilty of discrimination.

[TonMoulin]

I am an EU citizen. I get the reason why they are saying 'speak english'.

One of the issue is that people will be speaking their langague and it is impossible to know what is been said. So basically, at work, you could be talking about your weekend, asking for help on what you are doing or bitching about the supervisor, something you would never do if everyone was speaking english.

What I think is not OK to put people in groups according to their nationality. Because of course then there is no way anyone who isnt totally fluent will improve their english. And you also dont make great progress if you speak to someone whose english isnt great.
Being able to speak only with natives (who dont know your langauge) is that you get to lear new words. You dont need to say it in your language first for someone to translate. I know I invented words, used very weird descriptions or just poiinted at things. If people english are good enoiugh to understand instruction or explain what sort of issues they have at work/with the work, then I expect them to be able to do the same for a 'normal' conversation.

[Riojasmoothy]

Let me start again-
I think it makes perfect sense for a workforce to speak one language.
Communication issues are the biggest source of disharmony in the workplace.

[evouk]

I had an office job once where there was six employees. Three English, three Polish. I'm English.

The Poles were told by management not to speak in Polish.

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

@LakeGeneva

Well to them I would say they should learn Arabic

You might say it but it means fuck all. As an English speaking person you can go where the fuck you like and speak English and you won't be required to do otherwise or be threatened with losing your job as a result. Health and safety/cultural niceties notwithstanding, it doesn't matter a damn.

But somehow it's different in the UK?

No, it's nkt somehow different in UK. It should be a standard everywhere. People should learn at least to b1 level

[NoOneOwnsTheRainbow]

Nobody working in a British company should have zero English. That's preposterous. How did they rent a house, catch a bus, get a NINO, open a bank account etc? They must have a few phrases. My husband doesn't learn languages very well but after a few weeks abroad immersed in another language he was able to cope. I say this as someone who lives abroad and used to live abroad in another country. Learn the language. One phrase a week. Practise it in the "English only" time at work with someone else. You'll soon learn.
As for people saying "this is a nation of people who won't learn foreign languages" if everyone in the UK went abroad and jumped off bridges I wouldn't advise immigrants to the UK to do that, either.

[TonMoulin]

@Sweet666

And no we can't teach English because we need Romanian to teach English like if we say 'this in English' means ' this in Romanian' we can't say 'this in Romanian' because its not explaining the work
I've never seen this problem before in any job in England. We have Romanian supervisors and Polish supervisors... All my jobs here has been the same, some of my jobs in England even had only Romanian speakers like jobs in fields it is usually Romanian people and Romanian supervisor. The boss knew a lot of people can't speak English when he gave them a job

My experience in the UK is that it has been very unsual to have so many people from the same foreign origin that you could just work with anoither langage wo bothering with english.

Actually working wioth people with lots of different background, everyone speaking english is the only way for everyone to understand eah other!

[LakeGeneva]

Likewise I wouldn't go to Spain and then refuse to speak Spanish.

You'd still get a job though in lots of places, even if you only spoke English. Bars, restaurants, hotels, the entire English language teaching industry. And it is an industry.

Pmsl at people whose mother tongue is English comparing their experience of global working with someone whose mother tongue is Romanian.

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

How did they rent a house, catch a bus, get a NINO, open a bank account etc?

Agency with hefty charges

[Moondust001]

It can be covered under race/nationality so theoretically it may be. In some cases

Race is the protected characteristic. Not language. And not nationality. The OP would need to demonstrate that the employer is discriminating by expecting employees to use the national language of the country whilst in the workplace. There are more than enough grounds upon which they could justify that decision. There is no right to "chat" in the workplace. And even if there was, they are not discriminating - any Romanian/ Pole or whatever who wishes to chat may do so. In English. If they are on their own time they can speak any language they wish. But you would struggle to justify claiming discrimination because some people cannot speak English and wants to chat at work.

[gabsdot45]

It depends where you work, eg in my local Lidl there are a lot of Polish employees who speak Polish among themselves while serving customers etc.
I don't care but can see how this might annoy customers

[Sirzy]

It sounds like they need to mix the groups up if their aim is to stop segregation. Sounds very bizzare grouping employees like that in the first place

[NoOneOwnsTheRainbow]

People need to stop seeing rules as a threat and start seeing them as non-optional opportunities to improve. It's the same issue with people not following lockdown rules.

[LakeGeneva]

It should be a standard everywhere. People should learn at least to b1 level

Yeahbut it isn't. If you wanted to go to Romania now this minute, you could. You wouldn't have to learn a word of Romanian.

[PatButchersRightEarring]

I’ve been multilingual my entire life and I’ve always been brought up to know that you talk the language that the most people in the room speak. It is really rude otherwise. Where I work we have a small group of Spanish people that speak Spanish amongst each other, which in itself is ok but when they’re shouting across and talking loudly in the tea room and work place, it’s not ok and very rude.

[Grenlei]

I don't think we need to turn this into some English people are xenophobic debate.

There are many valid reasons for insisting English is spoken in an English workplace. Why would someone be working in England for more than a few weeks without even a basic command of English? It's very easy to pick up a language when it's being spoken around you all the time.

Most people I know who work long term in the Middle East are able to speak Arabic. I think you need to distinguish between people actually working there and Instagram influencer 'chavs' who are there on holiday (albeit claiming it as work to avoid lockdown travel restrictions).

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

And not nationality.

Nationality is a protected characteristic under race. It also includes ethnic origins.
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/9

All that may in some cases translate to discrimination because of language-nationality.

[Covidcorvid]

I guess he’s trying to foster a good team atmosphere but he’s probably going to have the end result. People aren’t going to be happy, they won’t be as productive and they’ll probably end up leaving/having more time off sick. Is he worried about the people who don’t speak Polish/Romanian feeling left out?

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

@LakeGeneva

It should be a standard everywhere. People should learn at least to b1 level

Yeahbut it isn't. If you wanted to go to Romania now this minute, you could. You wouldn't have to learn a word of Romanian.

So what. We are talkinga about here.