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Original poster

Should my colleague help or am I being racist?

140 replies

madamreign · 15/09/2023 12:40

We have a new hire. She is very experienced and qualified, but she is from overseas and is struggling. English is not her first language and I'm in awe of anybody who can do a professional job in a second language. If we can get her over her problems (confidence, communication, ways of working etc) she'll be a really asset to the business.

I'm trying my best to listen, understand and help her settle in. Taking cues from her on how to deal with this- I want to her to succeed!

I have a colleague who was born in the UK but who's parents came from the same country that our new hire did. I know they speak the language.

Would it be wrong to request that my colleague to help the new hire?

OP posts:
justhereforthecraic · 15/09/2023 15:13

you would not be racist at all. I think its a clever idea. I work in Social housing and we utilize different colleagues from different backgrounds when dealing with language barriers etc. I know it helps ease the tenants frustration when they can communicate effectively with someone with a shared language. My Colleagues don't mind it either. They are only too happy to help. I would make sure you discuss it first with your colleauge.

Mble · 15/09/2023 15:53

You could ask your colleague if she would be willing to help out. Requesting her to do it without speaking to her about it first, would be presumptuous.

10HailMarys · 15/09/2023 16:01

Have a chat with your colleague and ask if she would mind helping out with anything that’s being lost in translation, as it were. If she’s not keen, then don’t push it. Make it very clear that you’re only asking because you’re aware she’s fluent in your new hire’s language (ie not because you assume they’ll get along because they’re the same ethnic background) and I don’t think it would be perceived as racist.

Verytall · 15/09/2023 16:02

As others have said, the key is asking rather than presuming. I'd also consider if there's anything you can do to temporarily take something else off said colleagues workload so she doesn't feel that she's having to take on extra work due to having a language skill. They may not mind, but it'd be a nice gesture if it's possible

Dacadactyl · 15/09/2023 16:05

I don't think it's bad to ask her.

I have a colleague who is multilingual and he deals with all the clients in the languages he speaks, because otherwise our service would have to pay for an interpreter.

RamsesTheChub · 15/09/2023 16:08

Mble · 15/09/2023 15:53

You could ask your colleague if she would be willing to help out. Requesting her to do it without speaking to her about it first, would be presumptuous.

^ this

I think it's entirely reasonable (certainly not racist), but are you sure the colleague doesn't already do this?

Seems odd someone wouldn't use that point of commonality to help already (though could be many reasons why not).

thinkfast · 15/09/2023 16:58

I think if you are working in an English speaking environment, you should expect your new recruit to follow instructions that are given in English, without the need for the other colleague to translate. I think it could cause an ongoing communication issue if your new colleague needs a translator and if your other colleague is asked to be the translator. Your new recruit needs to step up.

RamsesTheChub · 15/09/2023 17:18

thinkfast · 15/09/2023 16:58

I think if you are working in an English speaking environment, you should expect your new recruit to follow instructions that are given in English, without the need for the other colleague to translate. I think it could cause an ongoing communication issue if your new colleague needs a translator and if your other colleague is asked to be the translator. Your new recruit needs to step up.

OP implied they are speaking English, this is about supplementary support.

whyisitallsohard · 15/09/2023 17:20

Do not do this!! Yes it is racist. Are you her manager? If not, do not get involved. If you are, ask the new hire what she wants to encourage her to ask for help where she feels she can get it best.

notquiteruralbliss · 15/09/2023 17:23

Asking them to help sounds a good idea. I work for a non UK company and most people I work with are nationals of that country.

The working language on all our projects is English and in theory all communication should be in English. However when discussing complicated subjects, of course it makes sense for people to do so in whichever language works best for them. it’s easy to over simplify if there is a language barrier.

JustFrustrated · 15/09/2023 17:25

whyisitallsohard · 15/09/2023 17:20

Do not do this!! Yes it is racist. Are you her manager? If not, do not get involved. If you are, ask the new hire what she wants to encourage her to ask for help where she feels she can get it best.

Can you expand on why it's racist?

Foxblue · 15/09/2023 17:26

When you say they are struggling, is this something they have acknowledged themselves and asked you for help with? If so, then I think you ask them if it would help first - if they havnt openly addressed that they are struggling due to the 2nd language element then you need to approach that first without mentioning the other colleague at all.
Also this only applies if you manage them - if you don't, just flag to your manager that colleague A is struggling.

CherryMaDeara · 15/09/2023 17:28

This is fine as long as it’s framed as a request and colleague agrees. She should also get recognition as this could add to her workload.

RamsesTheChub · 15/09/2023 17:29

whyisitallsohard · 15/09/2023 17:20

Do not do this!! Yes it is racist. Are you her manager? If not, do not get involved. If you are, ask the new hire what she wants to encourage her to ask for help where she feels she can get it best.

So inclusion is now racist - Britain gone mad.

Nanny0gg · 15/09/2023 17:31

whyisitallsohard · 15/09/2023 17:20

Do not do this!! Yes it is racist. Are you her manager? If not, do not get involved. If you are, ask the new hire what she wants to encourage her to ask for help where she feels she can get it best.

What?? Why??

And sometimes new hires who are struggling need to be helped rather than asked

Wakintoblueskies · 15/09/2023 17:31

The police do this don’t they?
On Border Control (my guilty pleasure) they always have customs officers who can speak to visitors in their own language.

Do make sure you give the person you are requesting to help the new start more time to do their own work or else reduce their workload.

In my kid’s school last year, one child was an interpreter for a child who did not speak or know English for at least a year. It must have really impacted on the child translator’s own work. If I’d been their parent I’d have insisted other kids who knew the language, had to take it in turns.

WhateverMate · 15/09/2023 17:32

Are you her manager?

What if the other person asks for extra pay? I mean they'd be taking on extra duties outside of their job description.

If you're not her manager, find out who is and speak to them.

Embarrassednamechangeadoddle · 15/09/2023 17:35

I don’t think it is racist but I do think it is risky to expect a colleague to support another just because they speak the same language and are from the same country.

my issue would be I would have expected the colleague to have offered to help if she was happy to. The fact she hasn’t suggests maybe she doesn’t want to. It would be unfair to ask her to act as interpreter just because she is from the same place if it isn’t part of her role.

moresleepthanks · 15/09/2023 17:37

DH works for an international organization, we have been helped by others of our ethnicity who speak our language and have likewise helped others.
I would talk to the local employee first and ask if they are okay with reaching out to new person first to support them with the settling in period.
We personally have always been happy to help and be helped.

greenspaces4peace · 15/09/2023 17:38

Language isn’t race based.
I’d suggest this to the manager.

Evieanne · 15/09/2023 17:38

Just say to your colleague “I’m having difficulty understanding her can you give me some guidance. She struggles with English and speaks x language and I was wondering if you could be able to help.” If my white colleagues asked me I wouldn’t mind

moresleepthanks · 15/09/2023 17:39

But I do agree that if the local employee hasn't already offered to help the new employee they may not be a naturally supportive person so it might not be a successful idea.

WeeOrcadian · 15/09/2023 17:39

whyisitallsohard · 15/09/2023 17:20

Do not do this!! Yes it is racist. Are you her manager? If not, do not get involved. If you are, ask the new hire what she wants to encourage her to ask for help where she feels she can get it best.

Erm.... How so?

Wakintoblueskies · 15/09/2023 17:40

Another thing to check is if the person you’re expecting to help the new start is a suitable mentor? Many people can be good at their own role but not friendly enough/helpful enough to be decent mentors.

Sceptre86 · 15/09/2023 18:03

If you asked me I would struggle. I understand punjabi for example and speak it reasonably but as a second language not a first. When speaking to a native speaker they would absolutely know it's not my first language as I often put English words in and perhaps find communicating with me frustrating in itself. I use it in my work on occasion but I do explain that mine is not the best.

Do you know if your coworker speaks the language well or just enough to get by? Also I'm inclined to think if they haven't helped already they either can't or don't want to because it's not in their job description. In certain countries there isn't just the one language spoken to so I'd check that before you speak to your colleague.