Whole Foods revises employee language policy

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Whole Foods revises employee language policy
By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated Press | June 14, 2013 | Updated: June 14, 2013 6:31pm

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Facing threats of national boycotts from Latino groups and a slew of online petitions, Whole Foods announced Friday that the organic grocery chain has revised its employee language policy following the suspension of two Spanish-speaking Albuquerque employees.

Whole Foods Market Inc. Co-CEO Walter Robb said in a blog post Friday that the recent "unfortunate incident" in Albuquerque prompted the Austin, Texas-based company to revise a policy that "does not reflect and is not in alignment with the spirit of this company."

"First, we sincerely apologize that a section of our handbook regarding Team Member interactions in the workplace was not clearly written, and for any misunderstandings or offense it has created," Robb wrote. "Its intention was to foster inclusion, not exclusion."

Last week, two Albuquerque workers said they were suspended for a day with pay after complaining about the policy. A Whole Foods spokesman said that previous policy required that all "English-speaking workers must speak English to customers and other employees while on the clock, unless the customer speaks another language."


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Whole-Foods-revises-employee-language-policy-4601571.php

[WestStar]

1. The employees "received paid, one-day suspensions for their workplace behavior

OK, I read the article. Will someone please explain what this whole kerfunkle was about?

If they speak English they have to speak English to their fellow workers and customers unless the fellow workers and customers speak another language?

[niyad]

2. even if they do speak english, why should they have to if they are speaking with a co-worker?

perhaps they are more comfortable with the other language? or perhaps the customer would be more comfortable as well?

it never bothered me to hear co-workers speaking another language (and, unlike some of my co-workers, I did not automatically assume they were talking about me) I have never understood why people get so upset. when I was growing up, it sounded like the UN around me.

[Posteritatis]

4. Yeah, most of the complaints boil down to "everything is all about me"

They're either asserting a right to eavesdrop or claiming that conversations in other languages are actually about them, both of which are the kind of absurd flights of ego that don't deserve much respect in the first place.

Probably a good third of the staff at the place I work are first- or second-generation immigrants from all six inhabited continents. If people share a common first language, they'll use that when talking shop and switch over to English or French if other employees need to take part. The idea of getting offended by that isn't even on the organization's radar.

It shouldn't be anywhere else, and companies shouldn't make a point of handling policies in a way that kowtows to bigots - especially if it's someplace like New Mexico where three in ten people speak Spanish to begin with. If someone feels that wronged at hearing another language, they should move to a more comfortably homogeneous state.

[FlaGranny]

6. It might not bother a liot of people

but consider this. I work in a place that has a maintenance crew. We had 3 Spanish speakers, all of whom could speak English, and one English-only speaker. On all breaks and lunches, the 3 Spanish speakers spoke Spanish. The other guy sat around feeling awkward and left out. Always thought that it was extremely rude.

P.S. It doesn't matter what languages are being spoken, common courtesy should apply. Two coworkers both speaking the same language, though, it seems over-the-top to discipline them as they communicate much better in their native language.

[Lisa0825]

12. I worked in a lab where everyone but me spoke Chinese. They also spoke English....

They preferred to speak to each other in Chinese because it was easier for them, but when I walked into the room, they instantly switched over to English out of consideration for me.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. The new policy reflects what should have been the intent of the old policy,

namely being mindful and considerate of others who don't speak the language.

I have no idea what the original intent was but I've seen enough corporate policies written with too much rigidity then later relaxed to assume that the intent was bigotry. The bigger problem with hard rules like their original policy is that petty dictators in management wield them like a cudgel.

[Posteritatis]

3. And yet the company itself agrees that the policy as it was implemented is inappropriate. (nt)

[hobbit709]

7. The only reason they got paid suspensions was that it became public.

And knowing Whole Paycheck they probably paid them out of their vacation time.

[hamster]

5. Whole Foods is just no damn good.

In Columbus, Ohio, a Whole Foods manager was convicted of giving co-workers drugs so that he could sexually assault them. It was all good with Whole Foods. The manager kept his job.

[L0oniX]

10. Ass Whole Foods!

[hamster]

13. Excellent!

[MannyGoldstein]

9. Not enforced in the Boston area

At least not at some of the stores.

[Sivafae]

14. I read all the time on Yelp about workers talking shit about the customers in their native language.

Here it is usually nail salons that do this. I have read review after review about the workers talking shit about the customers in Vietnamese. Unbeknownst to the workers some of the customers also speak the language, so they get busted by the Yelp! reviewers that let people know of their behaviour.