Not speaking English at work

[HTania]

In vancouver if you can speak chinese you are fine

[TheFastOne21]

Personally if you have 2 people who are from somewhere than them speaking their native tongue is of no offense to me.

Now, if I am involved in the conversation and it breaks into another language leaving me out of it than ya it can be offensive.

[74Hunter74]

I am the only caucasian at my work. I don't speak chinese/cantonese. I only speak english so not sure what it is they are speaking. They all speaking english very well, but talk amongst themselves in their language. It used to bother me. Now I just don't care. I just listen to my music, doesn't bother me. I hear my name when they speak, don't care. I can't move forward in the company as I am the furthest I can go without buying the place and becoming owner, so worried about them planning to over take me. I personally don't really like small talk anyways, so I figure this way it keeps me out of it. I just do my job and lsiten to music.

[-DLC-]

Here's the deal though....it puts some of us at a disadvantage because we don't have the foreign language. I don't have time to learn Turkish, nor should I have to (it's difficult to learn). So I should be left out of conversation and put at an unfair disadvantage as a result?....my boss understands that I miss informaiton that I should have as a result and supports my argument...however, when he's away, people revert back to all Turkish all the time. We're in Canada people. I got hired here and should not be impeded in the workplace because I can't understand the conversation...on breaks - all for it. Speak away, I like my solitude anyhow. But, in the office, communicate so all can understand you.

[RonMexico]

Says he who can't adapt. This country is not a static place.

[AllEyezOnMe]

When people voice concern about something upsetting to them, don't classify it as whining because it's offensive. We're not you and, with that, great that that works for you but it doesn't for everyone.

Add your insight without insulting others.

[inane]

Strange how you feel that he should adapt but his co-workers shouldn't have to.

[Special Ed]

I find it annoying but acceptable. In all fairness French is a Canadian language and I don't understand much of that.

[Baka]

What I took from this...

"My co-workers speak in another language and it makes eavesdropping on their conversations harder so I am mad."

[Violator]

Here's the deal though....it puts some of us at a disadvantage because we don't have the foreign language. I don't have time to learn Turkish, nor should I have to (it's difficult to learn). So I should be left out of conversation and put at an unfair disadvantage as a result?....my boss understands that I miss informaiton that I should have as a result and supports my argument...however, when he's away, people revert back to all Turkish all the time. We're in Canada people. I got hired here and should not be impeded in the workplace because I can't understand the conversation...on breaks - all for it. Speak away, I like my solitude anyhow. But, in the office, communicate so all can understand you.

[AllEyezOnMe]

Throwing this out there. Does anyone have issues in their workplace with people not speaking English?

I find if its essential to the actual work that is going on when there needs to be communication between everyone that English must be spoken. Or else it can create confusion.

I also have co workers that I really don't have a problem with personally but if there is 2-3 of them and say me , my co worker who's African and speaks English and someone else , they speak their native language and at times it can be frustrating, especially when you hear your co workers or your own name spoken mixed in.

[Heretic]

Before I go Don Cherry on this subject, let me say that it's called common courtesy.

I work in IT, and a lot of companies (bigger ones) farm out some of their IT services to other countries.

The company, is Canadian, and English is the spoken language in all business activities.

Now, everyone basically can speak English, but a lot of these out of country personnel have very thick accents and at times it is very hard to understand what they are saying. Even what I would call multi cultural employees have a hard time understanding them. Especially when you're on a conference call.

Now, if I was working IT for say a company in Japan, then I would think nothing of it being a rule to speak Japanese at all times when working with others in that company. If I couldn't speak Japanese, then I shouldn't have applied for the job nor should I have been hired.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but if someone is going to immigrate from their country to another, they better darn well be able to speak in the preferred language of that country, else they shouldn't be allowed to immigrate to it.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

Much fail for this country.

[AllEyezOnMe]

Before I go Don Cherry on this subject, let me say that it's called common courtesy.

I work in IT, and a lot of companies (bigger ones) farm out some of their IT services to other countries.

The company, is Canadian, and English is the spoken language in all business activities.

Now, everyone basically can speak English, but a lot of these out of country personnel have very thick accents and at times it is very hard to understand what they are saying. Even what I would call multi cultural employees have a hard time understanding them. Especially when you're on a conference call.

Now, if I was working IT for say a company in Japan, then I would think nothing of it being a rule to speak Japanese at all times when working with others in that company. If I couldn't speak Japanese, then I shouldn't have applied for the job nor should I have been hired.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but if someone is going to immigrate from their country to another, they better darn well be able to speak in the preferred language of that country, else they shouldn't be allowed to immigrate to it.

[RonMexico]

Strange how you made that assumption.

[inane]

Not really. All your respones on this thread are just like your name.

[Heretic]

That's not how it works though, they have classes for people who have trouble speaking English to a level where another person can understand them. So your logic states that if you decided to pick up your stuff today and leave to a place like Paris or Japan you shouldn't be allowed there because you can't speak french or Japanese.

[-DLC-]

What I took from this...

"My co-workers speak in another language and it makes eavesdropping on their conversations harder so I am mad."

Actually more like:

"I work in a high volume, fast moving industry that requires being on top of things at all times...when people in my office share information in a foreign language DESPITE the fact that they could share that information in English so all could understand, it keeps me out of the loop". Because I clean up the slop for many of these slackers, I want to do damage control and nip their shoddy work in the bud, but the language barrier prevents me from doing so.

I get along with everyone at work and they all know/accept that I am brutally honest and pull no punches. So it's no secret it pisses me off - they're mostly just lazy and don't want to take the time to figure out the appropriate wording in English...however, they want to promote their company as a good ol' Canadian company and have suggested that "we need another good Canadian girl, just like you". So that their image presents as something different than the real deal. Quite sad, really.

[RonMexico]

Ooh, good one. So very original of you.

[hudson bay rules]

I shouldn't be allowed to "immigrate" into Japan until after I learn to speak Japanese.

In other words, I'd be a visitor only.