Hispanic Heritage Month runs from 15 September to 15 October, and the experience of Hispanic and Latino* people at work was the topic discussed at Diversity Network’s LiveMeet event by JD Valladares-Williams, an emotional intelligence trainer. JD has worked with Harvard University and is a published scholar in human behavioural research at Columbia University’s Gender, Sexuality, and Health Center.
JD moved aged 11 from Lima in Peru to New York and says he understands first-hand the challenges of being his authentic self in the workplace. “I have assimilated into the American culture but I go between the two: in an ideal world I have the one personality, but we know that our workplaces aren’t necessarily there yet. We want to be authentic but sometimes the environment isn’t welcoming just yet. Just like for many other traditionally oppressed groups.”
Many Hispanics, says JD, are first-generation – doing things first, such as studying at university and developing themselves in the professional workplace so JD shared about the importance of mentorship as well as discussing terminology, collectivism and community. He also included challenges and tips for those wanting to support Latinos in their workplace.
Terminology
Do you know the difference between the terms Hispanic and Latin American? Hispanic is a term to describe a person with ancestry from a country primarily Spanish speaking – including Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Puerto Rico.
Latin Americans include people with origins from a country in the Americas colonised by Romance-speaking people who might speak Spanish but also French and Portuguese – so this excludes Spain but includes Brazil and French Guiana.
Latinx is a term that originated in the US. It has caused controversy because in Spanish replacing a vowel with x is not pronounceable. Latine* is the gender-neutral term. “Language always evolves but others respect male and female traditions in language. In Spain, it is officially accepted as a gender neutral term but in Latin America it is only used within queer spaces,” says JD.
“All of this means we are not monolith – complex group of people with our backgrounds,” says JD.
Workforce
There are more than 300 million Latin Americans and Hispanic people in the workforce globally: 800,000 are estimated to be in the UK and 24 million in the US.
“We are not a race, we are an ethnicity,” explains JD, noting it is difficult to categorise this group of people with common ancestry.
Culture and challenges in the workplace
JD explained his experience of being a Hispanic person in the workplace. “Hierarchy is important to me: I was taught from very early on to respect elders and authority so I am very respectful at work and show deference to authority. I also believe in community and helping each other. Collectivism is an important part of being part of the Hispanic community: when I was growing up and had too many toys, we donated the rest to others who needed them, for example. At work, because we are team players and believe in community we aren’t going to brag about individual things at work. ‘We’ is used rather than ‘I’, and sometimes we are not acknowledged for the work we do because we don’t advocate for ourselves.
“Another aspect of being a Hispanic person is personalism – we are huggers, we kiss on the cheeks! This might throw off people from other backgrounds, where handshake is enough. I consider myself to be a warm person and I like to show my personality at work; but people may think I am too friendly. For Hispanics it is hard to separate work and friendliness. Another challenge is being conflict avoidant because politeness is another tradition I follow – many Hispanics will hesitate to give negative feedback because it poses some challenges: we do have this deference to authority and might not necessarily speak up if we are given too much work, for example, or if we need something.
How can you support Hispanic and Latino workers in your organisation?
Mentorship – many of those in the workforce are the first go to college abroad or to have a professional job in a different country. Migration means that this sector of the workforce may not know people in authority who can help sponsor them.
Professional development – English may be a second language, so it is worth investing in training to ensure fair access to opportunities. Loyalty is important to many people in this sector of the community, and if a Hispanic or Latino worker feels their employer is investing in them and cares about their professional development, they will be less likely to leave the workforce and remain committed to their organsiation.
Flexible schedules – many Hispanics and Latinos are care-givers for older people or younger children.
Community engagement – if you are seeking Hispanic talent, invest in their community.
“Although we make up a large percentage of the global workforce, still not a lot is known about our community. It is complex because of the difference between race and ethnicity, which makes it difficult to talk about us as a community.
“But I hope that employers will treat their Hispanic and Latino colleagues as individuals and work together to help us reach our potential in the workforce.”
Link to JD’s slides:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGRoUcn49k/OQ4QjLIB_9R6wfUria0skw/edit \