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The Hmong in the American Workplace: Accommodating Culture, Ritual and Tradition*
Question:
My company recently hired a Hmong employee. The woman, whose daughter is quite ill, asked to take time off according to the recommendation of her Shaman. The Shaman stated that she should stay home to administer special medicines to her daughter while recovering. The employee has not accrued much vacation at this point and it is our busiest time. What should we do?
Response:
The key to addressing this situation is not to deal with it on a cultural level, but rather, on a human level. The bottom line is that you have an employee with a sick child. Whether there is a shaman or a Western medical doctor involved in her treatment, the issue should be treated the same.
It is helpful to have company policies that are flexible if you truly wish to value and retain your employees. Options in this case might include: time off without pay, offering sick leave or a leave of absence, or finding a substitute so that the employee can tend to her sick child.
It is important to note that, on a cultural level, Hmong people most times will not discuss an intimate family situation unless it is critical. Most Hmong people also view family life as more important than work life. As a company or organization, you must understand your employees' backgrounds and their needs as well as show flexibility to retain your best people.
Question:
We have several Hmong employees who are helping to sponsor refugees coming over from Thailand . They have hinted to me that perhaps the new refugees might be able to find positions in our company. I am afraid that I will not be able to communicate with them or understand them and their experiences. What should I do?
Response:
The new Hmong refugees coming from Thailand are much more prepared to transition into American life than were the earlier Hmong immigrants who came in the 1970s and 1980s. Although many do not speak English, most have learned more than one language and are able to read and write. Most have also been engaged in labor in Thailand and have developed skills that can allow them to work in many companies in the US . These new immigrants want to work and can be very dedicated employees.
Companies can accommodate the needs of the new Hmong refugees in a variety of ways. Hmong employees and resource groups currently at the company can act to recruit and train new employees, especially when language barriers are an issue. A channel of communication can be developed through Hmong employees that are already working at your company. It is also an excellent opportunity for mentorship, both with other Hmong employees as well as other members of the employee population. Videos can be used as training tools when no Hmong employee groups are available. Physical signs should also be in place in a variety of languages. An excellent way to train and retain new Hmong employees (as well as people of other backgrounds) is to offer ESL courses at the work site.
Question:
I am head of the human resources department, and we have hired over sixty new employees to work at our facility, several of which are Hmong. I know that they can speak English, but when they are together, they usually speak in their own Hmong language. Many employees at the company have expressed their discomfort in these situations. They have complained that they feel left out of the conversation or feel paranoid that the Hmong employees are saying things about them. What should we do?
Response:
From a legal standpoint, you cannot force any employee to speak in English at the work site.
In any language, it is always easier to express yourself in your native tongue. Particularly if English is a second or third language, thoughts and ideas can be transmitted more fluently in the language with which you were raised. It can also be mentally fatiguing to constantly translate in your head in order to communicate. Thus, when Hmong employees are together, they will tend to speak in Hmong. This tendency will be seen amongst other employee groups as well, whose native language is not English.
From a cultural vantage point, there are other reasons why Hmong employees will speak in Hmong together. Greetings are very important in Hmong culture. When two Hmong people meet, they will exchange specific greetings in Hmong, depending on the relationship, the rank of the individual (elders are treated with great respect), or the circumstance. Hmong people also tend to keep their family lives very private. If a Hmong person must speak about an issue relative to his family or other personal matters, he is more likely to speak to another colleague in Hmong to safeguard his privacy.
On another level, some Hmong people choose to speak and interact with other Hmong because of fear. They may fear that they will not be able to make friends outside of their community. They may also fear that they will be judged if they make mistakes when speaking English. Integrity is very important in Hmong culture, and many Hmong people will not want to put themselves in uncomfortable situations if there is a chance that they will be ridiculed.
Workplaces can best try to eliminate these concerns by integrating employees and encouraging them to know one another. Engaging in team-building activities can help to diminish some of the discomfort. It might also be a good idea to learn a few words in Hmong. It will show your willingness to be open to another's culture by learning their language and take a step toward understanding the person as a whole.
* The questions and answers above were part of an in-depth discussion of Hmong culture at an MCDC workshop, featuring panelists and experts in Hmong culture, including Michael Yang, Chengny Thao-Yang, Kazoua Kong-Thao, Kao Ly Ilean Her, Xang Vang and Tougeu Leepalao.
For these and other Frequently Asked Questions, visit MCDC's new online resource center www.sharingdiversity.com.
Copyright 2007 MultiCultural Development Center (MCDC), All Rights Reserved
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