Bridging the Culture Gap

by Meta L. Levin

Debbie Bartsch remembers her first landscape job. “I dressed like an office lady with shoes that were not back- lot friendly,” she says. When she was introduced to the crews, they looked at her as if they were asking, “Who is this princess?”

She immediately realized that her attempt to impress her new employer had backfired. After that, Bartsch who works in production scheduling for Chalet, went out to the back lot once a day and tried to learn a little Spanish. It wasn’t, however, until she brought a crock pot of chili into the office and invited anyone to take some, that the ice broke.

“Food,” she says, “is the fastest form of bonding.” People from the office and the crews mingled while they ate. It was so successful that her employer gave her a monthly budget to keep it going and the lunchtime sharing kept growing. Eventually, she arranged for catering from a Mexican restaurant. “It was fantastic team building.”

Bernie’s Story

Bernie Carranza, whose successful webinar, Lost in Translation: The Five Things Businesses Must Understand About the Latinx Culture, was presented in 2020, is not surprised. “It is ingrained in the Mexican culture to share food,” he says. “The act of eating together is a sacred ritual.”

In fact, says Carranza, landscape contractors may see their crews sharing food during their lunch breaks. One may bring and heat tortillas and distribute them, while others may contribute other parts of the meal. “It’s nurturing,” he says. “If you are invited to share, then you are viewed as part of the group.”

Bartsch, Carranza and former ILCA President, José Garcia, were part of a group that presented a four-part program, Uniting Latino and American Culture in the Workplace, during the 2022 iLandscape One Fiesta. Sponsored and organized by the ILCA Latino & Americano Committee, the sessions focused on understanding and appreciating the differences in the two cultures.

Identifying the Need Spanish speakers and Latino employees make up more than 50 percent of the Illinois landscape industry. The sessions were based on the belief that it will benefit everyone if the two cultures understand each other. The sessions were presented in Spanish and most of the audience was composed of employees, although there was a mix of American owners, as well. Another series is planned in English. “We felt the focus should be on the appreciation of the differences,” says Garcia. “It’s time to get rid of the conflicts from the lack of understanding each other’s cultures.” For example, Garcia noted that each needs to understand why the other reacts in a certain manner. The idea was to allow attendees to walk away with something tangible, information that could be applied in the real world immediately. “We tried to provide information that would be useful,” says Garcia. “We wanted to give the membership tools to use.”

The better the understanding, the more an employee feels comfortable, the better the retention and the happier they are. If people are happy, the better the production. So, the (continued on page 12)

(continued from page 10) knowledge of each other is valuable. It helps avoid conflicts, promotes respect for each culture and helps to avoid mistakes.

Avoiding Stereotypes

It also avoids stereotypes. “Stereotypes damage relationships,” he says.

Often Latinos are seen as not ambitious. That is not true, says Carranza. “They are taught to be quiet, to not speak up and not to rock the boat,” he says. As an example, he remembers early in his career that he drove an unsafe truck, rather than tell his boss. So, Carranza suggests that a non-Latino boss may have to find different ways of emphasizing that it is important to speak up or ask a question.

Americanos feel good about giving an opinion, says Garcia. Many Latinos, however, do not feel comfortable speaking out. While the boss may ask how to do something better and faster, the employee might not find it easy to give an opinion.

Show the Path

Find a way to make it clear how to move up in the company, says Garcia. Advancement is important. For instance, what must an employee do to become a crew chief or foreman? “Let them know what options there are to move on,” he says.

Such clarity can reap rewards for both sides. Garcia, who now owns his own company, Natural Creations Landscaping, remembers that 20 years ago he had employees making $30,000 a year. Those same employees now make six figures. “They are my diamonds,” he says. “Many did not have a formal education, but they are just as smart as those who did.” For Garcia, the key is that he is Latino – a native of Mexico – and, thus, understands the culture. There is no reason, however, that Americanos can’t learn to understand the culture of their Latino employees.

The differences in body language are often overlooked. “A lot of Latinos are humble and it is not natural for them to immediately make eye contact,” says Bartsch.

Family is important to the Latino community. So, if an Americano boss tells an employee there is a lot of work and he must work on Saturday and Sunday, the Latino employee may not speak up, but will be resentful that it will interfere with things that are important to him, like going to church, doing laundry, buying groceries and spending time with the family. “Anglos may argue,” says Garcia. “But many Latinos don’t feel comfortable speaking out.”

Effective Communications

As an employer, says Garcia, it’s important to determine what is the most effective way to communicate – big meetings, small meetings or one-on-one.

Garcia tells his employees that his door is always open. They can talk to him about a problem or just stop by to say hello. He tries to make it comfortable for them to make comments or suggestions. And many of them do. Garcia, a native Spanish speaker who learned English after moving to the United States, believes it is important that his employees do, as well. He encourages them to speak English on the job, although that does not extend to their informal lunch breaks. His wife is an ESL (English as a Second

Language) teacher and Garcia pushes

ESL and other education at work. “I teach a class where I emphasize education,” he says. “I tell them that being ignorant is going to cost more. Even in daily life, learning

English will open windows that they don’t think can be opened. I tell them to embrace the language.” He has concentrated on furthering his education since coming to the United States, taking classes in law, business, marketing and other subjects.

Lead From the Front

He also leads by example. Just because he is the boss and owns the company doesn’t mean that he doesn’t pick up garbage if he sees it or grab a broom and sweep up the floor. “I have no problem with doing labor,” he says. (continued on page 14)

(continued from page 12) “I will drive a big piece of equipment if we need to get something done.” So, when necessary, he often is working alongside his employees.

In that way, he also can identify employees’ quality of work. So, for instance, if he notices that an employee operates a smaller piece of equipment with skill and care, he will give that person a chance to move up to a larger, more complicated one.

“I start to separate people by their willingness to do what it takes to get the job done,” he says. “I see their skills, but also if they have common sense.” He will look for the worker who doesn’t just run a machine, but can hear if something is wrong before it breaks down and will fix it; “somebody who cares.” The Referral Chain

Often, new employees especially at the labor level, come through recommendations from current employees. They may be friends or relatives. And they may not speak much English. In those cases, Carranza recommends having someone act as a translator when talking with them about the job.

Americanos understand about a job interview, but “the concept is almost nonexistent in Mexico,” he says.

If you are hiring someone for a special job in the labor field, it might be more useful to give a hands-on test. Ask them to operate the machinery or perform the task. Conversely, hire the person on a contingency basis. Put him on a crew headed by an experienced crew chief or foreman and see how he does. (continued on page 16)

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Of course, there also is the issue of onboarding, introducing the new hire to team members. It is, says Carranza, a way of satisfying the cultural need to be recognized. Garcia recommends introducing the new hire to the crew chief or foreman and having that person introduce him to the crew. That will ensure that it will be done with sensitivity to the culture.

Carranza’s concern is attracting the sons and daughters of the immigrant Latinos now working in the industry.

“How do we make the job attractive to the second generation?” he says. These potential employees are better educated, speak English well and understand the American system, but do not seem to be interested in landscape jobs.

Right or wrong, they also may not be seen as productive or hardworking as their immigrant parents. He is particularly concerned with the current labor shortage. “What are we doing to market the industry to them?”

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