Improving communication with foreign speakers on the shop floor

Thanks to the international labour market and global economy, an increasing number of foreign languages are spoken in the workplace. Dutch companies in the metalworking and technological industries asked for support to improve communication on the shop floor with workers who do not speak the official company language.Having various foreign languages on the shop floor brings the risk of miscommunication, which may result in unsafe situations, accidents, and health problems.The aim of the project described in this paper was to develop tools that companies can apply directly to improve bidirectional communication on the shop floor. We did this in co-creation with professionals from several companies. The information was gathered by collecting workplace practices and experiences as well as by conducting literature research.We developed a brochure with tips and an online dictionary.The brochure describes how companies can apply basic measures to improve communication on the shop floor: (1) determining the company’s official language(s) on the shop floor, (2) interpreting, (3) translating, (4) working with pictures, (5) organising the work in order to minimise language barriers, (6) learning the official language as a second language.An online dictionary was launched with specific terminology for the metalworking and technological industries. The terms have been translated into 12 languages, and include their phonetic pronunciation. Also 80 pictograms have been included, giving a non-verbal means for communication.The materials were launched in January 2011. In mid-October, nearly 1200 companies had already consulted the online dictionary and/or downloaded the tips.

► Foreign languages on the shop floor result in miscommunication and unsafe situations.
► Companies in the metalworking and technological industries asked for support.
► A brochure with tips and an online dictionary (words and pictograms) were developed.
► The tools were made in co-creation with companies from this sector.
► Over a period of 9 months nearly 1200 companies consulted the tools.