As a Human Resources person, I used to do hiring for a warehouse. One day four Somalian men came in to apply for jobs. Their story is one of cultural differences and the obstacles facing new immigrants. (More)
Midday Matinee is our people watching, people doing and people being feature. Join the Woodland Creatures for an afternoon break.
There are often legitimate debates about what a job really requires. I was briefly persuaded that perhaps a person did not need to read English to work in a warehouse. I hired a Latino who could not read English. A customer had ordered one $99 laser pointer. This hard working non-reader shipped him one box which had 100 laser pointers in it. Oops. The nice customer called and returned the other 99 pointers and we gave him his for free. Reading the shipping orders accurately was important.
The four Somalians had another approach to applying for jobs. By this time we had simple tests for reading that all applicants had to pass. The first man carefully explained to me as they gave their names, “I can read and write English very well.”
The next man said, “I do the numbers. I am good at math.”
The third one said, “I am very good with maps and the bus schedules. I will get us here on time.”
I forget the fourth man’s special skill but he had one. They had carefully put themselves together as a team that would have all the skills an employer would need. The reader explained that he had read that American companies liked good teamwork.
“Good point,” I told him “but I can only hire people that each have all the skills the job requires. I can’t guarantee that you could work next to each other because we are hiring for the holiday season and we move people around based on the volume.”
This discussion went on for a bit. They explained their culture of community to me and I loved it. I learned a lot listening to them. For all our talk about teamwork, we are not that kind of a work culture in most places. I then gave them information on where they could sign up for free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes and encouraged them to return when they could each pass the tests.
Reading is not just a problem for immigrants. We had Americans with high school diplomas not pass the reading tests. Applicants also had to pass a test lifting 75 pounds repeatedly and a drug test. I can relate to not having welfare recipients take drugs tests but one stoned guy driving an expensive forklift into a post and getting hurt made that a no brainer for our hiring process. And, if you’re wondering we gave them to all applicants for every job.
Unemployment was very low when I had my job. I have little sympathy for people who say that ‘other people’ ought to just “get a job.” They have no idea, now with higher unemployment what hurdles people face.
The Latino was made a janitor and sent off to ESL classes. He learned to read and write English well enough to return to the warehouse. He also passed the citizenship test and all of HR and his supervisors went to his swearing-in at the state fair.
This is an amazing story. 🙂 Why do I get the feeling that if you had been able to hire all four of them for one job you would have gotten some really hard workers?
That’s a totally different view of community and teamwork than what we usually see, and I applaud these Somali men. I hope they found a place.
It’s also wonderful about your Latino worker, and that you all went to his citizenship ceremony. How beautiful.
I’m thinking as I read this of all the hurdles so many people are facing just trying to get into the work force. I know some of them, and not by any stretch of the imagination could they be called unable. But for those who have problems, I wish we could find a way to be more creative in providing jobs.
You’ve given me a lot of food for thought. Thanks!
The easiest accommodation to make was for deaf employees. A series of colored lights was installed to add to the bells they couldn’t hear.
Whoever ended up with the Somalians probably got some very hard workers and great attitudes. 🙂
What a fascinating look at a different culture, addisnana! 😀 The irony is that if technology continues to displace labor – such that fewer workers are needed to produce the goods and services humans want and need – that kind of job-sharing teamwork might become the norm. Of course, job-sharing only helps workers if each of them still earns a living wage….
The link assumes that people are working and sharing 40 hour/week jobs. For the exempt workforce (exempt from overtime pay) very few are working just 40 hours but their hours are not tracked. For the non-exempt workforce very few can expect to get 40 hours each week. Here’s an interesting article: Americans work more than anyone.
We had 3 people sharing one job for years on the St. Louis – Jeff City freight pool. They only had one body though…
We were sitting, stopped by the train dispatcher one day, and we heard this guy on the radio. Conductor says, “Who is that?” I told him I didn’t know…….
A bit later the Conductor, Charles (Don’t call me Chuck) “Bubba” Woodley said, “You know that guy. When you’re called to work with him, any one of three people can show up!” I said Rob Kosh! Bubba said, “Right!”
😆 😆 😆
I do haz a bit of a sad on right now…..
I thought the story was gonna end that you’d hired the Somalians, and had the 4 of them working for a ham sandwich a week….. 🙂
It was always difficult to balance what the actual job required versus my tendency to want to give people a chance. In the midst of “busy season” the two months leading up to Christmas and holiday shopping, things were hectic. That wasn’t the time to be running an experiment. Plus I’d already learned that not being able to read caused problems.