Our differences at work (NSHP survey part III)

By Roger Knight

You might be guilty of it: your “relaxed” approach to time, your strong sense of cultural heritage and pride, and your unrelenting loyalty to your family. No, I am not stereotyping, but for many Latinos some of these characteristics remain the only way in which non-Hispanics see them.

Members of the Hispanic professional community bravely break the mold and dismiss negative Latino/a stereotypes throughout their careers. Successful Hispanic professionals are inarguably called to action as most of them do not believe in the effectiveness of diversity policies . In order to lead the change in the American workplace, our differences should be understood rather than eschewed. Then, what are these differences and how do they affect us at work? Our recent NSHP online survey revealed that Hispanic professionals believed that they are more passionate, collaboration-oriented, and self-managed than their non-Hispanic co-workers.

Collaboration-Oriented

More than a third of respondents to our survey consider themselves more geared towards cooperation and collaboration then their non-Hispanic counterparts. Nilda Chong, co-author of “Latino Culture,” describes this approach as “an interdependence for the sake of harmonious relationships with peer groups.” Experts agree that many Latinos have a different approach to conflict than non-Hispanics, are more people-oriented, and have a more flexible attitude towards hierarchy.

All of these attitudes influence the perception of Hispanics in the workplace. According to Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks and his colleagues at the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the University of Michigan, Latinos relatively favor workgroups that have a socioemotional orientation. In fact, they warn that Anglo-Americans may perceive any deviation from a clear task focus as an indication of lack of commitment to the work and to a proper, businesslike relationship. In our survey, some respondents also described themselves as “friendlier” than non-Hispanics which happens to be a key difference in terms of personal satisfaction and self-assurance. Tom Rath, Global Practice Leader at Gallup, agrees, “people with at least three close friends at work are much more likely to be extremely satisfied with their life.”

Self-Managed

About two out of every five Hispanic professionals believe that they are more self-managed according to the results of our survey. Latinos tend to have a high degree of resourcefulness, as they are able to find ways to handle situations that may be considered difficult to manage. Many individuals attribute this difference in self-handling to the recent immigrant status of the Hispanic population in the U.S. and all the hardships that come with it not only in the workplace but also in their daily lives.

Passionate

About half of respondents describe themselves as more passionate than non-Latinos at work. There were some regional differences as respondents from the South and Northeast thought of themselves as more passionate than those from the Midwest and the West. On the other hand, this view does not vary across gender as even women like Pilar O’Leary are keenly described as “a bullfighter anxious to get into the ring.” Our survey revealed some differences in opinion, however, as twice as many Hispanic professional women declared they are louder than men. At the same time, twice as many men than women believed their hardworking. In any case, the passion that Latinos bring to the workplace goes beyond the stereotype and the so-called “passion points” of family, faith, and cultural pride, as passion in the workplace translates into an outstanding work ethic and loyalty to the employer.

Lessons to be Learned

Recent research in the Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences has found that Hispanics generally had a more favorable self-image than they were accorded by other cultural groups in terms of wealth, work ethic, and intelligence. The results of our survey tackle Hispanic professionals’ self-perception in the workplace and identify their main concerns, namely passion, self-management, and collaboration. Having in mind how these cultural styles generally motivate Hispanics can alleviate diversity tensions in the workplace.

Nowadays, workers expect more accommodation to their needs and identities than in the past. According to Norma Carr-Ruffino, author of “Making Diversity Work,” fewer workers are willing to compromise their unique characteristics for the sake of “fitting in” with organizational cultures built exclusively on traditional Anglo-American male values and norms. In terms of Hispanic professionals, mainstream corporate culture must understand that their personal style, at least in terms of collaboration, self-administration, and passion is not inappropriate or unprofessional, it is just the way we do business.

By Roger Knight for NSHP.org
Research Support Analyst
Institute for Latino Studies
University of Notre Dame
Based on NSHP Survey about Latino stereotypes