'English only' rule for Lidl

[The Joker 10]

Measures like this need to be taken because the country is getting over run with foreigners.

 

You're right there mate!

 

Did you know that Our Nige' lets his own daughters speak Ze Germanese at home?

 

And given that Our Nige' employs Frau Farage as his employee, shouldn't he follow UKIP policy and only allow English to be spoken at home instead?

[Bonzo77 13]

Measures like this need to be taken because the country is getting over run with foreigners.

 

No it's not........

[GLASGOWOODS 10]

No it's not........

 

Oh yes it is.

[Bonzo77 13]

Oh yes it is.

 

lol.........overrun? It's not.

[GLASGOWOODS 10]

lol.........overrun? It's not.

 

Overrun no.

 

Hundreds of thousands on the run yes.

[andil 10]

 

Should your employer be able to dictate what language you speak in private? I don't think so.

 

I think an employer should try to stop any verbal unpleasantness from their employees whilst they are on business premises, and that will be difficult if some employees are speaking a language that the employer and other employees doesn't understand.

[Guest]

The English employees need to learn another language like the polish ones.

 

That is probably a wind up post, but in case it isn't, which other language/es should the English learn, Polish, Slovakian, Turkish, Romanian, Mandarin, Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Balochi, Kashmiri, Brahui, Shina, Balti, Khowar Burushaski??

 

All these are spoken by "British" citizens.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Guest
British

[Bonzo77 13]

That is probably a wind up post, but in case it isn't, which other language/es should the English learn, Polish, Slovakian, Turkish, Romanian, Mandarin, Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Balochi, Kashmiri, Brahui, Shina, Balti, Khowar Burushaski??

 

All these are spoken by "British" citizens.

 

Wonderful melting pot we live in!

[The Joker 10]

Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Balochi, Kashmiri, Brahui, Shina, Balti, Khowar Burushaski

 

Stop being a drama queen and just ask for a Chicken Korma.

[Mr Bloom 10]

In the interests - they claim - of 'inclusivity', Lidl has banned its staff from speaking any language other than English in its stores, even in private conversations during their breaks:

 

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-29956188

 

I can see the point of that policy when they are dealing with customers, or even on the shop floor generally (although Indian, Italian and Greek restaurant staff in this country have conversed in their mother tongue for decades without offending customers).

 

It also rides roughshod over Welsh speakers in Welsh stores (Welsh has official language status in Wales) - unbelievable, really.

 

Should your employer be able to dictate what language you speak in private? I don't think so.

 

 

To be honest, I'd probably have as much chance of understanding the two polish employees as I would any natives of 'Kirkcaldy'.

[Pandora 103 10]

I don't care what language they talk on their tea break so long as they can point me towards the £1.99 lurpack when they on the shop floor

[aliceBB 10]

No sensible employer would be happy for cliques to develop amongst their workforce with mistrust and bad feeling between these groups. It is understandable that employers would wish to foster an inclusive, friendly ambience in the staff room as well as effective professional relationships between work colleagues in the presence of clients/customers. After all, a happy, loyal workforce with some sense of team spirit is an efficient and productive workforce.

 

So, how is that to be achieved? Not by ordering people around and banning them from speaking their mother tongue in their non-working time. This fosters resentment and distrust - the complete opposite of what is wanted. You risk the employees whose language has been banned simply going out for lunch or teabreaks to the nearest park or cafe, where they can chat in whatever language they want without being accused of plotting or being antisocial.

 

Ironically, it seems to be the case that breaktime workplace conversations are rarer these days anyway - many employees grab a coffee, then just get their smartphones out and start facebooking, texting, emailing, etc., and don't talk to anyone at all.

 

So in the interests of fostering a spirit of friendliness....perhaps, rather than banning this or that language, perhaps ban smartphone use during teabreaks!

 

And if it does seem to be the case that two employees are becoming very isolated and don't join in (for whatever reason), could their line manager not have a friendly word with them, rather than this sledgehammer to crack a nut' approach?