Language

Training employees who don't speak English well

About a quarter of the US foodservice workforce is foreign-born, and in a lot of kitchens Spanish is the working language behind the line. Same story in cleaning, car washes and shops. A walkthrough in English gets you nods, not understanding — and the parts most likely to be missed are the ones that matter most.

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In short: Give the instruction in the language the worker reads, keep numbers and temperatures exact, use photos for anything hands-on, and get a confirmation that they read it. Translating the safety-critical parts isn't a courtesy — it's the difference between telling someone and them knowing.

Nods aren't understanding

New people rarely say they didn't catch something, especially in a rush and especially in a second language. They guess. You find out three days later, or when something goes wrong.

What to translate first

Not the handbook. Start with the jobs where a misunderstanding costs money or hurts someone: chemical handling, allergen procedures, equipment, cooling and holding temperatures, lift points. Keep every figure exactly as you said it.

Show, don't only tell

For hands-on work a photo of the right result does more than a paragraph in any language. It's also the fastest way to reduce how much the instruction depends on reading at all.

How it works

Talk it in. Walk through the job out loud, in whatever language you think in.
Get a clear routine. Tiendo structures it into steps, safety notes and checkpoints, then translates it into your team's language — numbers and times kept exact.
Your team reads and confirms. Post a QR code or hand a new hire one link. They read it on their phone and tap "read and understood."

One routine, every language your team speaks: EspañolKreyòlTiếng ViệtالعربيةPolski中文

Questions operators ask

How do I train Spanish-speaking employees?

Give them the same instruction in Spanish rather than a simplified English version. With Tiendo you describe the job once in whatever language you think in, and it produces the routine in English plus the languages your crew reads, keeping numbers and temperatures unchanged.

Am I required to train employees in a language they understand?

OSHA requires that training on workplace hazards be provided in a manner and language employees can understand. What that means in practice varies by situation and state, so check your own obligations — but the underlying expectation is that workers actually understand the hazards they're exposed to.

Is Google Translate good enough for safety instructions?

The risk with any raw machine translation is a changed number or a dropped warning in a language you can't read back. Keep figures locked, review anything safety-critical, and use photos where the stakes are high.

Do I have to translate safety data sheets?

Safety data sheets themselves are required in English. The obligation to be understandable applies to training and instruction.

Say it once, in every language your crew reads.

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