In our last post, we recommended explaining whyoffering a good benefits package is in an employer's bestinterest.  But when it comes to addressing the fact thatbenefits improve retention, you will need to take a step back.

Spanish speakers very often think that an employer would preferto replace a higher-paid senior employee with a new-hire who willwork for less per hour.   The perception is that,if they were to walk out tomorrow, there would be dozens ofcandidates lining up to do their job for less.  So tellingthem that their employer offers good benefits because this willimprove retention may make no sense tothem.

I have actually had people argue with me on this when I presenton this topic in Spanish, telling me it is just simple math andgood business:  Of course their employer wantsthe cheapest possible labor.  I had to do slightly lesssimple math for this group to show them that retaining employeessaves money and that turnover is extremely detrimental to abusiness.  It took a bit of time, but they gotit.  This is a very valuable exercise.

Related: Light Bulb Moments: Tips to engage Spanishspeakers

Even if, at the end of it all, employees decide not toparticipate in benefits, they will at least understand that theyare more valuable to their employer than they thought, whichimproves morale, engagement, and company culture.  Andthis will be a benefit for everyone in your organization.

Melissa Burkhart is the founderand president of Futuro Sólido, which provides a wide variety ofSpanish language services, including written translation, on-siteinterpretation, and language instruction. They have successfullyserved such industries as finance, insurance, landscaping,construction, manufacturing, health care, non-profit, andhospitality. To learn more, visit www.futurosolidousa.com.