The languages of Home Depot
According to The Home Depot, associates across the company’s store network are able to communicate in as many as 23 languages.
Out of Home Depot’s 400,000 associates, more than 95,000 speak more than one language.
Associates also wear language skills badges on their orange Home Depot aprons. For instance, if an associate speaks Urdu, that associate wears a badge that says, “I Speak Urdu.”
“The badges make it easier for customers to feel comfortable asking for help,” says Nargis Ramasami, district manager in Broward County, Fla.
The badges also make it easier for associates to help each other, according to Home Depot.
“I have an associate who is deaf and in one of our meetings, I noticed another associate communicating with him through sign language,” says Ramasami. Although the deaf associate could read lips, reading signs is easier, and this associate wanted to help. At The Home Depot, over 5,000 associates use American Sign Language.
“When you hire associates who speak the community’s languages, it sends the message, ‘Oh, I’m welcome here,” said Daria Perez, regional human resources director, South Florida.
Broward County is one of the retailer’s most diverse districts, with 36% of its associates being female and 87% minority. In one of the store’s break rooms, there’s a map covered in pins that represents the countries that influence the associates. “They’re proud to have a store that reflects the world,” Perez says.
Ramasami describes her region as a melting pot. “We have Caribbean people from Trinidad, Barbados, Dominica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hispanic people and Canadian snowbirds! They speak everything from Spanish to French Creole to Portuguese. So, it’s pretty diverse.”
She staffs her stores as often as possible with associates who know how to speak the communities’ languages. “They help us strengthen our connection with the community," she said.
Out of Home Depot’s 400,000 associates, more than 95,000 speak more than one language.
Associates also wear language skills badges on their orange Home Depot aprons. For instance, if an associate speaks Urdu, that associate wears a badge that says, “I Speak Urdu.”
“The badges make it easier for customers to feel comfortable asking for help,” says Nargis Ramasami, district manager in Broward County, Fla.
The badges also make it easier for associates to help each other, according to Home Depot.
“I have an associate who is deaf and in one of our meetings, I noticed another associate communicating with him through sign language,” says Ramasami. Although the deaf associate could read lips, reading signs is easier, and this associate wanted to help. At The Home Depot, over 5,000 associates use American Sign Language.
“When you hire associates who speak the community’s languages, it sends the message, ‘Oh, I’m welcome here,” said Daria Perez, regional human resources director, South Florida.
Broward County is one of the retailer’s most diverse districts, with 36% of its associates being female and 87% minority. In one of the store’s break rooms, there’s a map covered in pins that represents the countries that influence the associates. “They’re proud to have a store that reflects the world,” Perez says.
Ramasami describes her region as a melting pot. “We have Caribbean people from Trinidad, Barbados, Dominica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hispanic people and Canadian snowbirds! They speak everything from Spanish to French Creole to Portuguese. So, it’s pretty diverse.”
She staffs her stores as often as possible with associates who know how to speak the communities’ languages. “They help us strengthen our connection with the community," she said.