Lebanon manufacturer hires Spanish interpreters to edge out competitors in tight labor market

During new hire orientation at a Lebanon factory, Raul Quero asked a human resources representative in his native Spanish if he will get in trouble for being late if there is traffic. (Answer: he would not.)

Quero would not have been able to clarify the DS Smith's extensive attendance policy if it weren't for Elissa Ramirez, one of three full-time interpreters at the plant.

"Elissa and HR were very kind in helping me understand easily and in my own language," he said through Ramirez's interpretation at the London-based cardboard manufacturer's Lebanon plant.

Since 2021, DS Smith has hired an interpreter for each of its three daily shifts.

While it's common for factories to hire bilingual managers or use interpreting or translation services, having full time interpreters on staff is a novel move for the production industry. Company officials say this move aims to help the company adapt to the growing Spanish-speaking workforce in Indiana factory towns and gain an edge in a competitive hiring environment.

"We've gone down this unique route of finding employees because we're competing against geographic competitors in the area who are other manufacturers looking for great talents," said Monica Anderton, Chief HR Officer for DS Smith in North America.

Response to changing Indiana demographics

From the factory hubs in Boone County to the RV factories in Elkhart to the meatpacking plants at the heart of Logansport, production jobs have drawn immigrant communities to Indiana, changing the landscape as Spanish-speaking grocery stores, churches, restaurants and neighborhoods dot cities and towns across the state.

The Hispanic population in Indiana doubled between 2000 and 2010 and then grew by another 40% by 2020, according to a Purdue University analysis of census data. The biggest growth came in major manufacturing counties like Elkhart and Lake.

The shifting demographic collided with a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that emboldened workers across all industries to quit in favor of better jobs, retirement or just staying at home. As a result, hiring and retention became so challenging across so many sectors that scholars coined the term The Great Resignation to describe the phenomenon.

A 2023 Indiana Chamber of Commerce survey revealed that for nearly half of the state's companies the greatest challenge is hiring and retaining employees. Only 9% listed inflation as their biggest concern.

DS Smith wanted to tap into a bigger hiring pool through its interpreters, who help interview candidates as well as work on the factory floor and offices.

The strategy paid off.

In 2021, about 7% of the employees at the factory were Spanish speakers. Now 35% of employees are Spanish speakers.

Equal opportunity

At 19, Ramirez walked into her first factory job, speaking almost no English.

"I have this dream: One day I will be working in the office," she said. "But when I tell people that dream, they are laughing like 'How are you going to be working if you don't even speak English.'"

She remembers the fear she felt when her manager asked her questions, the pressure to say yes even if she didn't understand and the frustration when her coworkers refused to interpret for her.

Spanish speaking workers across Indiana factories rely on bilingual coworkers every day.

One of out 10 working adults in the country has limited English skills, according to a 2019 report by the National Immigration Forum in Washington D.C.

Working for a factory with interpreters and bilingual meetings and signs gives Spanish speakers equal opportunities to advance and excel and helps build a comfortable work culture, Ramirez said.

The language barrier can be dangerous when critical safety information isn't understood, Ramirez said. She never wanted anyone else to feel that vulnerable, uncomfortable or lost.

"The person will say yes because they don't want to lose their job and they think it's the only opportunity they will have," she said.

Over time, Ramirez learned English from her coworkers and friends and gained the confidence to help others who need interpreting.

Bilingual culture

At DS Smith the sharing of cultures goes beyond language. The communal kitchen is home to foods from Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico along with familiar Indiana dishes.

One recent popular dish was the Pan de Jamón, a type of Venezuelan Christmas bread stuffed with ham, raisins and green olives.

At the company meetings, the plant manager and human resources manager speak in English and Spanish, with some help from Ramirez.

People are greeted in both languages as they walk around the plant.

"The American people here want to learn Spanish," Ramirez said. "There are two communities here becoming one. And that's the whole point."

Binghui Huang can be reached at 317-385-1595 or Bhuang@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Lebanon manufacturer hires interpreters to adapt to tight labor market