The best workplaces ensure Latino culture is celebrated, every employee has opportunities for learning and development, and employees are recognized for their unique gifts. Here are four ways to build trust with Hispanic and Latino employees.
The Latino workforce in the U.S. has been growing exponentially, with Hispanic and Latino employees expected to account for 78% of net new workers between 2020 and 2030.
The Latino community is a powerhouse in the workplace. Latino employees build deep relationships, have a strong work ethic, and show great care and love for their extended family. When they can bring their full self to the workplace, they become passionate and determined leaders that deliver unmatched results for their organizations.
In a 2023 market survey of 4,400 workers aged 18 and older, Great Place To Work® found that only 72% of Latino employees feel they can be their true selves at the typical U.S. workplace. At companies that made the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® List in 2023, nine in 10 Latino employees say they can be their true selves.
Great Place To Work analyzed the responses of nearly 40,000 Latino employees received in 2022 and 2023 and found important business benefits for workplaces where Latino employees had a positive experience.
When Latino employees feel they can be their authentic selves, they are three times more likely to stay with their company. When they report having overwhelmingly positive experiences in the workplace, they are 30% more likely to give extra effort at work and six times more likely to recommend their workplace to friends and family.
As Latino workers become a bigger and bigger part of your workforce, the companies that focus on diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging will have a competitive advantage.
Here are four ways to ensure Latino employees feel supported and encouraged to grow:
1. Celebrate Hispanic and Latino culture and the impact it has on your workplace.
Employees shouldn’t have to change or suppress their identity to advance within the organization. Make sure to weed out microaggressions and evaluate the path to promotion to ensure every employee has a fair work environment.
Companies on the 100 Best list consistently outperform on measures of fairness, with nine in 10 Latino employees saying they feel treated fairly regardless of identifying characteristics like gender, race, age, or sexual orientation.
Employee resource groups and other programming to celebrate Latino culture can ensure employees feel there is a place within the organization where they can bring their full identity to work. It’s also crucial to pay attention to the onboarding experience, with nine in 10 Latino employees (94%) at 100 Best companies reporting they feel welcomed when joining the organization.
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2. Make sure everyone has an opportunity for training and career development.
In Great Place To Work research, there is a clear link between opportunities for training and development and the level of engagement for Latino employees.
At the typical U.S. workplace, only six in 10 Latino employees report having training or development opportunities. At the 100 Best, nine in 10 Latino employees say they get training and development.
3. Connect employees with opportunities to give back to local communities.
At workplaces who made the 2023 PEOPLE® Companies that Care List, employers take great pains to ensure every employee has an opportunity to volunteer and give back in their local community.
Latino employees care deeply about relationships within their community, and place great value on opportunities to engage their neighbors.
At the 100 Best, nine of out 10 Latino employees feel great about the ways their company contributes to local communities. At typical U.S. workplaces, fewer than seven in 10 Latino employees (67%) say the same.
The best companies tap into employee resource groups and their Latino employees to identify programs that will make a difference for Hispanic and Latino communities.
4. Ensure all Latino employees have opportunities for recognition.
Hispanic and Latino employees believe in hard work. According to a 2012 Pew survey, 75% of Hispanic employees believe that most people can get ahead if they work hard.
However, this dedication and tenacity is often not recognized by leadership. Only six in 10 Latino employees at a typical U.S. workplace reporting that management shows appreciation for their hard work. At the 100 Best, nine in 10 Latino employees feel appreciated for their hard work.
Great Place To Work research has shown that recognition is a key experience for creating a workplace that employees feel is fair. When employees feel consistently recognized at work, they are 2.6 times more likely to believe promotions are fair and two times more likely to say people give extra effort at work.
With more and more of the workforce identifying as Latino, employers should consider every opportunity to build and increase trust within this group. The Best Workplaces are already outperforming their peers by unlocking the full potential of their Latino employees — just one of the reasons these workplaces consistently outperform the stock market by a factor of three.
Learn how to support your Hispanic and Latino employees
Want to know how your Latino workers are experiencing their workplace? Benchmark your performance against the best global data available with our Trust Index™ Survey.
