| On a recent business trip to Texas I was flipping | | | | remember my first day as a student teacher in front |
| through the Fort Worth Business Press and came | | | | of a classroom of children. What added to my fear |
| across an article about workplace literacy. It pointed | | | | and nervousness was that their teacher was in the |
| out that in one Texas county one in FIVE adults | | | | classroom watching - I don't think I've ever felt so |
| cannot read well enough to succeed at the fourth | | | | exposed. I'm sure you have something similar in your |
| grade level. So no wonder this translates into | | | | experience. So if you are in charge of a group of |
| problems in the workplace. As the article stated: | | | | people in your workplace, you need to be very |
| "Though not widely publicized, one of the biggest | | | | sensitive. Do some discreet observation to discover if |
| issues affecting job growth in our community is | | | | there are literacy issues, and perhaps even some soul |
| workplace literacy." | | | | searching to admit to some of your own! |
| It's absolutely true. If people can't communicate | | | | Margaret Eaton, president ABC Life Literacy Canada, |
| clearly in writing, the limitations for individual and | | | | suggests in the Globe and Mail article that the |
| organizational growth are significant. Sometimes it's as | | | | following behaviors may indicate literacy problems: |
| simple as repeated (and usually common) mistakes in | | | | |
| written communication that impede progress. | | | | 1. Employees avoid training sessions or fail external |
| Whether it's confusion over whether that word I just | | | | training programs. |
| used twice should really be "weather," or if it's the | | | | 2. Excellent employees continually turn down |
| old "it's" vs. "its" dilemma, grammatical mistakes really | | | | promotion opportunities. |
| diminish the potential for growth. | | | | 3. Change initiatives often fail or are slow to be |
| Now, you probably don't have too much trouble with | | | | implemented. |
| weather vs. whether; the one with the "a" may refer | | | | 4. Staff make excuses. For example, "I'll read it later," |
| to how warm it's going to be today (very, I hope). | | | | or "I forgot my glasses," when put in situations |
| But grammatical mistakes such as when to use "its" | | | | where reading or writing is required. |
| and when to use "it's" are astonishingly common. (For | | | | 5. Employee absenteeism and turnover are high. |
| the record, "it's" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has." | | | | If any of the above sounds familiar, your first instinct |
| "Its" is the possessive form of "it." An example of | | | | may be to speak to the individuals within your |
| correct usage: "Sandra is hoping it's going to be really | | | | organization who may be having problems. I urge you |
| warm soon. A warm summer day has its charm.) | | | | to tread carefully though - it's a delicate matter. |
| And literacy in the 21st century is about more than | | | | As a consultant I've found it may be easier for |
| just reading and writing. It also means things like | | | | employees to talk one-to-one with someone from |
| problem solving, and understanding technology, | | | | outside the company. People are much more likely to |
| something a recent article in the Globe and Mail, | | | | open up about their concerns without their boss or |
| "Literacy Gets A New Job Emphasis" underscores. | | | | their colleagues in the same room. Even then I've |
| The truth is the issues in all areas of literacy may not | | | | found some people are defensive or resistant to the |
| be "widely publicized," but most Canadian workers are | | | | idea that they might need help. When that happens, I |
| aware that there are problems. A survey by Ipsos in | | | | walk them through a careful series of guided |
| 2009 states that 72 per cent of working Canadians | | | | questions that usually reveal their issues with literacy |
| think the level of adult literacy is far less than ideal. | | | | - without embarrassing the individual. |
| Even though employees may be willing to | | | | Ultimately that's also one of the reasons I've found |
| acknowledge issues with literacy in an anonymous | | | | online learning works well with improving literacy. |
| survey, it's another thing to admit to their boss that | | | | Instead of sitting in a roomful of people having your |
| they're concerned. | | | | learning challenges made public, you are able to |
| Think about something that doesn't come easily to | | | | maintain a sense of privacy and dignity. And that's |
| you, or a public situation that went badly and to this | | | | something we all would all like to have - and that we |
| day makes you feel embarrassed. In my case, I | | | | all deserve. |