Creating Connections through Language

Effective communication is critical in the construction industry, where collaboration brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Strong communication skills not only enhance safety and productivity but also foster better quality and cohesion within teams and organizations. Addressing language barriers can result in significant improvements, including up to a 30% boost in overall productivity according to a recent report by Deloitte.

At DPR, people are the foundation for the company’s success. That includes the more than 5,000-strong skilled craft workforce, many of whom speak Spanish as their first language. In its effort to build a more inclusive workplace, DPR is committed to working to bridge language differences – from live events with simultaneous interpretations, to trans-creating content, and providing customized language learning opportunities.

To that end, DPR has partnered with Freestyle Languages to provide employees with free, accessible resources for learning English and Spanish to all employees within DPR and its family of companies. By prioritizing conversation-driven and culturally enriching exchanges, individuals are empowered to connect more deeply, improve collaboration, and contribute to a safer and more cohesive work environment.

Effective communication is essential to keeping everyone on a jobsite safe. OSHA estimates that 25% of worksite accidents are related to a language barrier, and the construction industry has the largest language gap.

DPR’s language classes teach not only conversational language in English and Spanish, but also construction language. “One day a week, our classes are centered on construction terminology, safety, PPE, stuff that happens on jobsites,” says Elizabeth Mack, founder and CEO of Freestyle Languages. The team also continuously updates the curriculum based on learner feedback. “We rely on learners to bring us their pain points,” says Mack. “When we hear trends, we put that into our curriculum.”

Having simple commands and phrases such as “pause your work,” “let’s slow down,” or “there’s a safety hazard,” can help grab attention or call out safety measures efficiently and effectively. DPR senior field engineer, Juan Huerta, keeps a small notebook in his safety vest with key phrases that he can repeat to make a quick impact.

“I use a few words to get my teammates' attention and let them know that something is of higher importance.” Huerta said. “Having the ability to bring in that personal connection through a shared language and more deeply press the safety issue has helped me gain more trust with my teammates.”

In an industry like construction, trust and teamwork are critical to success. According to the Harvard Business Review, teams who work in different languages often find it less enjoyable to spend time together and generally communicate less, resulting in less cohesion and more openings for conflict. In working to bridge language differences across the team, DPR aims to create an environment where people feel they can not only communicate with each other, but also express ideas and understand shared goals.

“We’re in the business of building great things, but we can’t build great things if we don’t first build great relationships,” said Huerta, who started taking Spanish classes to better connect with his team in the field and has seen the impact that comes with being able to communicate in a language where everyone is comfortable. “The biggest thing that happens immediately is the relationship development,” Huerta says. "When you start to speak in the same language, it automatically makes a closer connection.”

DPR doesn’t just rely on language classes to bridge language differences, however. Another way that the company works to overcome this challenge is by providing simultaneous interpretation at meetings and events. Luis Gomez, DPR’s senior interpreter, has seen “a huge change” in the last three years that he’s been providing interpretation for the company. “Not only are there more people who are bilingual [in English and Spanish], but there are more who are open to true language access and equity across the board,” says Gomez. “When everyone speaks in their language—their voice—that's how we make connections and open doors for communication and new opportunities.”

DPR’s language classes run for twelve weeks, meeting virtually three times each week. There’s a required 30 minutes of homework per week, and the program comes with an expectation that participants will do individual practice outside of the requirement.

While this is a considerable time commitment, participants see the benefits. After a leader asked where she wanted to take her career in the future, Magdalena Perez, a warehouse supervisor at DPR’s strategic partner SurePods, signed up for English classes. “I do daily homework for an hour or two, because you need to work on learning every day,” said Perez. “But I started in 2023 at level two, and now I’m about to start level seven. Continuous practice makes perfect!”

Classes are challenging and a true commitment, but DPR is dedicated to supporting its teammates through the process. “We’re trying to bridge this language barrier here at DPR. I think it speaks to being ever forward and equitable,” said Patrick Houck, a talent partner.