The Voice of the Latino Worker

In a presentation of the Latino Worker Project, members heard directly from Latino employees on the importance of working for employers that value hard work, entrepreneurship, and family.

Shelly Carlin, Executive Vice President at HR Policy Association and Mike Madrid, Partner at Grassroots Lab presented their findings of the Latino Worker Project, a study that examined the Latino experience at work and how companies can evolve their talent strategies to adapt to this growing workforce population.

Cultural themes emerge.  Employees from The Home Depot, Hyatt, and Chemours shared personal accounts of how Latino culture has influenced their attitudes and behaviors at work. At the heart of their stories – along with those that came to light from interviews with over 150 Latino workers from 15 HR Policy companies – are the important themes of family, close working relationships, and a strong work ethic.

Family. Nicole Perez Lengel, Senior Corporate Counsel at Chemours, spoke about the influence of her parents on becoming a Latina attorney and the sense of responsibility she has to her parents, including working hard to achieve success, for the sacrifices they made that allowed her the opportunity to attend law school.

Trusting working relationships. Diana Costanzo, HR Business Partner at Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, emphasized that building a “work family” – close relationships with peers at Hyatt – has allowed her to survive challenging times after taking on her first HR business partner role immediately prior to the pandemic. She spoke highly of Hyatt’s community-focused culture and how it aligns with her values as Latina in taking care of the people around her.

Strong work ethic. Mauricio Miranda, Assistant Manager of Store #6634 at The Home Depot in San Diego explained how his company empowers him to feel like an entrepreneur by giving him the right tools, guidance, and leadership. He views his relationship with the company as mutually beneficial because of the growth opportunities that emerge when he works hard and because he feels like the company takes care of him. This motivates him to have a positive impact with everyone he encounters at work. Mauricio has recruited several friends and family members for various roles at the company.

The Path Forward for CHROs. Communicate the elements of your employment value proposition that best resonate with Latino workers – good, secure jobs in collaborative workplaces that offer flexibility to "fit work into life." Leverage the Latino Worker Project’s six strategies for employers to navigate these transformational workforce changes in the coming years.  

Learn more. The Latino Worker Project was featured in a story in La Opinion, the largest Spanish language newspaper in the United States, and in opinion editorials by Madrid and Carlin, published in the Los Angeles Times and the Dallas Morning News highlighting the implications for employers to recruit and retain Latinos.