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s multilingual workforces grow across the United States, organizations are recognizing that providing language support is not just a courtesy — it’s a business and equity imperative. At John Knox Village, a retirement community in Florida, this understanding led to a transformative shift in how the organization communicates with its employees, especially its Haitian Creole–speaking workforce.
With many employees with limited English proficiency (LEP) working in direct care and support roles, the leadership team saw that communication gaps were affecting onboarding, benefits enrollment, workplace safety, and employee engagement. Employees often nodded in agreement even when instructions or documents were unclear — partly out of respect for authority and partly due to language barriers.
This unspoken communication gap had real consequences. One employee left the Human Resources (HR) Department with medical instructions he could not read. He later sought emergency care because he misunderstood the written information. That moment made one thing clear: Language access is not optional — it’s essential.
Before support was in place, bilingual employees were informally asked to interpret for coworkers. While well-intentioned, this approach created discomfort, confidentiality concerns, and inconsistency.
“At the beginning, I was using another employee to help us translate. But I noticed that I said one phrase and all of a sudden it was a whole conversation,” said Lorraine Sánchez, Benefits Specialist at John Knox Village.
Recognizing the need for a more structured and respectful system, John Knox Village brought in professional Haitian Creole interpretation and translation support from Creole Solutions. This shift allowed employees to speak freely, ask questions, and engage in conversations about benefits, workplace issues, and health concerns with confidence and confidentiality.
The results were immediate. Employees who previously avoided asking questions began actively participating. HR interactions became two-way — not one-directional.
“When employees feel safe, respected, and understood, everything changes,” said Lorraine. One defining moment involved a Haitian employee who used the interpreter channel to communicate a sensitive workplace concern. That moment encapsulated what the initiative had achieved: trust.
“That was an aha moment — okay, this is working. This is a great partnership,” said Director of HR Evelyn Marte.
Employees were no longer just present — they were finally empowered to communicate.
The organization also translated its annual employee survey. Previously, Creole-speaking employees responded with short, overwhelmingly positive answers, such as “everything is fine.” Once the survey was translated, their responses revealed real needs, workplace priorities, and valuable feedback that HR had never accessed before.
The experience at John Knox Village offers actionable guidance for employers committed to equity and belonging:
• Respect must be the foundation.
• Use trained interpreters — not bilingual coworkers — for confidential matters.
• Select partners who respond quickly, accurately, and with cultural competence.
• Integrate language support proactively, not reactively.
• Make multilingual communication part of the employee journey — from recruitment to retention.
This approach reflects a powerful truth: The goal is not simply to translate information — it is to ensure employees feel seen, understood, and valued.
John Knox Village continues to expand its multilingual strategy — setting an example for how language access can strengthen belonging, retention, and employee wellbeing. Its journey demonstrates a powerful lesson for today’s workforce: Language doesn’t just communicate information — it communicates dignity.
Director of Human Resources, John Knox Village of Florida
Evelyn leads people-first initiatives grounded in transparency, trust, and inclusion. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and a graduate certificate in human resources management and policy and is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Benefits Specialist, John Knox Village of Florida
Originally from Puerto Rico, Lorraine brings global HR experience and has redesigned benefit communication to ensure accessibility for all. She introduced one-on-one multilingual enrollment support and Creole translation resources to help employees make informed decisions.
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