I have seen people like Chinese and Indians speaking their language loudly at work. Makes me feel uncomfortable, even when I am around, I would like them to speak English so that I can join their conversation. I have seen Chinese doing this more than Indians though. Is it normal that I find this disrespectful?
Why do you want to join the conversation?
You could learn the language and participate then
It is not disrespectful and you don’t have any entitlement to join a conversation. If they want to talk to you, they’ll speak English to you.
Bullshit! I don't think OP is referring to break room conversations
I dont mind people speaking their language during breaks or anything, but I have this expectation from my colleagues that if they sit beside me ( we dont have cubicles) and talking about work stuff, I would appreciate them speaking English.
It is pretty uncomfortable for me. Especially, that I hear codes, projects and/or people’s names.
This is the differentiating factor IMO. If the discussion is in any way about work, it better be in English. Imagine if you were in a work meeting and two English speakers kept whispering to each other, or texting each other about the meeting.* If you’re on lunch break with your buddies, and everyone at your table speaks a language other than English, by all means speak that if you must. *I recall reading (I think on blind) about how this was happening at Uber. It’s very dysfunctional and encourages backstabbing and distrust.
Let's separate break room conversations and work related. Break room are fine.... Albeit, if you're familiar with them and it's only the 3 of you I would have expected them to switch to English... But, as others noted... Some people are just assholes. If it's work related, hell no. Call them out. Talk to your manager in next 1:1 This is not ok
Yeah, it shouldn't be like that in a professional environment....but you can't have the same fun/feel safe while gossipping and doing office politics if it's not a secret common language 😉
Policing speech? What's next? Banning whispering while looking at you? Klingon? What does this have to do with race? If you have some personal issue with some person or group of people who you know to be harassing you that's one thing. Otherwise you're either super narcissistic or paranoid with low self-esteem if you think people are just talking about you all the time.
People should be free to use whatever language they want. I am not comfortable with English being spoken all the time. When I can learn a foreign language like English, so can you. Don’t be in your bubble.
I am not a native English speaker myself. I have colleagues from my country as well, but I do not speak our native language with them since English is the common language understood by everyone in my team.
It’s your choice. You are not allowed to dictate your choices to others.
If there is anyone around who doesn't speak my native language, and they are in hearing range, I use English. This applies to both professional and personal discussions, in the break room or in the office.
People are naturally wary or fearful of different / new / unknown things, so it's not unexpected. But it's also not reasonable - consider it a private conversation. Having frequent private and exclusionary conversations is rude but people are rude.
No! Private break room conversations are ok. Not work related. And I've seen many a times people talking work related things in native language (especially Chinese) This is not ok and personally I've commented on it to some individuals more than once.
YYkR40 learn about Title VII