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The Art of Communication: - Derry City Council

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ContentsAcknowledgementsForeword1. Introduction1.1 Background to the Research1.2 Research Question and Aim1.3 Environmental Health and theWestern Group Region1.4 <strong>The</strong> Chinese Community inNorthern Ireland1.5 Chinese Catering Premises inthe West <strong>of</strong> Northern Ireland1.6 <strong>The</strong> Chinese Community andthe Language Barrier2. <strong>The</strong> Literature2.1 <strong>Communication</strong>, Culture andInterpersonal <strong>Communication</strong>s2.2 Engagement with EMBs: Failureand Effectiveness2.3 Communicating with theChinese2.4 <strong>The</strong> Sills and Desai ‘SevenStages’2.5 Equality, Good Relations and<strong>The</strong> Northern Ireland Act 19983. Study Design4 Results and Analysis4.1 Environmental Health Functions4.2 Verbal <strong>Communication</strong>4.3 Written <strong>Communication</strong>4.4 Effectiveness <strong>of</strong> Shared<strong>Communication</strong>4.5 Level <strong>of</strong> Awareness <strong>of</strong> <strong>Council</strong>Policies and Procedures4.6 <strong>The</strong> Sills and Desai ‘SevenStages’4.7 Focus Group Results5. Discussion5.1 <strong>The</strong> Use <strong>of</strong> Verbal<strong>Communication</strong>5.2 <strong>The</strong> Use <strong>of</strong> Written<strong>Communication</strong>5.3 <strong>The</strong> Effectiveness <strong>of</strong> Shared<strong>Communication</strong>5.4 Barriers and Best Practice5.5 Level <strong>of</strong> Awareness <strong>of</strong> <strong>Council</strong>Policies and Procedures5.6 Policies, Procedures, Trainingand Support5.7 <strong>The</strong> Sills and Desai ‘SevenStages’6. Conclusions7. Recommendations7.1 <strong>The</strong> EFQM Enablers– A ‘Scaffold’ for theRecommendations7.2 Leadership7.3 People Management7.4 Policy and Strategy7.5 Partnerships and Resources7.6 ProcessesReferences<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 1


Acknowledgements<strong>The</strong> following people and organisations aresincerely thanked for their much valuedhelp and support in the completion <strong>of</strong> thisresearch:All <strong>of</strong> the Chinese employers andEnvironmental Health Officers whoparticipated in this study;Sue Diven and Carol Stewart, CommunityRelations, <strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>;<strong>The</strong> Development Department, <strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong><strong>Council</strong>;Karen Scrivens, Simon Ling and all <strong>of</strong> the SaiPak staff and committee;<strong>The</strong> Chinese Welfare Association;Louise Simpson, University <strong>of</strong> Ulster;Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Malcolm Armstrong, University <strong>of</strong>Ulster;Gary Mc Farlane and the Chartered Institute<strong>of</strong> Environmental Health;Brenda McCallion, Environmental HealthDepartment, <strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>;Roisin McLaughlin, Local Strategy Partnership,<strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>;Each <strong>of</strong> the participating councils, and inparticular the following members <strong>of</strong> eachEnvironmental Health department:Philip O’Doherty, Barry Dohery, PaulRafferty, Emlyn Lynchehaun, Janet Glover,Enda Cummins, Genevieve McWilliams,Paul McSwiggan, Karen Phillips, MargaretMcColgan and Helen McKean, <strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong><strong>Council</strong>;Barny Heywood, Larry Dargan and ClementKennedy, Western Group EnvironmentalHealth Service;Jacqueline Glass and Ciaran Doran, LimavadyBorough <strong>Council</strong>;Barny Heywood and Brian Furey, OmaghDistrict <strong>Council</strong>;Paddy Cosgrove, John Murray, Sabrina Gillow,and Alan Haire, Strabane District <strong>Council</strong>;Robert Forde, Gerry Tierney, and AislingShortt, Fermanagh District <strong>Council</strong>;All <strong>of</strong> the Community Relations and EqualityOfficers at each <strong>of</strong> the participating councils,particularly Kay McIvor, Equality Officer,<strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>;Sínead McNicholl and Briege Meenan, Financeand Human Resources Department, <strong>Derry</strong><strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>;Dr Moira Dean, Queen’s University Belfast;Karen McLaughlin, Christine McLaughlinand Betty McNicholl, North-West RegionalCollege;Dr Susanne Boyd, Annie Chambers and theFood Standards Agency Northern Ireland.2<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


ForewordWe are very pleased to co-write theforeword for this report, as the hard workthat underpins this piece <strong>of</strong> research wasvery much grounded in the true spiritand full application <strong>of</strong> partnership. Thisreport is the culmination <strong>of</strong> two years<strong>of</strong> effort and is a testament to the sheerbreadth, depth and quality <strong>of</strong> what can beachieved when public, private and voluntaryorganisations synthesise their efforts fora common purpose. In this instance thebinding common purpose is the desire tocommunicate more effectively. Not aneasy task, particularly when set against thelandscape <strong>of</strong> regulatory service delivery toEthnic Minority Businesses (EMBs) who facevery real language and social barriers.District council Environmental Healthdepartments must take account <strong>of</strong> theparticular needs <strong>of</strong> EMBs, as must theyalso take account <strong>of</strong> the needs <strong>of</strong> theirstaff who are expected to deliver a qualityand equitable service on an ongoing basiswithin this arena. A well-established legalframework now exists in Northern Irelandto ensure public authorities actively focuson the Equality and Good Relations agenda.In essence, Equality and Good Relationspractice should be seamlessly mainstreamedthroughout the work <strong>of</strong> EnvironmentalHealth departments. In practice, this mayrequire changes in organisational culture andindividual attitudes, as well as the creation<strong>of</strong> tailored processes and the focusing <strong>of</strong>supporting resources.Chinese catering establishments are anexample <strong>of</strong> EMBs with which EnvironmentalHealth Officers (EHOs) have contact. WhenChinese employers and EHOs engage aspart <strong>of</strong> the regulatory process it is essentialthat shared communications are effective.Results <strong>of</strong> this study demonstrate that animprovement in face-to-face communicationsis deemed by both parties to be the keypriority. Qualitative data revealed that,in the main, goodwill existed betweenEHOs and Chinese employers across thefive participating council areas. It is veryheartening to have uncovered innovativepractice and individual endeavour. However,frustration with current forms <strong>of</strong> sharedcommunication was also clearly evident, withmany examples <strong>of</strong> ineffective communicationinteractions provided. Overall, it isconcluded that the majority <strong>of</strong> EnvironmentalHealth departments involved are attemptingto communicate with Chinese employerslargely in the same manner as they wouldwith any other type <strong>of</strong> duty holder. This is amatter that requires improvement.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 3


A need exists for a partnership-basedapproach involving all the relevantstakeholders to be developed so thatthe conditions necessary to support animprovement in shared communicationscan be established in a systematic manner.Finally, some may find parts <strong>of</strong> this reportencouraging, while others may find certainparts make for uncomfortable reading. Wehope that you will view this as a faithfulreflection <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> the aspects <strong>of</strong> thecurrent shared communication experienceas provided by those Chinese employersand EHOs who are involved in this processon a regular basis. Let us celebrate themany positive aspects that this research hasuncovered and work to address the issuesthat we now know require our full attention.Eamonn TonerEnvironmental Health Department<strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>Sue DivinCommunity Relations<strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>4<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


1.0 Introduction<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 5


1.1 Background to the ResearchAs part <strong>of</strong> fulfilling the duties associated with core functions <strong>of</strong> Environmental Health suchas Health and Safety and Food Control, EHOs come into contact with businesses owned byethnic minorities. Such businesses are <strong>of</strong>ten referred to in the literature as Ethnic MinorityBusinesses (EMBs). <strong>The</strong> Chinese Welfare Association found in 2005 that approximately80 – 90% <strong>of</strong> Chinese people living in Northern Ireland are concentrated in the cateringindustry (Chinese Welfare Association, 2005). It is now common to find Chinese cateringpremises throughout many cities and towns in Northern Ireland. <strong>The</strong>refore, an example <strong>of</strong> aubiquitous type <strong>of</strong> EMB that EHOs have ongoing contact with is Chinese catering premises(restaurants and takeaways). <strong>Communication</strong> is a shared process between EHOs andChinese caterers as part <strong>of</strong> the regulatory process, therefore, it is important that all thoseinvolved in, or affected, by this process consider their respective roles, obligations, rights andresponsibilities.Through this research <strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>’s Environmental Health Department andCommunity Relations Section has worked in partnership with Chinese employers across thewestern region, Sai Pak, the Chinese Welfare Association, Strabane District <strong>Council</strong>, OmaghDistrict <strong>Council</strong>, Fermanagh District <strong>Council</strong> and Limavady Borough <strong>Council</strong> to investigatethe dynamics <strong>of</strong> this communication.1.2 Research Question and Aim<strong>The</strong> research question at the heart <strong>of</strong> this investigation was:How can Environmental Health departments in Northern Irelandcommunicate effectively with Chinese employers who operate withinthe catering sector?In view <strong>of</strong> the central need for effective shared communications between EnvironmentalHealth Officers and Chinese employers operating within the catering sector (with regard t<strong>of</strong>acilitating key outcomes for each party), the aim <strong>of</strong> this investigation was:To improve the quality <strong>of</strong> information available to the five westernEnvironmental Health departments to help inform an improvement inthe effectiveness <strong>of</strong> shared communication between EHOs and Chineseemployers operating across this region.6<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


1.3 Environmental Health and the Western GroupRegion<strong>The</strong> Western Group Environmental Health Service is a public sector statutory bodythat exists to provide support to and monitor the activities <strong>of</strong> the five district councilEnvironmental Health Departments located in the western region <strong>of</strong> Northern Ireland (NI).<strong>The</strong> district councils located within the Western Group region are: <strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong>,Strabane District <strong>Council</strong>, Omagh District <strong>Council</strong>, Fermanagh District <strong>Council</strong> and LimavadyBorough <strong>Council</strong> (see Table 1 below). Each <strong>of</strong> these councils participated fully in thisresearch. Table 1below contains background information on each <strong>of</strong> the five district councilareas.Table1:Background information per council area within thewestern region.Information supplied by each <strong>of</strong> the five councils (September 2009).BackgroundInformation<strong>Council</strong> AreaPopulationTotal Number<strong>of</strong> Premises onEnvironmentalHealth database<strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong> 106,000 2622Fermanagh District <strong>Council</strong> 60,570 1773Omagh District <strong>Council</strong> 51030 1711Strabane District <strong>Council</strong> 38,248 600Limavady Borough <strong>Council</strong> 33,210 580<strong>The</strong> main purpose <strong>of</strong> any Environmental Health department is to enforce a variety <strong>of</strong> relatedstatutory provisions and provide associated advice on legal compliance and best practice onareas such as health and safety and food safety, to businesses and the general public.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 7


Figure 1:Map <strong>of</strong> Group Environmental Health areas in NorthernIreland.Reproduced from Group Environmental Health Committee (2005, p.8)WesternNorthernEasternSouthern1.4 <strong>The</strong> Chinese Community in Northern IrelandWhen one refers to the Chinese Community it is important to note that all members <strong>of</strong> thiscommunity do not necessarily come from China. In 2005 the Chinese Welfare Associationreported that almost 40% <strong>of</strong> the Chinese community in Northern Ireland were born in theUnited Kingdom, with approximately 50% originating from Hong Kong and the remaining 10%coming from China and countries such as Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. Like anyother community, diversity in language, attitudes, beliefs and culture exist (Chinese WelfareAssociation, 2005).1.5 Chinese Catering Premises in the West <strong>of</strong> NITable 2 on page 9 contains the number <strong>of</strong> Chinese catering premises (restaurants andtakeaways) operating within each <strong>of</strong> the five participating district council areas <strong>of</strong> the westernregion <strong>of</strong> NI. Table 2 also contains the number <strong>of</strong> associated Chinese employers operatingwithin the catering sector in each council area. As can be seen from the figures, a number <strong>of</strong>Chinese employers own more that one catering business.8<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


Table 2:Number <strong>of</strong> Chinese catering premises (restaurants andtakeaways) and number <strong>of</strong> associated Chinese employersby district council area and western region.Information supplied by each <strong>of</strong> the five councils (March 2009).Premises andAssociated EmployerNumbersRegionNumber <strong>of</strong>Chinese cateringpremisesNumber <strong>of</strong>associatedChineseemployers<strong>Derry</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Council</strong> 33 27Fermanagh District <strong>Council</strong> 21 15Omagh District <strong>Council</strong> 18 16Strabane District <strong>Council</strong> 10 10Limavady Borough <strong>Council</strong> 9 8Western Region 91 761.6 <strong>The</strong> Chinese Community and the Language BarrierMandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken native language in the world today. Three mainforms <strong>of</strong> the Chinese language exist: Cantonese, Mandarin and Hakka (Chinese WelfareAssociation, 2005). <strong>The</strong> majority <strong>of</strong> Chinese from mainland Hong-Kong, Singapore andMalysia speak Cantonese (Chinese Welfare Association, 2005). Cantonese is also spokenby approximately 80 – 90% <strong>of</strong> the Chinese community in Northern Ireland. Two forms <strong>of</strong>Chinese writing exist: Traditional Chinese (used in Hong Kong and Taiwan) and simplifiedChinese (used in mainland China subsequent to the cultural revolution) (Chinese WelfareAssociation, 2005).<strong>The</strong> Chinese Welfare Association report that Chinese individuals who have arrived in NI inrecent years, particularly those who are employed within catering businesses, have had littleopportunity or, indeed, incentive to learn English, with Chinese being spoken at all timesin the family home (Chinese Welfare Association, 2005). <strong>The</strong> Chinese Welfare Associationrecognise that this creates a language barrier and that the existence <strong>of</strong> this language barrier,is one <strong>of</strong> the major factors that inhibits the Chinese community from integrating with widersociety in NI (Chinese Welfare Association, 2005).<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 9


2.0 <strong>The</strong> Literature10<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


2.1 <strong>Communication</strong>, Culture and Interpersonal<strong>Communication</strong>sEllis (1980) argued that, as society has become more complex, so too has the need for‘interpersonal pr<strong>of</strong>essionals’ who practice increasingly significant proportions <strong>of</strong> theirpr<strong>of</strong>essional duties in face-to-face interactions with others such as colleagues, service usersand stakeholders. Such pr<strong>of</strong>essionals include, those from within regulatory spheres such asEHOs.Culture has been shown to have a clear influence on the enactment <strong>of</strong> interpersonalskills (Ayoko et al. 2004). However, it is important to note that culture has been widelycharacterised as a multifaceted concept with distinctions being made between collectivist(associated with Eastern culture) and individualistic (associated with Western culture)cultures (Cryssochoou, 2004). All <strong>of</strong> these factors have a direct bearing on the effectiveness<strong>of</strong> shared interpersonal communication between culturally diverse groups.It is also vital to take note <strong>of</strong> the influences that individual personalities can have oninterpersonal communications. Ivey (1994, p.12) noted that:Individuals differ as much as or more than do cultures. You will want to attuneyour responses to the unique human being before you.On this point Hargie (2006) advises that skilled individuals manage to consider the nature<strong>of</strong> the specific individual that they are engaging with, in parallel with the associated culturalconsiderations, when producing responses. Public sector organisations undoubtedly have t<strong>of</strong>ace the complexities <strong>of</strong> effectively delivering services to all <strong>of</strong> their constituents includingcatering to the specific and richly diverse needs <strong>of</strong> ethnic minorities. To achieve this theymust be able to communicate effectively with this sector. Parvis (2003, p.65) makes it clearthat the EH pr<strong>of</strong>ession must act to improve their ability to communicate effectively byexplicitly stating that:Environmental Health pr<strong>of</strong>essionals and those who have extensive contact withpeople from different cultures should educate themselves on how to interact withpeople from other cultures.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 11


2.2 Engagement with EMBs: Failure and EffectivenessEvidence exists that indicates an apparent reluctance on the part <strong>of</strong> EMBs to engage withexternal business support services. <strong>The</strong> fact that Environmental Health departments areregulators as well as support providers may very well compound such reluctance. Evidencealso supports a lack <strong>of</strong> awareness on the part <strong>of</strong> EMBs with respect to the role and scope <strong>of</strong>available support services (Oc and Tiesdell, 1999; Fallon and Brown, 2004). <strong>The</strong> consequences<strong>of</strong> failed communication include EMBs suffering from lack <strong>of</strong> awareness <strong>of</strong> support services,lack <strong>of</strong> understanding <strong>of</strong> the support services available, doubts about the relevance <strong>of</strong> what ison <strong>of</strong>fer and, ultimately, low take-up <strong>of</strong> support services (Emslie and Bent, 2006).<strong>The</strong>re is some evidence in the literature, however, to show that second generationentrepreneurs from EMBs are more willing to engage with and use external support, therebyshowing potential to be more innovative and growth orientated (CEEDR, 2001a, b).With regard to the local authority Environmental Health context, it is interesting to note thefindings <strong>of</strong> research involving 40 EMBs (operating within the Bolton Metropolitan Borough<strong>Council</strong> area in Northern England) conducted by Rudder (2006). Here Rudder (2006)found that language difficulties and lack <strong>of</strong> knowledge and understanding <strong>of</strong> food safety aremajor barriers faced by EMBs. However, it was noted by Rudder (2006) that when supportis <strong>of</strong>fered to EMBs in the form <strong>of</strong> innovative interventions (for a defined six-month period)the results showed that 65% (26) <strong>of</strong> participating EMBs had improved their food safetycompliance. Based on this investigation Rudder (2006) concluded that a lack <strong>of</strong> positiveresponse by EMBs to EHO requests was not solely due to intransigency. Rather, it wasconcluded that, a lack <strong>of</strong> understanding by EMBs as to the relevance <strong>of</strong> what they were beingasked to do by EHOs was the main cause <strong>of</strong> not adhering to requests (Rudder, 2006).<strong>The</strong> consequences <strong>of</strong> failed communication includeEMBs suffering from lack <strong>of</strong> awareness <strong>of</strong> supportservices, lack <strong>of</strong> understanding <strong>of</strong> the supportservices available, doubts about the relevance <strong>of</strong>what is on <strong>of</strong>fer and, ultimately, low take-up <strong>of</strong>support services (Emslie and Bent, 2006).12<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


2.3 Communicating with the ChineseChinese culture, as much as any other distinctive culture, has its own specific rules andbroadly accepted norms for day-to-day social interactions. <strong>The</strong>refore, challenges to culturalperceptions, expectations and assumptions can <strong>of</strong>ten lead to intercultural misunderstandingsand ultimately miscommunication (Gao and Ting-Toomey, 1998).Gao and Ting-Toomey (1998) report that some non-Chinese find Chinese communicationbehaviour intriguing. Chinese may appear reserved, indirect or even shy to some non-Chinese, while, to others they may appear deceptive and evasive (Gao and Ting-Toomey,1998). Cross-cultural analysis has shown that conflict management styles are closely linkedto a persons concern for ‘keeping face’ (Hargie, 2006). <strong>The</strong> ‘face’ concerns <strong>of</strong> ‘self face’,‘other face’ and ‘mutual face’ have been identified by Ting-Toomey (1991). Here Ting-Toomeyargues that people from collectivistic cultures concern themselves more with ‘other face’than persons from individualistic cultures. This concern for ‘other face’ <strong>of</strong>ten manifests itselfin non-confrontational styles <strong>of</strong> conflict management such as avoidance and compromising.This, it is argued, prevents the interdependent parties losing face and therefore, preservesharmony (Ting-Toomey, 1991). Ting-Toomey (1991) further asserts that Chinese havedeveloped an ability to be ‘strategically unassertive’ by communicating their intentions in anindirect manner as assertiveness does not have the positive status as found in many westerncultures.Gao and Ting-Toomey (1998) advise that, in contrast to western cultures, words are nottreated with the same significance in Chinese culture. Chinese display a tendency not to takeon board the literal meaning <strong>of</strong> words; <strong>of</strong>ten preferring to believe in yi zai yan wai (meaninglies beyond words) and yi zai bu yan zhong (meaning lies in the unspoken) - with what hasnot been said <strong>of</strong>ten judged more significant than what has (Gao and Ting-Toomey, 1998).This is best reflected in guidelines provided by Gao and Ting-Toomey (1998) (see table 3 onpage 14) aimed at facilitating improved communications between western (North American)and Chinese individuals. While these guidelines are not necessarily fully transferable whenconsidering shared communications between Chinese and EHOs in NI, they highlight differingwestern – eastern perspectives and provide an insight into how shared communicationscould be improved with reference to awareness <strong>of</strong> cultural differences.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 13


Table 3:<strong>Communication</strong> improvement guidelines(adapted from Gao and Ting-Toomey, 1998).Guidelines for North Americans1. Focus on how something is said.Relational and mutual-face meanings<strong>of</strong>ten outweigh literal, content meanings.2. Learn to read paralinguistic cues, suchas facial expressions, body movements,gestures, and pauses.3. Develop a brief that words can beinadequate and insufficient.4. Understand that Chinese selves are<strong>of</strong>ten embedded in plural pronouns, andlearn to differentiate personal opinionsfrom those <strong>of</strong> the group.5. Be aware that impersonal language canbe used with outsiders and that insidersand outsiders are treated differently.6. Accept that Chinese value indirect talkand that requests are <strong>of</strong>ten implied.7. Recognise that definitive responsesare rarely given in Chinese culture andthat the word ‘yes’ may have multiplemeanings.8. Understand that modesty is a Chinesevirtue and that understating anddiscrediting oneself is expected.9. Be aware that personal questionsconsidered as private in the UnitedStates are asked frequently and that suchtalk is a sign <strong>of</strong> care and interest.10. Accept that Chinese tend to keepopinions to themselves and areuncomfortable in engaging in social talkwith strangers.Guidelines for Chinese1. Focus on what is said; try not toread too much into the words or beoversensitive to non-verbal nuances.2. Learn to accept what is said.3. Develop a belief that verbal messagesand feedback are powerful and effective.4. Understand that self-affirmation andindividuality are important to NorthAmericans and that self-orientedmessages are used to separate oneselffrom others.5. Be aware that everyone should betreated equally and polite speech appliesto family members, intimate friends, andstrangers.6. Accept that North Americans valuedirect talk and that requests are <strong>of</strong>tenstated explicitly.7. Recognise that being assertive is valuedin the U.S. culture and that ‘no’ is anassertive response.8. Understand that modesty may beequated with low-self confidence andthat enhancing and crediting oneself maybe expected.9. Learn not to ask personal questions,because they can be <strong>of</strong>fensive andinsulting; understand that such talk maybe construed as meddling and intrusive.10. Accept that North Americans like toexpress their opinions openly and aretalkative in their social interactions.14<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


2.4 <strong>The</strong> Sills and Desai ‘Seven Stages’Sills and Desai (1996) have recommended that seven stages be considered by district councilswhen designing effective communication with EMBs. Sills and Desai (1996, P. 262) found that:[For] communications to be effective it is necessary that a number <strong>of</strong> key stagesare executed correctly. It is not sufficient that the council merely translatesexisting material into community languages if it wants to communicate with non-English speaking residents. Consideration needs to be given to what is to becommunicated, to whom and how that message is to be delivered to the targetaudience.Even though a number <strong>of</strong> years have passed since their inception, the principles uponwhich they stand are still very relevant. <strong>The</strong> seven stages recommended by Sills andDesai (1996) are:1. <strong>The</strong> Level <strong>of</strong> AwarenessWritten communications from councils can <strong>of</strong>ten assume too high a level <strong>of</strong>awareness.2. <strong>The</strong> MessageIf council communications are to be effective the message needs to be <strong>of</strong> interestto the intended audience.3. <strong>The</strong> Level <strong>of</strong> Literacy<strong>The</strong> level <strong>of</strong> literacy <strong>of</strong> the ethnic minority audience targeted by thecommunication must be considered.4. <strong>The</strong> LanguageSimply translating information may not always be the solution.5. <strong>The</strong> MediumOne form <strong>of</strong> communication does not suit all groups in society.6. <strong>The</strong> DeliveryCareful thought needs to be given to how the target audience is reached.7. MonitoringIt is essential to monitor all stages <strong>of</strong> the communication process to ensure rapidand appropriate responses that are effective.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 15


2.5 Equality, Good Relations and <strong>The</strong> Northern IrelandAct 1998A number <strong>of</strong> important pieces <strong>of</strong> legislation set the legal framework in Northern Irelandregarding anti-discrimination statutory duties in relation to areas such as Equality andGood Relations. Associated legislation places specific duties on public authorities such asdistrict councils and, therefore, has implications for the work <strong>of</strong> their Environmental Healthdepartments.Section 75 <strong>of</strong> the Northern Ireland Act 1998 places a statutory obligation on publicauthorities (including district councils) to ensure that, in line with their responsibilities, allfunctions and duties are delivered with due regard to the need to promote equality <strong>of</strong>opportunity… between persons <strong>of</strong> different… racial group[s] (Equality CommissionFor Northern Ireland, 2005). In addition, under Section 75 (2) <strong>of</strong> the Northern Ireland Act1998, public authorities (including district councils) in carrying out their functions relatingto Northern Ireland, must have regard to the desirability <strong>of</strong> promoting GoodRelations between persons <strong>of</strong> different… racial group[s] (Equality Commission ForNorthern Ireland, 2007).It is not sufficient that the <strong>Council</strong> merely translatesexisting material into community languages if itwants to communicate with non-English speakingresidents. Consideration needs to be given to whatis to be communicated, to whom and how thatmessage is to be delivered to the target audience(Sills and Desai, 1996).16<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


3.0 Study Design<strong>The</strong> study was a collaborative effort involving the Environmental Health departments<strong>of</strong> the five district councils within the western region <strong>of</strong> NI (56 EHOs were engaged)and Chinese employers within this region (91 Chinese catering businesses wereengaged). <strong>The</strong> study was facilitated by partnership working with Sai Pak and theChinese Welfare Association and district council Community Relations and Equalitycolleagues. <strong>The</strong> study involved the design and dissemination <strong>of</strong> two questionnairesin which the views <strong>of</strong> EHOs and Chinese business owners on the nature and quality<strong>of</strong> shared communications were sought. Questionnaires were administered in bilingualformat. <strong>The</strong> opinions <strong>of</strong> both parties were also sought on the seven stagesrecommended by Sills and Desai (1996) and on the individual parties awareness <strong>of</strong>ethnic minority support services within district councils. Focus groups were alsoheld where each party were encouraged to discuss their experience <strong>of</strong> and <strong>of</strong>fertheir views on the shared communications. In the interest <strong>of</strong> research robustness,the multiple method approach adopted allowed qualitative data collected duringfocus groups to be triangulated using quantitative and qualitative data generated fromcompleted questionnaires, thereby allowing the validity <strong>of</strong> data interpretation to beconfirmed, and, indeed differences to be further investigated. In essence, triangulationallows the researcher to come at the same problem from different angles in anattempt to ensure that the results obtained are a true and accurate reflection <strong>of</strong> thephenomenon under investigation.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 17


4.0 Results andAnalysis2007430www.spacetobreathe.org.uk Chinese (complex) translation <strong>of</strong> Space to breathe - smoke-free legislationinformation200743020074302007430 www.spacetobreathe.org.ukChinese (complex) translation <strong>of</strong> Space to breathe - smoke-free legislationinformation20074302007430()20074302007430()18<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


4.1 Environmental Health Functions• Analysis <strong>of</strong> the Environmental Health and Chinese employer questionnairesconfirmed that both groups had communicated under the auspices <strong>of</strong> allEnvironmental Health functions.• For both groups the majority <strong>of</strong> communications were on matters relating to thefood control function <strong>of</strong> Environmental Health (EHO 76%; Chinese employers97.3%).• Health and Safety was the Environmental Health function, which both respondentgroups next most frequently selected (EHO 48%; Chinese employers 81.1%).4.2 Verbal <strong>Communication</strong>• In their respective questionnaires both groups agreed that the most common form<strong>of</strong> verbal communication was face-to-face in English (EHOs 94% - see figure 2below; Chinese employers 89.2%). This was supported by focus group responsesfrom both EHO and Chinese participants.• Face-to-face verbal communication using interpretation was reported by 26% <strong>of</strong>EHOs and 21.6 % <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers.• Both groups reported comparable use <strong>of</strong> communication by telephone in English(EHOs 74%; Chinese employers 72.9%).Figure 2:Verbal communication used by EHOsResponse (%)1009080706050403020100In EnglishFace-to-FaceWithInterpretationYesNoIn EnglishBy TelephoneWithInterpretation<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 19


• Chinese focus group responses supported the view that verbal communicationwith EHOs in English is difficult and could be improved by interpretation. This wascorroborated by Chinese questionnaire responses.4.3 Written <strong>Communication</strong>• In their respective questionnaires both groups agreed that letters written inEnglish were the most common form <strong>of</strong> written communication (EHOs 84% -see figure 3 below; Chinese 70.2%).• Use <strong>of</strong> translated letters was reported by 26% <strong>of</strong> EHOs and 24.3% <strong>of</strong> Chineserespondents.• Emails in English were reported by 6% <strong>of</strong> EHOs and 10.8% <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers.Figure 3:Written communication used by EHOsResponses (%)1009080706050403020100In EnglishBy LetterWithInterpretationYesNoIn EnglishBy EmailWithInterpretation• In focus group responses EHOs indicated that translated letters were kept as clearand to the point as possible.• Chinese focus group responses supported the view that written communicationfrom EHOs in English was a barrier to effective communication and could beimproved by the provision <strong>of</strong> translated letters, reports and information. This wascorroborated by Chinese questionnaire responses.• Environmental Health focus group participants expressed the view that onlinetranslated material should be more readily available.20<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


4.4 Effectiveness <strong>of</strong> Shared <strong>Communication</strong>• None <strong>of</strong> the Chinese questionnaire respondents indicated that they weredissatisfied with the current status, 21.6% indicated that they had no significantview, 70.2% indicated that they were slightly satisfied - very satisfied.• In contrast to questionnaire responses, Chinese focus group participants ratedcommunication between Environmental Health and Chinese employers ‘in themiddle’.• Chinese focus group participants indicated the view that, while EHOs wereinformative and friendly, there was a need for better explanation <strong>of</strong> requestedchanges arising from visits/inspections.• Chinese focus group participants also expressed the view that EHOs werenitpicking and inconsistent.• Chinese focus group participants indicated the view that the running <strong>of</strong> foodhygiene courses had helped improve the communication/understanding <strong>of</strong>Environmental Health requirements. This was also reported in Chinesequestionnaire responses.• Environmental Health focus group participants observed that there was ‘noobvious improvement’ following translation <strong>of</strong> letters and also that the abilityto communicate well in English did not necessarily lead to improved complianceamong Chinese catering establishments.• In focus group discussions Chinese employers, but not EHOs, raised the issue <strong>of</strong>the importance <strong>of</strong> non-verbal communication in shared interactions.• Both Environmental Health and Chinese focus group participants confirmed thestrong links between Sai Pak, the Chinese community and EHOs. <strong>The</strong> importance<strong>of</strong> these links to the facilitation <strong>of</strong> effective communication was corroborated infocus group and questionnaire responses from both groups.• EHOs, both via questionnaire responses and in focus group discussion, indicatedthe view that resource issues (cost, staff, time) would significantly impact oncurrent and future shared communications with Chinese/EMBs.• In focus group discussions EHOs indicated that the need to meet output targetsimpacted negatively on effective communication.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 21


4.5 Level <strong>of</strong> Awareness <strong>of</strong> <strong>Council</strong> Policies andProcedures• A majority <strong>of</strong> EHOs answered either negatively or don’t know when asked if theirorganisation had any policies relating to either ethnic employers (82%) or Chineseemployers (96%).• A majority <strong>of</strong> EHOs (92%) answered ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ when asked about theirknowledge <strong>of</strong> council procedures for dealing with Chinese or ethnic employers(see figure 4 below).Figure 4:EHO knowledge <strong>of</strong> organisational proceduresResponses (%)706050403020100EMBYesNoDon’t KnowChinese• A majority <strong>of</strong> EHOs answered ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ when asked if there weresupport departments within their organisation that facilitated communication withethnic employers (78%) or Chinese employers (82%) (see figure 5 on page 23).22<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


Figure 5:EHO knowledge <strong>of</strong> organisational support departmentsResponses (%)50454035302520151050EMBYesNoDon’t KnowChinese• A majority <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers answered ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ when askedif they were aware whether their local council had any policies that addresscommunication with ethnic minority businesses (78.3%).• A majority <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers answered ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ when asked if theywere aware whether their local council had any procedures in place for its staffwith regard to interacting with ethnic minority businesses/employers (81.0%)(seefigure 6 below).Figure 6:Chinese employer awareness <strong>of</strong> council policies &proceduresResponses (%)80706050403020YesNoDon’t Know100PoliciesProcedures<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 23


• All <strong>of</strong> the Chinese focus group participants confirmed that they had no awareness<strong>of</strong> council policies or procedures relating to ethnic minority employers.• Environmental Health focus group participants agreed that councils needed toadopt a more integrated corporate, as opposed to departmental, approach whendealing with the issue <strong>of</strong> communicating with ethnic minorities.4.6 <strong>The</strong> Sills and Desai ‘Seven Stages’• A majority <strong>of</strong> EHOs and Chinese employers indicated that they did agree with theseven statements.• A majority <strong>of</strong> EHOs answered ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’ when asked whether they feltthat their organisation had taken the seven stage process into consideration whencommunicating with Chinese employers.4.7 Focus Group Results<strong>The</strong> following are examples <strong>of</strong> qualitative responses that were obtained from the separatefocus groups that were held for EHOs and Chinese employers.4.7.1 Environmental Health Focus Groups4.7.1.1 Verbal and Written <strong>Communication</strong>s• Face-to-Face communication is a problem therefore a priority with employeesalso.• One lady (Chinese) who owns a takeaway uses a translation book duringinspections in her premises.• We have no way <strong>of</strong> knowing how effective translation and interpretation is.• Effective verbal communication helps premises improve.• ***<strong>Council</strong> spent a lot <strong>of</strong> money to translate - £400 per letter, to no obviouseffect.• My previous personal experience is that Chinese have excellent English and theyare comfortable with English correspondence etc.• Some employees pretend not to understand.24<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


4.7.1.2 Barriers• EH job is target driven – output more than outcomes.• Visits take a lot <strong>of</strong> time to do because <strong>of</strong> communication difficulties.• Non-compliance is observed on a regular basis in Chinese premises.• Language barrier exists from the introduction/greeting.• <strong>The</strong> ‘time’ and ‘resources’ factors are big issues for Environmental Health.More apprehensive to enforce legal action in Chinese premises.• Reluctance, apathy and workload are the main things that will preventimprovement in communications in the future.• Standards are not improving despite letters being translated.4.7.1.3 Opportunities• Chinese people are very willing to comply with legislation and with EnvironmentalHealth.• You could see their (Chinese staff) eyes light up when we gave them translatedSmoke-Free literature to help with the premises.• Provide feedback <strong>of</strong> research through to subgroups and the Chief OfficersManagement Team.• Everyone is responsible including EHOs. <strong>The</strong> Chief Environmental Health OfficersGroup and the Chief Officers Management Team should provide definite support.Management commitment needed to obtain improvements.• Once we have all feedback then no reason why some implementation cannot bestarted immediately.• Chinese like to come into council as they feel it an “honour” to meet dignitaries.• We need to link in with Community Relations.• Improvement in face-to-face is the priority. To be really effective any interpreterneeds to be from Chinese catering background.• FSA backing is needed to help improve the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> how we communicatewith ethnic groups.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 25


4.7.2 Chinese Employer Focus Groups4.7.2.1 Verbal and Written <strong>Communication</strong>s• EHO is always talking in English during visit.• Employees only understand half or less <strong>of</strong> what they are being told by EHOs.• Make requirements on report short and to the point.• Not always good at conveying contents <strong>of</strong> letter (English) to employees.• Interpreters could be used along with bilingual reports.• Make assessment <strong>of</strong> who needs interpretation and then bring interpreter.• Would welcome telephone interpretation service (non English speakers). Thispoint has been suggested to <strong>of</strong>ficers before.4.7.2.2 Non-verbal <strong>Communication</strong>• Previously been in catering trade for 30 years – used to be very afraid <strong>of</strong> EHOs.But now it has improved by building rapport and understanding.• Sometimes EHOs can be very stern and scary. Not much smiling and not muchjoking. If too serious makes us nervous.4.7.2.3 Barriers• Very important that employer is present during inspection to help determine whatis required.• EHO should contact employer before they visit. Come at a more appropriate time.EHO should be there to help us not to catch us.• EHOs are not good at explaining why - when things need to change.• EHOs are <strong>of</strong>ten nitpicking.• Unaware if council has any policies and procedures regarding ethnic communities.• Chinese Welfare Association should do more to set up Chinese network inOmagh and Fermanagh as there is none right now.26<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


4.7.2.4 Opportunities• Can we raise more funding to ensure translations are carried out?• EHOs always give time to carry out work.• More experienced <strong>of</strong>ficers have better understanding <strong>of</strong> how to deal with Chineseemployers.• EHOs need to recognise the difference between Chinese catering and localcatering. EHOs need to understand Chinese practices.• Maybe conduct one-day event on Chinese cooking practices for EHOs.• In future use Sai Pak more proactively.• In future provide regular information sessions/updates on new legislation.Sometimes EHOs can be very sternand scary. Not much smiling and notmuch joking. If too serious makes usnervous.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 27


5.0 DiscussionIt is extremely encouragingto note that there was a highlevel <strong>of</strong> engagement from bothparties with respect to bothcompletion <strong>of</strong> questionnairesand participation in focusgroup discussions. <strong>The</strong>rewas an 89% response rateachieved with regard to thequestionnaire administered toEHOs and a 49% response rateachieved in connection withthe questionnaire administeredto Chinese employers. Each <strong>of</strong>the four focus groups was fullysubscribed and a high degree <strong>of</strong>participation was obtained duringdiscussions.28<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


<strong>The</strong> findings <strong>of</strong> this study suggest that the delivery <strong>of</strong> the associated Environmental Healthregulatory framework is conducted predominately on the terms set down by EnvironmentalHealth departments, largely without effective consideration <strong>of</strong> the ‘unique’ needs andrequirements <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers. In essence, there is a lack <strong>of</strong> a balance being struckbetween the operational considerations <strong>of</strong> Environmental Health departments and thespecific needs and rights <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers operating EMBs. This research has shownthat both EHOs and Chinese employers face real difficulties communicating effectively underthe current arrangements and that both recognise the need for positive change in orderto help improve this situation. Focus group discussions indicated that EHOs believe thatEnvironmental Health management commitment is needed and that, while all stakeholdershave responsibilities, management must provide the support needed to facilitate positivechange.Issues uncovered were found to be intricate e.g. teasing out the balance between operationalenforcement requirements and Equality and Good Relations obligations, and multi-layerede.g. simply translating information was found not always to be associated with improvedcompliance. Certain issues were found to be subtle in nature, e.g. cultural differences such asthe relative weight given to non-verbal communication by the respective parties. Other issueswere so well embedded that they have become accepted norms, e.g. ongoing communicationin English to a significant amount <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers who can at best, only respond in‘broken English’.Evidence <strong>of</strong> much good will between EHOs and Chinese employers was uncovered. Equally,much frustration was found to exist among Chinese employers and EHOs regarding thestate <strong>of</strong> current shared communications. From within Environmental Health a need fora corporate, cohesive approach to be taken in order to drive much needed and desiredimprovements was identified. <strong>The</strong> findings regarding the lack <strong>of</strong> awareness from EHOs aboutcouncil policies and procedures support the need for improvements in this area.A need for Chinese employers to play their full part in effectively contributing towards, whatis, after all, a shared communication experience was also highlighted. Some trepidation, andpossibly cynicism, was evident from within elements <strong>of</strong> each group, although a positive aspectis that much creative thought was present that manifested in many novel/innovative ideasbeing generated in an attempt to <strong>of</strong>fer constructive solutions. Overall, the collective mooddisplayed was one <strong>of</strong> openness to positive change, albeit tempered by a degree <strong>of</strong> uncertaintyaround issues such as cost, time and consistency.34<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


7.0 Recommendations36<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


7.1 <strong>The</strong> European Foundation For QualityManagement (EFQM) Enablers – A ‘Scaffold’ for theRecommendationsWhile each <strong>of</strong> the following recommendations is interconnected, it is useful to structurethese in a manner that enables Environmental Health departments to delineate therespective categories <strong>of</strong> advice. <strong>The</strong>refore, the EFQM Business Excellence Model has beenadapted (see figure 7 below) to allow its five enablers to act as a scaffold to structurerecommendations in Leadership, People Management, Policy & Strategy, Partnerships &Resources and Processes.Figure 7:Adaptation <strong>of</strong> the EFQM Business Excellence Modelto map out how ‘enablers’ structure associatedcommunication improvement recommendations(adapted from EFQM, 1999).EnablersResultsPeopleManagementImproved Verbal<strong>Communication</strong>Targeted training;PerformancemanagementFace to face andtelephone basedinteractionsProcessesLeadershipEH ledmulti-agencyworking groupPolicy andStrategyEngagement strategy;Policy developmentDetermination<strong>of</strong> individualbusinesscommunicationneeds;Practicalinterventions;EH processesImprovedNon-verbal<strong>Communication</strong>Body language,attitudesImprovementin effectiveness<strong>of</strong> sharedcommunicationsPartnershipsand ResourcesBest practiceinterventions;Coterminous aimsand objectivesImprovedWritten<strong>Communication</strong>Letters, reports,support materialsLearning and Innovation<strong>The</strong> following recommendations are made as a result <strong>of</strong> this investigation.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 37


7.2 LeadershipA real need exists for district council Environmental Health departments to provideleadership on the issues identified by this research. Leadership should not exist at theexpense <strong>of</strong> partnership, as meaningful collaboration is required with a number <strong>of</strong> other keybodies. <strong>The</strong>refore, to help facilitate Environmental Health leadership on these issues thefollowing recommendations are made.1. It is recommended that the Chief Environmental Health Officer <strong>of</strong> the WesternGroup Environmental Health Service, facilitate the creation <strong>of</strong> a multi-agencyworking group (the working group) within the western region, to act on thefindings <strong>of</strong> this research. This group must be constituted and mandated to take thefindings <strong>of</strong> this research forward.2. This working group should contain representation from: each <strong>of</strong> the fiveEnvironmental Health departments who participated in this study, Chineseemployers who operate within the west, Sai Pak, Community Relations andEquality. <strong>The</strong> constitution and remit <strong>of</strong> the working group should be formalisedand clearly outlined in an agreed ‘Terms <strong>of</strong> Reference’ and discussions, decisionsand actions should be minuted.3. <strong>The</strong> working group should be remitted effectively to examine each <strong>of</strong> therecommendations made by this investigation. <strong>The</strong> working group should producean agreed ‘work plan’ which identifies the resources required, key output andoutcome targets and how progress will be reviewed.4. A key objective for the working group must be to produce practical initiativesfor Environmental Health departments that address the issues uncovered by thisinvestigation. Such practical initiatives should be formally proposed to districtcouncil Environmental Health departments for their considered implementationbased on an appropriate cost/benefit analysis.5. <strong>The</strong> core principles for effective communication with ethnic minorities, asproposed by Sills and Desai (1996), have been endorsed by the majority <strong>of</strong>Chinese employers and EHOs who took part in this research. <strong>The</strong>refore, this‘seven stage process’ should act as fundamental guiding principles to the workinggroup. Moreover, the group should develop practical applications that can helpEnvironmental Health departments effectively deliver each <strong>of</strong> the ‘seven stages’.38<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


7.3 People ManagementIt is vital that EHOs are effectively supported in their communications with Chineseemployers. Focus group responses indicate that EHOs believe that their job is driven by theneed to meet quantitative targets (outputs) as opposed to qualitative targets (outcomes) andthis reduces the amount <strong>of</strong> time they believe they have available to improve communicationwith ethnic minorities.To help facilitate the improvements that are necessary regarding people management issuesthe following recommendations are made.1. Environmental Health senior management must address <strong>of</strong>ficers concernsregarding the role <strong>of</strong> quantitative measures <strong>of</strong> performance. <strong>The</strong>se are viewedby EHOs as a barrier to improving communication with Chinese employers.This is a key issue and it should be noted that Business Improvement literaturesuggests that a performance measurement system must be able to supportstrategic objectives ‘using an appropriate balance, based on a limited number <strong>of</strong>performance measures that are kept under review’ (Tangen, 2004, p.727&728).2. <strong>The</strong> working group should conduct a training needs analysis for EnvironmentalHealth departmental staff, which will identify the gap between training that hasalready been provided and training that is declared as necessary to supportcommunication improvements. <strong>The</strong> analysis must incorporate an appropriatesystem <strong>of</strong> prioritising training needs. If necessary the working group should enlistspecialist help to complete this task.3. <strong>The</strong> working group should assist councils in identifying the most appropriatetraining provider(s) to deliver training to EHOs on the management <strong>of</strong> non-verbalcommunication and Chinese cultural awareness. It is essential that EHOs receivesuitable and sufficient training on these matters as a high priority.7.4 Policy and StrategyThis research has demonstrated that there is a need for Environmental Health departmentsto increase their level <strong>of</strong> proactive collaboration with their council Equality and GoodRelations colleagues. This research has also demonstrated the need to improve awarenessamong EHOs and Chinese employers with regard to relevant policies and procedures.To help facilitate the improvements that are necessary regarding policy and strategy mattersthe following recommendations are made.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 39


1. <strong>The</strong> working group should devise an overarching ‘engagement strategy’ aimedat improving mutual understanding between EHOs and Chinese employers. <strong>The</strong>strategy should include the development <strong>of</strong> the most appropriate innovativesuggestions for joint working made during Chinese and EHO focus groups.Funding streams (e.g. Community Relations funding) that can support theimplementation <strong>of</strong> such innovative approaches should be actively sought by theworking group;2. <strong>The</strong> working group should produce a best practice register <strong>of</strong> all relevant policiesand procedures currently in place within councils in NI that relate to Chineseemployers/EMBs/ethnic minorities. Following this the working group shouldconduct a gap analysis to determine any further policies and procedures that arerequired to effectively support an improvement in communications with Chineseemployers/EMBs;3. Community Relations and Equality Officers should be invited to attend adepartmental meeting within each Environmental Health department inorder to meet EHOs and provide information on their work to help facilitatethe establishment <strong>of</strong> mutually beneficial proactive working relationships.Environmental Health departments should <strong>of</strong>fer their EHOs the opportunity tospend some time shadowing their Community Relations and Equality colleagues(and vice versa), in order to develop understanding <strong>of</strong> the relevance <strong>of</strong> each role.Such collaborations should be reported to the working group to help promotegood practice and inform future policy development in this area.7.5 Partnerships and ResourcesThis research has shown that EHOs value the existing relationship with Sai Pak andappreciate the value that such partnerships with representatives <strong>of</strong> the Chinese communitycan bring. <strong>The</strong> recommendations outlined under Leadership and Policy and Strategy willassist with external and internal partnership development.To help further support partnership working, the following overarching recommendation ismade.1. <strong>The</strong> working group should ensure that its aims/objectives are referenced back insupport <strong>of</strong> the aims/objectives <strong>of</strong> its member organisations.40<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


To address the key concerns expressed by EHO regarding costs, time and resources thefollowing recommendation is made.1. <strong>The</strong> working group must give due consideration to the strength <strong>of</strong> feelingexpressed by EHOs regarding costs, time and resources as identified barrierswhen developing practical initiatives/applications. To effectively inform this processthe working group should research best practice interventions (such as Rudder,2006) that other researchers/Environmental Health departments have investigated/delivered and evaluated. From these investigations the working group should alsocompile a best practice ‘toolkit’ <strong>of</strong> case studies as a resource for EnvironmentalHealth departments.7.6 ProcessesThis investigation has identified the key processes involved when Chinese employers andEHOs share communication. A number <strong>of</strong> key difficulties have been identified by EHOs andChinese employers that require an improvement <strong>of</strong> process-related issues. An improvementin face-to-face verbal communications has been identified as the number one priority.To help facilitate the necessary improvement in Environmental Health processes thefollowing recommendations are made.1. <strong>The</strong> working group should design an appropriate data collection instrument (e.g.survey in a bilingual format) and analysis procedure that enables EnvironmentalHealth departments to immediately determine the individual communicationneeds and preferences <strong>of</strong> Chinese employers operating within the catering sectorin the western region.2. Based on the information collected from Chinese employers, the working groupshould report their findings to Environmental Health departments and assist in thedevelopment <strong>of</strong> practical interventions that can support improvements in relatedprocesses.3. <strong>The</strong> working group should also consider how current Environmental Healthprocesses that impact on underlying issues such as lone working, timing <strong>of</strong>visits and out <strong>of</strong> hours remote access to support services (e.g. if unexpectedcircumstances arise in premises) can be improved.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer 41


Many negative connotations are <strong>of</strong>ten associated with recommending that a working groupbe established. To some this may seem as the creation <strong>of</strong> yet another layer <strong>of</strong> bureaucracy.However, it is vital to create the correct circumstances that will enable an improvement inthe communications shared between EHOs and Chinese employers to be realised. Creatingthese circumstances will require the concerted efforts <strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> partners who arecommitted to working under an agreed mandate to produce a clear vision as to what theyneed to achieve. <strong>The</strong>se recommendations will help structure the initial plan <strong>of</strong> action.Finally, it is important to recognise that each individual who shares in the communicationprocess, be they EHO or Chinese employer, has an obligation to make their own positivecontribution.A journey <strong>of</strong> athousand milesbegins with a single step(Chinese Proverb)Eamonn TonerEnvironmental Health OfficerChartered Environmental Health PractitionerFebruary 201042<strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communication</strong>: A landscape shared between regulator and ethnic employer


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ForewordI am very pleased to be writing the forewordfor this very interesting report. I am alsovery pleased that this initiative has carriedout important work in seeking to interactbetter with Chinese and other minoritycommunities.This research will promote betterunderstanding <strong>of</strong> the Chinese communityand their input into the catering trade inNorthern Ireland. <strong>The</strong> Chinese cateringtrade provides an excellent service to thewhole community in Northern Ireland andespecially in the areas focused upon by thisstudy. I expect by promoting the Chinesecatering trade through this report the widercommunity will develop a better sense <strong>of</strong> theservices it provides for the whole community.I hope that this document will helpto identify the barriers which inhibiteffective communication with the Chinesecommunity and also recognise ways inwhich these barriers may be overcome.Reports such as these are an importanttool in highlighting current, innovativemethods <strong>of</strong> communication and practicebetween Chinese catering businesses andtheir Environmental Health Officers, whilstat the same time identifying areas whereadditional work is needed to further improveand develop new communication channels.Better communication between the Chinesecatering community, the relevant <strong>Council</strong>sand Environmental Health Agencies can onlyhelp to increase the standards <strong>of</strong> the foodwhich the Chinese catering trade serves tothe community. This report, I believe can gosome way to help Chinese and other ethnicminority businesses to overcome the socialbarriers they face as well as the barriers toeffective communication.Any example <strong>of</strong> a range <strong>of</strong> public, privateand voluntary agencies coming together toprovide a comprehensive document such asthis should be recognised and praised as anexample to others <strong>of</strong> what can be achievedthrough co-operation, and teamwork. Iwould like to congratulate all those whohave contributed to this report, for acomprehensive, thoughtful document whichgives us not only much to be proud <strong>of</strong> butalso targets to achieve.Anna Lo, MLA

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