Translation is not always enough
A study of 87 hotel managers in Texas links communication difficulties with mistakes, misunderstandings and lost productivity reported by respondents. It also finds that translating documents alone does not improve their satisfaction with communication. This regional finding is not a measure of Seychelles. It points to checking the meaning understood, rather than assuming a translated message has been understood.
Agree how the team will communicate
At a calm moment outside the service rush, ask colleagues which working language they understand for the tasks concerned. Do not choose by nationality or assume that silence means understanding. Where there is no shared language, arrange appropriate language support before assigning a task that depends on the instruction. Do not leave a colleague to guess.
Use concrete words and shared labels
Imagine housekeeping reports that cleaning is complete, while reception interprets this as authorisation to release the room. Agree distinct labels for cleaning complete, inspection pending and ready for arrival, aligned with the hotel’s actual process. For a restaurant handover, use the same approach to distinguish a request received from a request confirmed. Avoid idioms and unexplained abbreviations.
Check understanding respectfully
Ask everyone involved to walk through the next action together: “What happens next, and who needs the update?” Present this as a check on the message, not an examination of language skills. Allow questions privately as well as in the group. Never imitate an accent, rank colleagues by fluency or ask someone to translate sensitive feedback publicly.
Support words with reliable tools
Keep an accessible glossary and a simple handover template in the agreed language or languages. Have translations checked by a suitably competent person, especially for safety-critical instructions. Do not rely on unverified automatic translation for allergen or emergency information; follow the hotel’s established procedures. When wording causes confusion, revise the shared tool rather than blaming the person who raised the question.