Guide to bilingualism for employees

In New Brunswick, all government services are available in both English and French. The Language of Service Policy ensures that a person can choose the preferred official language for any government service offered by departments, agencies, health sectors, crown corporations, institutions, or even third-party organizations hired by the government. This means that:

• you'll be informed that services are available in both English and French right from the start. The government uses bilingual signs and greets people in both languages, whether on the phone or in person
• all services, including documents and online content, are offered in both languages without any delay, letting you choose the language you prefer
• you have the right to choose the language in which you wish to communicate with the government and its employees
• you have the right to change your choice of language, but this might cause some delays in certain administrative processes, such as staffing interviews
• you can expect to receive services in your chosen language anywhere in New Brunswick. There are no exceptions, regardless of the size of the English or French-speaking population in any area

The Language of Work Policy encourages employees in Part 1 of the New Brunswick's public service (departments and agencies) to use both English and French at work. This policy helps foster a bilingual work environment, where employees can maintain and improve their language skills while enhancing service quality in both languages. This means:

• all personnel and payroll services and needed work instruments will be available in employees preferred official language
• employees can communicate with head offices or central agencies in their preferred language and are also encouraged to use English and French in their daily work, either in meetings, discussions with colleagues or drafting documents
• supervisors do not have to be bilingual, however, communication with employees must be in their chosen language. If a supervisor isn’t bilingual, they should ensure there are processes in place to accommodate the employee’s language choice
• performance reviews must be provided in the official language chosen by the employee. Supervisors who cannot speak that language can bring in a third person to assist such as the next level of management or a representative from the Human Resources section or another person deemed appropriate by both the employee and the supervisor

The government uses a team approach in order to offer quality service in both official languages. Not every employee needs to be bilingual, but employees work in functional teams so that the services each team offers can be provided in either language, as needed. This means:

• bilingual skills can vary by role - some employees may need full proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in both languages, while others may only need certain skills, like speaking and listening. For example, if an employee deals with members of both linguistic groups, but contact is mostly verbal, the employee probably only needs speaking and listening skills in the second language; the reading and writing skills may not be needed
• jobs are not specifically designated as bilingual or unilingual - when a bilingual employee leaves, their replacement doesn’t necessarily need to be bilingual; it depends on the team's overall linguistic capability
• all employees must offer services in both languages - if an employee cannot provide the service in the required language, a team member who can, should assist
• language capacity depends on level and type of interaction with the public or other departments - teams that frequently interact with diverse groups or provide specialized services may need more bilingual capacity than those with minimal public contact
• its not necessary to be bilingual to work with the government - each job posting specifies the language requirements based on the team's current needs, so opportunities vary depending on the situation

• services offered to the public in English and in French are of equal quality
• critical needs for organisations to provide services in both official languages to the public and to maintain their capacity to conduct their business as identified through linguistic profiles are met
• employees for whom language training would be an integral part of professional development have the opportunity to receive such training

Meetings do not always have to be fully bilingual. Depending on the size and language abilities of the participants, meetings can be held in English, French, or both. Employees are not required to use one specific language during meetings. The policy supports allowing employees to choose their preferred language for communication, whether in English, French, or both.

Depending on the size of the meeting and the language capabilities of the meeting participants, meetings can take place in English, French or be bilingual. Small meetings, typically those of project teams, work units or branches, must be held in a manner that encourages the use of both official languages. Organizers can alternate languages or encourage participants to speak in their preferred language.

Large meetings, such as regional meetings, interdepartmental meetings, annual departmental meetings, training sessions, public consultations, etc., must always use both official languages. This can be accomplished by using simultaneous interpretation, bilingual facilitators, or English and French co-chairs. Separate meetings in each language can also be an option.

If meetings are held separately in English and French, the agendas should be distributed in both official languages prior.  Following the meetings, minutes from both should be translated and distributed to ensure all employees have received the same information. Special attention should be paid to any questions that were raised at the meetings that may not have been raised at the other.

The chairperson must ensure participants can communicate in their preferred language and should use both languages from the start of the meeting, thereby encouraging others to feel comfortable using their chosen language.

If a chairperson is not fully bilingual, options include having a co-chair or using simultaneous interpretation to facilitate communication in both languages.

Read more about chairing a bilingual meeting effectively (publication).

Participants’ open-mindedness based on the acceptance of both languages and on the respect that everyone deserves, will facilitate a greater use of both official languages at work.

Bilingual participants can play a key role in promoting the use of both official languages by:

• using their other official language more often - this would encourage participants from the other language group to use their first official language
• make presentations in their first official language and encourage discussion in that language when circumstances are appropriate
• use simple and commonly used terms to make it easier for participants of the other language group to understand their questions and presentations

Employees are not required to be fluent in their second language to participate in meetings. Efforts to use a second language, even with an accent or occasional errors, are appreciated and help foster a bilingual environment. Employees can also respond in their preferred language while understanding another language, supporting bilingual communication.

To assess progress in creating a bilingual environment, get feedback from participants about the use of both languages. Note what worked well and areas for improvement. Consider asking a participant to act as an observer and provide feedback after the meeting. Review progress over time to see if attitudes and behaviors have improved. If there are challenges, discuss with participants to find solutions and encourage more bilingual communication.