Skip to main content

Story: Workforce composition

Multilingual workers

Image
Multilingual workers

Increased immigration from non-English-speaking countries has meant more New Zealand workers now speak two or more languages. Some workplaces are taking advantage of their staff’s language skills, such as this Auckland supermarket. Supervisor Pooja Dhawan (left) and checkout operator Dayal Talukder have special responsibility for dealing with customers whose first language is not English.

Using this item

New Zealand Herald

Reference: 040805HCPBAMg.JPG

by Bradley Ambrose

Permission of the New Zealand Herald must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Paul Callister and Robert Didham, Workforce composition – Ethnicity, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/22704/multilingual-workers (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paul Callister and Robert Didham, published 14 April 2010.