We’ve all heard someone say “you can’t say anything anymore” in the last few years. This phrase is born from the narrative that we’re getting too sensitive as a society. The question in this statement is asking why should people change how they speak to make other people more comfortable?
The thing is the mindset that asks this question is limiting. It’s a me-centered view of how we move through the world. Effective leadership means being audience centered. Understanding the power of our words on our audience is essential. If making small changes to how we speak has a large impact on how we connect with and retain talent, isn’t it worth it?
The world is in an employee engagement crisis. Gallup estimates that low employee engagement is costing the global economy 8.9 trillion U.S. dollars, approximately 9% of global GDP. They also found that 15% of the global workforce is actively disengaged. These numbers are alarming and mean that modern companies need multi-faceted, nuanced approaches to engaging employees. Fostering diversity, equity and inclusion is one of these facets.
Why is inclusive language important?
Creating inclusivity starts the moment you meet someone. LGBTQ+ folks and people from other marginalized identities are evaluating how inclusive the workplace is from the start. The language used in job postings, emails, ad copy, and interviews all tell a story about how inclusive your organization is. A culture built on inclusion and allyship will benefit everyone and everything—including productivity and the bottom line. People work harder for a company they feel supported by.
What is the impact of using inclusive language?
The biggest benefit of using inclusive language as an individual is that it removes barriers to connection. By using inclusive language you’re able to indicate to the people around you that you’re an ally and allyship provides opportunities to connect.
Another Gallup study found that only 17% of LGBTQ+ employees strongly believe their organization cares about their wellbeing. This is 10% lower reporting than non-LGBTQ+. They also found that local managers have the biggest impact on whether the employee feels cared for or not.
Remember, it takes energy to conceal parts of our identities. Having to be careful about what we share and deciding when to address microaggressions is exhausting. This effort reduces productivity and lowers engagement. And as we all know, retention and disengagement are massive (and costly) issues for companies globally. Encouraging inclusive language and allyship with your managers and teams is how to make an impact on overall feelings of connection and care.
What is inclusive language?
Inclusive language is just that—inclusive. It means that you’re choosing words that include everyone. These are often minor language changes that reduce the amount of gendered and ableist terms used. In this article we’re focusing on LGBTQ+ inclusive language.
How to be more inclusive
Use gender neutral language
As you start working towards using more inclusive language, it’ll become apparent how prevalent gendered language and expressions are. We all have heard these expressions our whole life and most of us have used them. There’s no reason to feel bad about this, but it is worth making the small changes needed to be more inclusive.
Instead of saying “ladies and gentlemen” you can say “folks” or “y’all”. It’s also unnecessary to reference someone’s gender when talking about their job. A female scientist can just be called a scientist. A policeman is a police officer.
Also, as an ally, keep an eye out for other for places your company can improve and bring attention to it when you see it. Do forms only give the option for husband or wife? Are only two genders an option? Is maternity leave the option or is it parental? Is the dress code gendered? Words have tons of power when it comes to policies. Non-inclusive language in a policy can do far more than alienate someone, it can limit access, support, and a person’s ability to be themselves.
Avoid making assumptions about other’s identity or orientation
We all make assumptions throughout our days, and this isn’t always a bad thing. However, we need to challenge the assumptions we make about people.
Think back—when a colleague tells you he’s married, do you immediately assume he’s married to a woman? He might be, but until he references his wife, it’s best not to assume. Also, if you’re meeting with a new group of people, it’s good to check in about personal pronouns by sharing your own.
By not assuming and taking cues from the language the other person is using, we can make someone feel more comfortable bringing their whole self to work.
Ask and use people’s personal pronouns
There has been a lot of talk about pronouns, but what are they? By definition, pronouns are words that stand in for noun phrases, referring to someone, or something. Pronouns are words like I, you, she, him, they, it, and this.
Common personal pronouns are he/him, she/her, and they/them. There are others, but these are the most common. You’ll also see combinations of these pronouns like he/they, which means the person is comfortable with either.
Conclusion: Fostering Inclusion and Allyship in Your Organization
Allyship needs to happen 12 months of the year. It’s not enough to acknowledge it in June and do nothing the rest of the year. By educating and supporting allyship within your organization all year, you’ll send a more meaningful message.
If you want to create a more inclusive workplace and foster allyship within your organization, we’re here to help. We have offerings to support this journey including our course called Making Allyship Actionable.
Let’s start a conversation. Drop us a line.
