When talking about people from an underrepresented community, it is important to be careful about the words that are used when discussing these employees. For example, there is a lot of research related to the language people use when giving feedback to men and women. A communication style that uses phrases such as “they are responsible for the success of the project”, “they drove it” or “they know how to get the job done” is often used when talking about men. For women, people are more likely to use a general communication style. Phrases like “they are supportive” and “they were instrumental in the success of a project.” When more thought is put into the words used to describe employees, it will help mitigate unconscious bias in the workplace.
Inclusive language
Inclusive language puts humanity at the center. This allows each team member to feel recognized, valued and motivated. Using respectful language is key to creating a culture of belonging.
In relation to people with different physical abilities, inclusive language puts the person first and the disability second. Phrases such as “deaf person” are not recommended, “a person who is deaf” is preferred. Any equipment that a person can use should be framed as something that helps the person, not something that limits them. An example of this is the expression ‘wheelchair bound’, the more inclusive alternative of which is ‘a person who uses a wheelchair’.
When it comes to gender, it is advisable to avoid the unnecessary emphasis of gender in certain situations. If it is not clear what is the gender of the person to whom someone should address in written communication, following business etiquette, one will not be mistaken if he or she writes the first and last name. The more correct way to refer to the absence of an employee during the birth or adoption of a child is “parenting”, not maternity.
People of different races, ethnicities, or backgrounds should not be described based solely on their appearance. When describing such employees, it is good to use more adjectives than nouns. For example, referring to someone as a person of African American descent rather than African American.
Visually inclusive language
In a corporate environment, people rarely consider that there are employees who may have color blindness. Since red-green blindness is the most common, it is good to use colors other than these in visual presentations to signal constancy. Alternatively, symbols or words may be used instead to distinguish groups of information. It is important for employees who are deaf to be able to access any information in a visually inclusive manner. For example, in addition to audio signaling in case of fire, it is of great importance to have visual ways of warning.
