A Guide to Communicating Effectively at Work Using Inclusive Language

The concept of inclusive communication is the backbone of a workplace that respects diverse employees, offers accommodations, and gives them a safe space to communicate. So, it’s essential to know how to create opportunities for inclusive conversations and write in a language that’s non-judgemental, safe, and accepting. 

When every employee and management member adhere to inclusive language guidelines, fostering respectful and empathetic communication will be easy. Even though no one intentionally uses offensive language, a lack of awareness can cause people to use language that may make others feel excluded and unsafe. Hence, it’s essential to be updated about words, phrases, pronouns, and inclusive terms, for language evolves with time.

Here are some fundamental guidelines to follow an inclusive language at your workplace in 2024:

Choose To Communicate in a Gender-Neutral Language

Gender-neutral language encourages the usage of inclusive and neutral words and phrases not specific to any one gender identity. When we use gender-neutral language, it helps reduce the power imbalances and privileges created towards certain gender groups in society. 

Before we start discussing the details of gender-inclusive language, let’s understand the differences between gender identity, sex, and sexual orientation. While sex is the biologically assigned identity as male or female to an individual, gender identity is how a person feels from within and expresses outside, and sexual orientation is the romantic or sexual attraction experienced or not towards other individuals. It’s important to note that both gender identity and sexual orientation are a spectrum as there are as many different types of gender identities and orientations. Hence, gender identity and sexual orientation are fluid concepts. For example, a person may be biologically born as a woman but may completely identify as a man, and they may call themselves a trans-man. Another person may identify with certain traits of a woman and specific traits of a man. They may identify as non-binary. 

A clear understanding of gender, sex, and sexual orientation will help each person to develop the need to communicate in a gender-inclusive language. 

Given below are some instances of using gender-neutral language while communicating:

1. Always refer to employees by name, use terms like people, individual, team, etc, and do not use words like ‘sir and ma’am,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ or ‘guys and gal.’ 
2. Additionally, try to use terms like partner or spouse and not husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend when referring to a romantic partner. 
3. Avoid using maternity or paternity leave and try using phrases like – ‘parental time off’ or ‘parental leave.’
4. While referring to public roles do not say policeman, mailman, chairman etc. and instead refer to them as police officer, mail person or mail clerk, chairperson etc. 

Encourage Usage of Inclusive Pronouns

The next step to fostering gender-inclusive language is the usage of appropriate pronouns to refer to people. One of the easiest ways is using gender-neutral pronouns like they, them, and you. But for long-term usage, it’s always good to gently ask individuals for their preferred pronouns, which are based on their gender identity. While some may use the pronouns – she/her or he/him, gender-fluid individuals may prefer ze/zir/hir etc.

Do Not Use Ableist Language 

Have you ever imagined the impact of words and phrases like: ‘normal person,’ ‘crazy man,’ ‘foolish woman,’ ‘are you deaf?’, ‘watch out, blind idiot!’, ‘oh! you sure look depressed’, ‘you behave so strangely, maybe you are autistic,’, and other phrases while communicating with people. 

Usage of such phrases and words in day-to-day language is offensive, hurtful, and considered ableist. For example, the term normal implies that someone else is abnormal and excludes people. Ableist language thrives on the ignorance of non-disabled individuals and the simplistic usage of specific medical terms in common parlance. So, it is a necessity to avoid such simplifications and nurture sensitivity while communicating with individuals of diverse abilities. 

Additionally, common stereotypes and assumptions sometimes lead to using the wrong labels to refer to people and their experiences. For example, if someone says they are taking therapy, many may presume that they are mentally unstable and judge them to be crazy. Such assumptions from language misinterpretation lead to distressing experiences for people, causing repression and emotional shutdown. 

Language has the power to make or break an individual; as said by Angela Carter: ‘Language is power, life, and instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation.’ So, it’s crucial to be aware of the words and phrases we use at our workplace. Our words are not only words but words loaded with emotions, intent, and action, which, if used appropriately, will create a safe workplace where everyone feels accepted, respected, and included.