As inclusion and the employee experience continue to gain traction amid organizational priorities, inclusive language plays a key role in fostering an inclusive workplace culture, according to a new resource from global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company.
As inclusion and the employee experience continue to gain traction amid rapidly shifting organizational priorities, inclusive language plays a key role in enabling workplaces where everyone thrives, suggests a new guide from global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Companyhttps://hr.mcleanco.com/, the HR division of Info-Tech Research Group. According to the firm’s research, employees who feel their organizations support an inclusive environment where individual differences are valued and respected are more than twice as likely to expect to remain at the organization, indicating inclusion is correlated with improved talent retention. To support HR and communications professionals in their efforts to use inclusive language in organizational communications, McLean & Company has recently published the Inclusive Language Guide.
The firm’s guide explains that inclusive language avoids expressions that stereotype, stigmatize, trivialize, or exclude individuals or populations based on identity traits and characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, class, or age. Instead, inclusive language is the intentional use of words and phrases that value and honor identities and experiences, address inequities, help to establish respectful learning environments, and foster interactions that are welcoming to all, according to the University of British Columbia.
“Inclusive language contributes to and reinforces inclusion as an organizational priority, establishes a sense of belonging, and fosters psychological safety at work for employees,” says Elysca Fernandes, director of HR Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. “While implementing more inclusive language in organizational communications, it is important to remember that inclusive language is not about chasing perfection. It’s impossible to know all the intricacies regarding inclusive language because there is no one way to be inclusive. It is highly contextual and requires adapting the approach to differing contexts and audiences over time.”
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Though the focus on inclusion within the workplace has increased in recent years, many organizations struggle to identify where to begin when embedding inclusive language in their communications. However, a failure to prioritize inclusive language in written communications is a clear signal that the organization does not prioritize inclusion and belonging for its employees.
As written mediums are some of the main tools organizations use to communicate what they prioritize and value, McLean & Company advises that neglecting the use of inclusive language is a missed opportunity to contribute to building an engaging and welcoming workplace culture. To guide HR leaders through embedding inclusive language in their organizational written communications, the new industry resource from the HR research and advisory firm has been organized into three sections, as outlined below:
- Overview of inclusive language. Section one of the guide defines inclusive language, identifies key organizational applications, and spotlights the significant benefits of inclusive language on the employee experience and psychological safety at work.
- Principles of inclusive language. The second section provides an overview of the six principles to use as guidance for inclusive language in written communications. The six principles, as identified in the resource, are as follows:
- Acknowledge that everyone has biases.
- Know your audience.
- Treat individuals as experts in their own experience.
- Ensure the approach to inclusive language evolves as language evolves.
- Seek out existing resources for continuous DEI learning.
- Recognize that change causes emotional reactions.
A full breakdown of each principle is available in the complete resource.
- Inclusive language best practices across demographic groups. In the third and final section, the firm recommends current, more inclusive terms to replace commonly used terms that are less inclusive. Some less inclusive terms in this section may be triggering to some readers.
As HR leaders continue to guide their organizations toward a more inclusive approach to the future of work, McLean & Company reminds them that making changes to ensure written communications are inclusive impacts both communication creators and recipients. As such, the shift to more inclusive language needs to be treated with intentionality and care, much like any other significant or impactful organizational change.
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