Words matter. Whether you’re sending an email, posting on social media, or speaking directly to someone, the words you choose will form a perception of you and your firm. When it comes to recruitment, potential candidates will be deciding whether your firm is an attractive employer based on your words. When it comes to diversity, is your firm using inclusive language?
We all know that building a diverse workforce is beneficial for a whole range of reasons, such as bringing together different voices and backgrounds, but some firms are missing the mark when it comes to talking the talk. While it might feel overwhelming to dive into new terminology or the many acronyms that are associated with different communities, educating ourselves on inclusive language is essential for fostering good D&I practices.
Read on to explore how you can use language to attract a diverse talent pool:
Understanding the lingo
Inclusive language is more than adding in buzzwords to your social posts or web copy. It’s a powerful tool that reflects your commitment to respecting and valuing diversity. At its core, inclusive language is about using words and expressions that embrace a broad spectrum of individuals, regardless of their background, gender, age, ethnicity, ability, or sexual orientation. When incorporated into communications around recruitment, inclusive language serves as a beacon, signalling a commitment to creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed and has an equal opportunity to excel.
What’s more, using inclusive language during the hiring process can help to mitigate unconscious bias by promoting fairness and equity. When job descriptions and communication are crafted with inclusivity in mind, employers can create a level playing field for all candidates. By steering away from biased language, employers actively contribute to a recruitment process that prioritises skills, qualifications, and potential rather than focusing on stereotypes or discriminatory assumptions.
Business benefits
Whilst external inclusive language is designed to support and respect those looking inwards to your firm, there are many internal benefits that businesses should consider. Fostering a diverse workforce shows existing team members your commitment to empowering all members of staff and enhances your firm’s culture. Inclusive language should not be seen as merely a checkbox on the path to diversity; it’s a cornerstone of building an inclusive organisational culture. When employers integrate inclusive language into their communication, it sets the tone for an open and accepting workplace, which contributes to a positive and collaborative atmosphere where employees from diverse backgrounds feel respected.
Acknowledge the past, action the future
While strides have been made within the world of accounting in recent years, the sector has traditionally lacked diversity and there’s still much more to be done. It’s important to recognise the perceptions that may impact your recruitment efforts and show real intent for being trailblazers when it comes to D&I. Here are some stats released by ICAEW following a survey amongst accountants of varying seniorities, to shine a light on the current state of the market when it comes to diversity within accounting:
- Almost 60% say diversity policies are ineffective, with 27% believing they’re a smokescreen that disguises inequality.
- More than half recall seeing discrimination in the workplace, with 18% having experienced it personally.
- Almost all report hearing diversity being talked about more than actually seeing practical changes in the workplace.
- 47% express concerns that joining a professional diversity network or support group would be viewed negatively within their workplace.
- More than half feel that professional accounting bodies should be doing more to promote good diversity management.
Strategies within firms are shifting, but more needs to be done. A common concern is that diversity efforts are slowly being introduced at the junior levels whilst senior management teams continue to lack the diversity that will set a precedent for the entire firm. When it comes to gender, Accounting Age 50+50 reports that just 13% of accounting leaders are female, with 19% of firms revealing they have no female partners. The gender pay gap remains within accounting and this imbalance is being noted for BAME workers also. Disability imbalance is yet to be explored enough to truly understand its impact. The reality is that for an accountancy firm to become fully inclusive, they need to show diversity in senior positions and actively report on this inclusion.
