We know that for many people their electronic signatures, especially their names and pronouns, tell others about important aspects of their identities. They tell part of the story of their culture and background. Getting a person’s name and pronouns right is one small but important way that we can help to consciously build a more inclusive workplace where everyone feels like they belong. It also shows respect, which is one of our PRIDE values.
We know that when people hear their name being mispronounced this can make them feel like an outsider. We are also aware that we can verbalise wrong assumptions about another person’s gender. In the arena of inclusion these are referred to as microaggression – ie a subtle action – verbal or non-verbal, conscious or unconscious – that has a harmful effect on marginalised groups.
How else can I make sure I have pronounced someone’s name correctly?
You could try:
- Asking everyone in meetings to introduce themselves – then listening carefully to pronunciations – even making phonetic notes to help you remember.
- Check with colleagues if you are pronouncing their name correctly.
- Take a few seconds to read any pronunciation notes in email signatures.
- Be an ally by helping to clarify for others if they are mispronouncing a name.
- Apologise if you realise you’ve made a mistake.
We are encouraging pronoun declaration in our email signatures with the aim of creating an inclusive environment for colleagues to share how they would like to be referred to and building a workplace culture in which we don’t make assumptions about a person’s gender based on their appearance or their name.
For those who are not used to providing their pronouns it may initially feel awkward to proactively do so. However, by doing so, you are normalising pronoun sharing and helping to cultivate a more welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone, particularly for trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming colleagues.
How else can I share my pronouns?
You could try:
- Mentioning your pronouns when you introduce yourself to someone eg “Hello, I’m Harry, my pronouns are she/her and I’m a civil engineer”.
- Write your pronouns on your name tag when attending an event eg “Evelyn (they/them/their)”.
- Wear a pronoun badge – this could be attached to your lapel or to a lanyard.
- Add your pronouns beside your name in your LinkedIn profile.
- Apologise if you realised you’ve made a mistake.