Accentism at Work: How Accents Shapes Workplace Dynamics

Workplace discrimination is a pervasive issue, and its economic implications are complex and far-reaching. According to the 2023 global report by Catalyst, 66% of employees from ethnically marginalized groups in countries like Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States reported experiencing some or the other form of discrimination at work at one point in their careers. While on one hand, the most common reasons for workplace discrimination are based on a person’s race, gender, and age, one of the subtler but significant forms of workplace bias is based on an individual’s accent. A study conducted in the United States (Carlson & McHenry, 2006) found a positive correlation between heavy accents and low employability. Such results are due to the underlying stigma about the lack of competence of non-native employees, regardless of their actual performance or qualifications. This is what is known as “accentism,” a term used to refer to linguistic discrimination, where an individual feels as though they have been unfairly judged, mistreated, or commented on because of the way they speak, write, and communicate.

Such bigotry against individuals can adversely affect both professional and personal lives. As one is denied workplace satisfaction and career growth. It can also negatively impact various organizational processes, including hiring, promotions, and daily employee interactions. It thus becomes imperative to delve into the impact of accent-based discrimination within the context of modern workplaces, i.e., the economic consequences it has for both individuals and organizations. Accent-based discrimination occurs when individuals are judged and treated unfairly based on their manner of speech. Such instances of an accent being deemed “unprofessional” or “inferior” often stem from the societal stereotypes linked to ethnic, geographic, or social backgrounds. For instance, a person with a South Asian accent or an African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) or a Lavender linguist may be unjustifiably labelled as less competent or less intelligent than someone with what is thought to be a standard accent, typically one that aligns with the dominant cultural or geographical norms of the workplace and the country.

It is seen that while such forms of discrimination are often covert, their repercussions are loud. In modern workplaces, especially in the areas of customer service, media, and sales, communication skills are deemed the key to performance. Therefore, individuals who are stigmatized on the grounds of their native dialects may often find themselves placed at a disadvantage. These employees often get overlooked or sidelined with limited opportunities for advancement, job insecurity, and reduced chances to contribute meaningfully to decision-making processes. Predictably, research even shows how, despite having similar qualifications or experience, there exists a wage disparity between employees with non-standard accents and their colleagues with standard accents. Whereas, in reality, these individuals may be just as capable of exceeding in work life, if not more so, but their chances to prove their potential are hindered due to pre-existing biases.

This form of discrimination can also deeply impact a person’s career advancement. In 2017, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health conducted a series of surveys on workplace discrimination in America. In which 57% of African Americans reported experiencing discrimination regarding salaries and promotions. It is even possible that a person with an accent may be overlooked for leadership roles or client-facing roles just because they are stereotyped as less articulate, which could negatively impact not only the employees but also the business outcomes.

In fact, a study conducted in the UK even indicates how a lack of fluency in the English language can have adverse effects on employability rates (Leslie & Lendlie, 2023), leading to the inactivity of men and women belonging to minority ethnicities. While both men and women face challenges due to language-based barriers, the consequences are far more severe for women. The lack of fluency in English not only limits their opportunities to successfully secure employment but also forces a lot of them to become completely inactive in the labour market. This poses a serious challenge as it can exacerbate the existing gender and socio-economic equality. Biases based on accents can also play a similar role. It can increase the financial dependency of women on their spouses and other family members, eroding a woman’s autonomy. Thus curbing their ability to make decisions independently and making them more vulnerable.

This systematic disadvantage runs extensively. Countries across the world fail to address this issue whih is evident due to the lack of explicit legal protection. Which not only has economic costs but can also lead to a significant amount of psychological stress on both existing and potential labour. Therefore, this can not only affect an employee’s productivity but also their well-being. People might end up feeling alienated due to the constant judgment based on something as immutable as one’s accent. The psychological costs of feeling unwelcome or undervalued can further manifest into lower job satisfaction, increased turnover, and decreased engagement. The lack of motivation in employees to contribute fully to a workplace over time can also lead to low organizational output. Thus, it is also important for employers to understand that discrimination in the form of accent bias can also have detrimental economic consequences for their organizations.

We live in a globalized economy, where organizations are heavily dependent on diverse workforces to drive their research and innovation. Therefore, companies failing to address such biases take a huge risk. Biases may lead companies to overlook highly qualified candidates with essential skills simply because of a non-standard accent, without realizing how it can unintentionally limit the potential of their current employees. Even research consistently shows that diverse teams tend to outperform their more homogenous counterparts. A study conducted by McKinsey & Company (2020) found that the companies that fall under the top quartile for racial and ethnic inclusivity are 35% more likely to surpass the financial returns of their national industry averages. Accent discrimination, on the other hand, prevents such diversity from being fostered. This is because workers from non-dominant language origins may get discouraged from making a total contribution or may not be hired at all in the first place. Therefore, accent-based discrimination has multifaceted adverse economic effects that affect both the person and broader organizations.

People need to make deliberate and systematic efforts to foster inclusivity in workplaces. Practices such as following a standardizing hiring procedure, promoting inclusive leadership, and putting in place various training programs that address unconscious discrimination are a few of the many strategies that organizations can use. Training programs can help educate managers and employees about the detrimental impacts of such biases. Thus, it emphasizes the importance of evaluating one’s competence based on job performance rather than his/her speech patterns. To ensure a fair evaluation for everyone, workplaces should also have a well-structured hiring procedure. Promoting inclusive leadership in the organization can also help create an environment where people feel that linguistic diversity is embraced. Sending a clear message that employees are valued not only for their technical abilities but also for the diverse skills and ideas they bring to the table. Employers can adopt frameworks like the SEED model from the NeuroLeadership Institute or the ADDRESSING model by Pamela Hays to support this process. Ultimately, in order to foster a high-performing organization it becomes essential to form a more inclusive environment.

Accent-based discrimination not only harms individuals but also undermines workplace efficiency and creativity by stifling diversity and narrowing the talent pool. Economically speaking, tackling accent bias is an investment in human capital and organizational success. Companies that actively address this issue benefit from a more skilled, engaged, and diverse workforce while contributing to societal progress toward greater equity.

-Srishti Kandari