Overcoming accent bias in the global workplace

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4 days ago

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Somak Ghoshal A recent US workplace incident of accent bias against an Indian professional highlights the urgent need for businesses to prioritise inclusive communication Excellence in verbal communication lies in your ability to convey ideas, thoughts and passion. Gift this article
Last week a 32-year-old Indian man working in the US posted on social media platform Reddit about an incident of harassment he had faced at work. Although by no means uniquely awful, it quickly hit a nerve and went viral.
Last week a 32-year-old Indian man working in the US posted on social media platform Reddit about an incident of harassment he had faced at work. Although by no means uniquely awful, it quickly hit a nerve and went viral.
'Today, during a meeting, I asked a team member (about 55 years old) for a project update as part of my regular responsibilities. He told me to stop speaking in meetings because he couldn't understand my accent," he wrote. Sharing that he 'felt dismissed and insulted" by the comment, he threw out an open question to fellow Reddit users. 'How do you deal with something like this professionally without letting it damage your confidence or your contributions?" Also Read | Why the office needs to embrace Gen Z's work attitude
The responses ranged from outrage to urging the person to file an HR complaint to getting feedback from other colleagues about his speech. But the crux of the problem wasn't really the accent itself or even the bullying over it. The worrying part is the persistence of a work culture that enables employees to make such comments with impunity. It's even likely that these offenders pat themselves on the back for saying out loud the complaints that many of their colleagues silently harbour.
Accent bias isn't a new phenomenon. It exists in workplaces around the world, especially where people from different cultures have to interact with each other. Intercultural communication is a key aspect of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training programs multinational corporations (MNCs) should ideally build into their employee welfare, engagement, and development plans. And it isn't as if businesses are oblivious to this problem.
A 2024 study of HR executives in Canada showed that skill over accent tends to trump in recruitment interviews. But the lived experience of employees who speak with non-standard accents, once they enter a workforce where they are in the minority, tells a different story.
Even in the creative industries, accent bias remains a pervasive issue. A 2023 study conducted by Creative Access, a leading social enterprise found that 77% of people working in public relations and communications in the United Kingdom felt they needed to switch to the 'received pronunciation" for better job prospects. Most of this baggage comes from the inherently classist mindset that's been part of the British psyche for centuries. Accent as Identity
Indians are no stranger to such burdens. Most business process outsourcing (BPO) units of the country's MNCs employ accent trainers who teach call-centre workers to adopt accents that are familiar to their customers or neutralise the influence of their 'native language" on their pronunciations. It's ironic that English, which came to India as a colonial legacy, is now a bridge between people who speak dozens of local tongues, in spite of Hindi being pushed as the country's 'official" language. However, 'Indian English", unlike American or British English, still carries with it more than a hint of ridicule and sometimes blatantly racism.
Finally, accent snobbery isn't an immigrant workforce problem alone. Even within India, the way you speak English makes a noticeable impact on your audience, whether it is your boss, client or colleagues. A less worthy 'convent-educated" applicant who speaks with a certain accent is likely to fare better in a job interview than a more qualified 'Hindi medium" speaker of English or someone with a thick 'south Indian accent". Also Read | Instead of setting SMART goals, why not make a PACT?
Whether you, or others, don't like how you sound, your accent is what it is. You can work on it to make it neutral. But trying to force yourself to sound American or British, like some do after a holiday abroad (we all know such people), is like walking into a trap that has been set up to fail you.
In the 21st century, with a plethora of collaboration tools offered by technology, only a bigot will refuse to find ways of overcoming the accent hurdle. As a corporate trainer, I have worked with several MNCs with offices in southeast Asia, where the population is either not conversant in English or speak it with an accent that is different from what their American, British, or even Indian counterparts are used to hearing. But it hasn't stopped them from 'talking" to each other—by pausing, slowing down, clarifying, or using tools like Miro boards to brainstorm remotely.
At the end of the day, excellence in verbal communication is not a matter of correct grammar or accent. It lies in your ability to convey ideas, thoughts and passion. Listen to the TED talk by Arunachalam Muruganantham, who inspired the movie Pad Man, and you will know what I mean.
The flip side of the problem faced by our Indian man in the US exists, too, but is rarely spoken of. Many from the Global South may not necessarily be familiar with accents from the North. But how many of us would interrupt an American or British speaker to say we don't follow them?
When I lived in England 20 years ago, my personal banker spoke with a heavy northern accent. As a 25-year-old living in a foreign country, I'd dread getting on a call with him. But with time, we worked out a style of speaking that involved slowing down and repeating ourselves often, until it became easier for both of us. Once you set aside your entitlement and focus on empathy, it's not difficult to navigate such challenges with dignity and respect.
'Work Vibes' is a fortnightly column on ideas to help you thrive at what you do. Also Read | Is there a good way to deliver bad news in the office? Topics You May Be Interested In Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.