How Language Shapes Culture: What Words Say About Your Workplace

Inclusion are actions that make others feel valued, respected, seen, and heard. Inclusive behaviors enable members from different identity groups to fully contribute their unique perspectives and contributions to the workplace (Inclusalytics, 2022). What we say, how we say it, and what we don’t say, reflect and shape the lived experience of employees. Language is a tool for inclusion and empowerment. 

A recent survey found that 97% of communicators agreed that ‘language or words can influence or reinforce power dynamics power dynamics in the workplace’ and 94% said that language or words used in the workplace reflect the culture of the organization (Institute for Public Relations). 

Why It Matters

Inclusive language is a key mechanism for building belonging, mitigating bias, and signaling organizational commitment to equity and inclusion. Inclusive language is communication that ensures all employees feel valued, respected, seen, and heard, by avoiding biased or exclusionary terms and choosing words that affirm different identities, experiences, and perspectives.

Benefits of using inclusive language:

• Enhanced sense of belonging: when people feel their identity and experience are reflected and respected, psychological safety and commitment increase 

• Reduced reinforcement of unconscious bias: language that includes rather than othering can prevent subtle stereotyping or marginalization 

• Better alignment between stated values and lived culture: words communicate the values of an organization. If there’s a gap between the two, mistrust and cynicism grow. 

• Improved performance: inclusive communication can lead to better teamwork, innovation, and general workplace outcomes. 

What Your Organization’s Language Says About Your Workplace  

The language used in the workplace provides a signal of your organizational culture. Here are some questions to consider regarding the language used in your workplace: 

1. What common metaphors are used?  

   1. Does the organization call meetings “pow wows”? Metaphors can reflect and reinforce particular cultural norms and may implicitly exclude people who don’t identify with the metaphors. 

2. What pronouns, identifiers, and descriptors are standard? 

   1. Does internal communication make assumptions (e.g., he/him by default, or “mom and dad” instead of “parents”)? How common are pronouns referenced, name pronunciations honored?  

3. What vocabulary is used in policy, job descriptions, and change initiatives? 

   1. Are the terms vague “we welcome all”, or specific “we seek to increase representation from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups by 30% in leadership roles by 2028”. While vague language may sound inclusive, lacking actionable clarity signals weak alignment. 

4. What stories and reference points are shared? Who is the ‘default’ employee? 

   1. Whose experiences and voices show up in newsletters, town halls, or internal communications? Is the default norm ‘male, able-bodied, straight, mid-career'? Language that centers certain norms reinforces structural identity assumptions. 

5. How is feedback, error, and difference talked about? 

   1. Is difference talked about as a problem, or a strength (e.g., diverse perspectives help us innovate). Does language invite voice or silence?

Actionable Strategies to Support Inclusive Language in the Organization 

1. Conduct a language audit. Examine communications (job advertisements, internal newsletters, intranet content) for inclusive or exclusionary language. Look for gendered terms, ability-based descriptors, cultural metaphors, assumed norms, etc. 

2. Consider developing an inclusive language glossary. Clearly define terms important for the organization like diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, allyship, etc. Also, create positive alternatives rather than banning terms from the workplace. Clarity helps alignment and reduces misinterpretation.  

3. Embed inclusive language training and norms. Encourage practice, habit-forming, reflection, and feedback rather than a one-time checklist. This language should be modeled in leadership communication as leaders set the tone. 

4. Foster psychological safety around linguistic mistakes. Because language norms evolve, people will make mistakes. Create a culture that allows acknowledgement, correction, and learning strengthens trust and inclusivity. 

5. Link language change to measurable outcomes. Monitor how language shifts correlate with metrics like employee engagement, sense of belonging, turnover of underrepresented groups, and innovation. This helps translate language to be strategic imperative.

The language ecosystem of an organization offers both a diagnostic window and a strategic lever. When organizations commit to genuine DEI, language is foundational. It clearly identifies the organizational values, how it wants people to engage, and whether everyone is invited to bring their full selves to work.

If you’d like to learn more about incorporating inclusive language into your organizational culture and systems, contact us today!