Accent Matters

The go-to resource for uncovering, understanding and overcoming accent and linguistic bias in the workplace. The way you speak can determine everything from whether you get hired or promoted, to whether people listen to you in meetings. It can affect the strength of your business relationships and reputation, but also whether people think they can trust you. We hear accents loud and clear, yet often they are quietly derailing our efforts to create inclusive work environments where every voice is heard. Linguistic discrimination is still unrecognized in the great majority of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) circles, yet it underpins every type of discrimination in the workplace from race and age to gender, neurodiversity and even sexuality. It is the hidden bias that is derailing even the best DEI efforts. Accent Matters is the go-to resource for uncovering, understanding and overcoming linguistic bias in the workplace. Through fascinating stories and examples of accent bias from all over the world, you'll find out how you've been conditioned to prefer certain accents over others, and how those preferences interfere with the way you listen to and interact with those around you. For those who have accents, but especially for those who think they don't, this book will be an eye-opening journey into a fundamental bias that affects every aspect of our lives, both professionally and personally.