3 Strategies to Reframe English in the Workplace
Introduction
Argentinian paleontologist, Sebastián Apesteguía, helped discover a new species of dinosaur. However, you may not have heard of him or the new discovery even if you are a science-geek. Why? Dr. Apesteguia published his work in Spanish. As a result, “most English-language media didn’t even mention him, instead focusing on his American collaborators.” [1] This is not an isolated incident. In their ground-breaking research—the manifold costs of being a non-native English speaker in science—Dr. Amano, zoologist researcher at the University of Cambridge, and his coauthors state that many studies not published in English are overlooked, and that the assumption is that only important information is in English. [2]
The painful lesson is that if you don't publish in English, you and your work matter less. This bias toward native English—particularly pervasive in science, technology and business—is unlikely to shift anytime soon. The challenges of working in English, widely unnoticed by native speakers, have deep and far-reaching implications.
What is the impact on organizations and individuals?
Substantial contributions from some of the most intelligent and skilled people in the world are and have been ignored. Organizations which do not uncover the hidden voices and perspectives in their ranks are missing out on insights, creative solutions, and valuable experiences. That silence is deafening: innovation and collaboration suffer; talent and potential are unrealized; and future leaders are overlooked at a time when organizations need them the most.
These talented individuals feel frustrated and stifled in their careers and as a result, suffer from waning confidence.
The purpose of this paper is to recognize the need to value English-diversity in the workplace, so that contributions from both native and non-native speakers have an equal opportunity to be heard and to succeed. For that to happen, we recommend three organizational strategies:
Acknowledging the bias
Building the skills of all English speakers
Communicating about communication
1. Acknowledging the Native-English Bias in the Workplace
For thirty years, I have helped international professionals—both native and non-native English speakers—become better communicators and leaders. Their diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds provide a source of strength in all areas of their performance. In fact, they take pride in the achievement of being successful in English.
However, many also feel the pressure to match native-English expectations in speaking and writing which creates disadvantages. The result is often a lack of confidence and a high level of stress.
What is the fallout? Some of the common misconceptions and stereotypes include:
Misconception: British, American, and Canadian English set the standard for polished communication.
Overcome the bias: Recognize that these “standards” create a troubling dilemma for many professionals working in English—including native speakers from other countries. They often experience great stress to present information, lead meetings, and contribute ideas because they “lack” refinement and nuance. Embracing English-language diversity will help build confidence among these professionals.
Misconception: Non-native English is a primary cause for miscommunication. As a result, they are burdened to solve these problems.
Overcome the bias: Recognize that communication in a diverse English-speaking setting is complex and everyone is responsible to overcome shortcomings. Solutions include helping both native and non-native speakers improve their skills.
Misconception: Some non-native accents are “controllable” and should be reduced.
Overcome the bias: Recognize that accents are a part of an individual’s cultural heritage, and everyone has one. Only communication professionals should identify 1) the reasons why someone is challenged to be understood and 2) the potential solutions to overcome those difficulties.
Stereotype: Non-native accents indicate less sophistication and competence.
Overcome the stereotype: Recognize that accent preference is a form of prejudice and creates a glass ceiling for many professionals.
Stereotype: Native English speakers are naturally better communicators.
Overcome the Stereotype: Select individuals for promotions, client engagements, and other critical assignments on their talent and ability rather than on their language competence. Understand that this level of alienation can drive the non-native speaker to leave the organization.
2. Build Skills for all Speakers of English
In organizations where native English speakers are in the majority, the onus of improving communication often falls on the non-native speakers to “fix” their gaps in English.
Let me provide an example. I recently coached a Chinese manager, Catherine (her American name), who was told to “fix” her accent, or she would not receive a promotion. This feedback had come from her boss’s boss. After assessing her skills, I determined that her struggles were with pronunciation and articulation, but her accent was not heavy. Interestingly, Catherine told me she also has these “speech issues” in Mandarin.
What happened next served as a powerful moment in my career. When interviewing Catherine’s immediate boss, Yvette (a native English speaker), I explained the concept “the accent trap” and how misperception causes accented individuals to be underutilized. When an employee is perceived to have an “accent” the issue sets into motion an unconscious bias that signals a lack of executive presence and polish. There was a long pause and then she said: “I was not aware that I constantly undermine individuals with accents.” Yvette began her journey to understand the complexities Catherine faced in working in a non-native language. Miscommunication can only be solved if everyone takes responsibility.
This “fix it” mindset is faulty for multiple reasons: First, nothing is broken. People who are made to feel that they are at a deficit will inevitably suffer from a lack of confidence. Everyone has an accent, and no one should be evaluated on how they sound. Nothing erodes confidence more than the underlying impressions that a non-native English accent represents less competence and pollical savvy. [3]
Next, language is not the only factor. Cultural expectations also play a significant role. A predominant native-English speaking environment perfectly illustrates “insider/outsider” dynamics. As outsiders, the non-native-English speakers should strive to flex their style and adapt to linguistic and cultural norms. However, as insiders, native speakers should also recognize and respect inherent differences in communication styles.
So, what needs to change?
Organizations can provide learning solutions to develop the skills for their diverse English-speaking workforce where everyone is responsible for clear communication. In the example above, Catherine needed pronunciation help with challenging sounds in English but also needed to explore speech issues in Mandarin. Yvette began to help others overcome a native-English speaking bias. A shared burden of reducing miscommunication creates a robust, inclusive learning environment. Other skills include:
Adjusting rate of speech
Overusing Idiomatic expressions
Increasing vocabulary
Recognizing nuanced distinctions
Embracing public speaking
Facilitating meetings to include everyone
Improving writing skills
Clear communication is essential in the exchange of ideas, opinions, and proposals. It works when the intended message is what is understood and acted upon by the receiver. Such clarity can become an organizational imperative when the solutions include all English speakers. Misunderstandings in communication will be reduced.
3. Communicating about communication for better relationships
Organizations face "the perfect storm for miscommunication" in the hybrid workplace, according to the 2023 Grammarly/Harris survey. The quantity of communication increases, but quality is on the decline. The estimate is that these mistakes cost industries 1.2 billion dollars. [4] The complexity and challenges of linguistic diversity and inequity adds to the intensity of that forecast.
Thus, the third strategy for reframing English in the workplace—communicate about communication—becomes essential. How does it help?
Global teams can establish their own blueprint for stronger communication by embracing the goal that any intended message is the one received and acted upon. The “illusion of understanding” is shredded by broaching normally sensitive subjects such as:
Accents
Style differences
Grammatical accuracy
Criteria for meeting facilitation/participation
Use of AI to construct and formulate messages
As a result, teams members build stronger, deeper relationships—thus creating trust and reducing miscommunication. Everyone has a story about their English, and that narrative is where the conversation begins. For example,
“I have the tendency to speak quickly, so feel comfortable in asking me to slow down.”
“My accent in English can be heavy, so I will try my best to be clear.”
“I struggle with “th” in English.
“I have a fear of speaking in front of groups”
“I’m nervous that our client will feel that I my English is not good enough.”
Normally, these topics are off limits, and most often teams move ahead without discussing them. By bringing the issues out in the open—in the spirit of enhancing collaboration—team members share their vulnerabilities. That openness allows everyone to express their concerns about themselves and others.
Also, it serves as a way of addressing limiting self-beliefs. Perhaps the person speaking too quickly or the one with a “heavy accent” are easy to understand. Getting that level of feedback can help build confidence. And if they are indeed difficult to understand, then strategies can be put in place not only to ensure clarity of message but also to identify solutions that could help.
Other topics that should be discussed are accuracy in grammar, spelling, usage, and syntax in English. On one hand, if the organization’s official language is English, logic might dictate that such precision should be required. In fact, in certain cases it is mandatory. International scientists, as an example, must submit multiple documents to the FDA drug approval process. These submissions will get rejected if there are any grammatical mistakes or inconsistencies.
On the other hand, a deeper look at the use of English worldwide shows the number of non-native speakers far exceeds that of native speakers. Further, the impact and clarity of communication is not about the correctness of English but rather in the ideas themselves.
Perhaps the most important conversation should be about meetings where the majority are native speakers. Many non-native speakers find it difficult to share information when the ideas rapidly go back and forth. Breaking into these discussions can be virtually impossible. It requires linguistic dexterity and the willingness to interrupt. By the time the non-native speaker has processed the ideas, the meeting has transitioned to a new topic. Through these discussions, teams can better prepare and get more active participation form all.
Global team must also be careful with GPT. In July 2023, The Cell Press of Standard University’s computer science department published an opinion paper stating that: “GPT detectors frequently misclassify non-native English writing as AI generated, raising concerns about fairness and robustness. Addressing the biases in these detectors is crucial to prevent the marginalization of non-native English speakers…to create a more equitable digital landscape.”[5]
Further, new AI software has created algorithms that allows for individuals to “change” their accents as they speak. Originally designed to improve communication in customer service, some individuals are also using it to change their voice to a more native English sound. I recently saw a video of job interview using this software. The result was clear English; however, the cultural identity of the individual was completely lost. These are just two examples of how AI can be slanted toward a native English bias. Language and culture are critical indicators to one’s identity and must be factored into the AI revolution.
Conclusion:
With over a billion people speaking English as a non-native language, one could easily argue that the dominate language of business, science, and technology is non-native English. The numbers are overwhelming. The reframing of English in the workplace requires inclusive leadership, a critical ethos in diverse, global organizations and their hybrid environments. The three strategies—recognizing the bias, building stronger skills for all, and openly communicating about English—help organizations foster inclusive and equitable ways of working.
[1] Tatsuya Amano, et al, Plos Biolgoy, The manifold costs of being a non-native English speaker in science, https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002184
[2] Ben Panko, Smithsonian Magazine, English Is the Language of Science. That Isn’t Always a Good Thing https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/english-language-science-can-cause-problems-180961623/
[3] Varallo, Schmitz, Mardyks, Lead in English, Wiley & Sons, 2017
[4] https://www.grammarly.com/business/business-communication-report
[5] Weixin Liang, et al, The Cell Press, Patterns, GPT detectors are biased against non-native English writers. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666389923001307#:~:text=The%20design%20of%20many%20GPT,linguistic%20diversity%20and%20word%20choice