What is inclusive communication?

All communication is a transfer of information. As soon as we speak, write, or send a funny cat picture to our friend, we communicate. Inclusive communication is about expressing oneself in a way to make the receiver of the information feel included, valuable, and seen.

Why is it important?

If we are not aware of the way we communicate, we can maintain, or even strengthen, different stereotypes and prejudice. Which in turn can prevent people and companies from evolving. Information is hard to take in when you cannot identify with what is being communicated, or if you perceive the message as being addressed to someone else. Communication is about respect and inclusion. If we do not feel included and respected, it may be difficult to get the message.

A few examples

• A university that only presents the male students in the web developer program might signal that women should not be web developers.
• A series of articles about CEOs where women are asked about family life and men about the job itself implies that women in first hand should be mothers and that men should prioritise work.
• Gender-specific expressions like “stewardess” and “policeman” can strengthen stereotypical conceptions about who is suitable for different jobs, while gender-equal expressions like “flight attendant” and “police officer” are more inclusive.
• Pictures from a workplace where everyone has the same ethnic background imply that a person with a different skin tone does not fit in. The same goes if people with functional diversity, transgender expressions, or of a certain age never are represented in pictures or texts.
• Pictures where women are passive and smiling, while men are active and stern signal that women should be nice and available, while men should be strong and focused.