Employment minister urges job applicants not to hide accents

Good practice not discrimination law will protect speech diversity

‘Accentism’ is an issue of two halves: some accents are considered charming and friendly and are thought to bring personality to a corporate image, while others are frowned on and even considered a distraction in the workplace.

Job seekers have known for a long time that both what they say and how they say it have the potential to be the deciding factor between landing a job and getting rejected. And although a government minister has now spoken out against what appears to many as blatant discrimination, the law still offers no protection in this particular regard.

In a recent press release employment minister Esther McVey maintains that “anyone from any walk of life can achieve whatever they want, regardless of what accent they have”. She urges people not to hide their accents when attending work interviews in recognition of the fact that many currently do.

Prejudice
The reality, however, is altogether more complex and those who suffer from accent discrimination will find little protection from the law despite the fact that it appears to contradict the notion of equal opportunities. In fact, if an employer did stereotype and show a prejudicial attitude towards a candidate with a particular regional or even foreign accent, there is absolutely nothing the disappointed applicant can do about it.

This is because, under the Equality Act 2010, accents do not feature on the list of protected characteristics alongside race, gender and gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, equal pay, disability, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation. As it stands, employers cannot be pursued legally for failing to embrace accent equality in the workplace despite the fact that the focus should always be on recruiting the best person for the job.

But those who grimace when a receptionist greets visitors with a colloquialism are missing a trick. Although ‘received pronunciation’ was recently named Britain's favourite accent, there are tangible benefits for organisations that employ a more colourful mix of staff, who don’t all sound like an old BBC newsreel. Many people appreciate the charms of local accents – a point proved recently when an Irish schoolboy became an overnight sensation after exclaiming 'You wouldn't be long getting frostbit' on a TV interview about the weather. The clip racked up 3.5million views in just three days. On the other hand, a culture where regional accents are discouraged could lead to widespread accent modification and, in turn, frustration from staff who feel unequal to their posh-sounding colleagues.

There is real value in diversity. What can irritate or prejudice one customer or client might create rapport and a connection for others. So the more diverse a work force is, the greater reach a business will have in a crowded and competitive marketplace, not to mention a more enthusiastic and contented workforce.

Checklist
Regardless of what the law states, the fundamental basics of carrying out a fair recruitment process hold true. This entails:

• preparing a full job description, setting out the requirements of the role
• creating a person specification, detailing the ideal candidate's ability, skills and knowledge, and pointing out which ones are essential and which are merely desirable
• ensuring all advertising complies with the Equality Act, treats all applicants fairly and equally, and does not offend or exclude anyone 
• making sure at least two people from the interview panel prepare the shortlist of candidates, based on the person specification, and focusing on the individual’s skills and the requirements of the job, and objectively grading candidates using the same criteria.

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