The Power of Pronouns
March 1, 2023
More and more, our increasingly diverse organizations strive to attain work environments that are inclusive, empathetic, and psychologically safe. And providing such a safe space for nonbinary, gender-fluid, or gender-expansive employees (those who don’t identify as solely male or female) or trans employees (those who have transitioned from one gender identity to another) includes correctly using their personal pronouns, be it he/him, she/her, the non-gendered they/them (often used nowadays as a singular pronoun), or something else.
Using pronouns in ways that may be unfamiliar to us can feel awkward, ungrammatical, or somehow wrong, but referring to someone by their pronoun is, after all, just an expression of civility and respect, and a simple one too.
Conversely, purposely referring to a coworker by a pronoun that is not theirs is disrespectful. Referring to someone by the wrong pronoun is known as “misgendering.” Being misgendered can feel uncomfortable, judgmental, and hurtful. Misgendering a coworker can be embarrassing for both parties, and can lead to further interpersonal problems.
That said, we are all creatures of habit and we all make mistakes, especially in our ever-evolving social landscape. If you accidentally use the wrong pronoun for a coworker, simply thank them for correcting you and try to remember to use the right one in the future.
Using employees’ personal pronouns is an expression of empathy, inclusion, and psychological safety, not a political statement. It’s a simple way to tell employees that they are seen and they are welcome.
One way for an organization to feel inclusive is to encourage employees to include their personal pronoun in their email signatures, on name tags, and in other written communication. Such an opportunity for clarification may be a relief for gender-nonconforming employees as well as an indication of a welcoming and psychologically safe organization culture for everyone. Educating employees on diversity, equity, and inclusion, including gender identity, the importance of pronoun usage, empathy, and civility helps organizations create and maintain a culture of respect.