Wie führen Sie ein inklusives Sprach- und Kommunikationsaudit in Ihrem Unternehmen durch?

In my experience, form a multidisciplinary audit team comprising individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives who can provide insights and expertise on language and communication issues. Collect a representative sample of communication materials used by the organization, including internal and external documents, websites, social media posts, marketing materials, policies, and procedures. Implement changes based on the recommendations developed through the audit process and monitor progress over time. rovide training and education to employees on inclusive language and communication practices to raise awareness, build skills, and foster a culture of inclusivity.

It's all about making sure that the way we communicate internally and externally doesn't accidentally exclude or offend anyone. This audit helps identify any language or communication practices that might be inadvertently biased or non-inclusive. Think of it like a health check for the company's communication style. It ensures that the language used reflects the company's values of diversity and inclusivity. Plus, it can really help in creating a more welcoming and comfortable environment for everyone which ultimately increases creativity, productivity, and retention. Win win for all!

The language an organization uses should align with their values. Conducting an audit/assessment of current state communication will allow you to ensure the way your organization communicates aligns to your stated values and mission.

Conducting an inclusive language audit is about active listening and adapting. It involves regularly reviewing content and communications to ensure they're accessible and welcoming to all. Engage diverse groups in this process for broader perspectives. Use feedback to fine-tune messaging, making it more inclusive. This not only enhances understanding across different audiences but also demonstrates a genuine commitment to inclusivity, supporting a positive organizational culture.

Conducting an inclusive language and communication audit is a critical step towards cultivating social justice within an organization or community. This audit assesses the language and communication strategies used by an organization to ensure they are inclusive and accessible to all individuals, regardless of their background, identity, or abilities.

Adding two additional points, 1. A commitment to inclusive language demonstrates your organization's values and can attract top talent from diverse backgrounds. 2. Customers appreciate being treated with respect and understanding. Inclusive language shows you value their business and creates a more positive customer experience.

I recommend establishing an audit committee, so that there are a range of perspectives both collecting communication data, analyzing the findings, and providing recommendations for improvement.

Before diving into an inclusive language audit, gathering a diverse team offers varied perspectives, ensuring no stone is unturned. Engaging with stakeholders early not only secures buy-in but also enriches the audit with their insights. Crafting a clear, concise survey can pinpoint areas needing immediate attention. Remember, the aim is to adapt and grow, making your communication more welcoming to all.

In my experience, what could also help is assembling a Diverse Audit Team. Go beyond just involving communication or marketing teams. Include representatives from various departments (HR, Legal, Sales, etc.) and diverse backgrounds (gender, race, ethnicity, ability, etc.) to ensure a well-rounded perspective.

First, we'll need to be open and ready to learn (a lot!) and challenge our biases and stereotypes. When reviewing our communications and the language we use at work, it's extremely likely we'll face some resistance, both from our co-workers and ourselves! With that in mind, I'd strongly recommend starting "small" and with one particular comms area, for example, "Internal Communications." This exercise will help the DEI and Talent Teams put together some guidelines they can later implement in all other areas as the project progresses.

To conduct an inclusive language audit, start by defining your goal for a communicative culture in your company. Collect various communication samples like emails and meeting notes to understand current practices. Crucially, gather anonymous feedback from employees through surveys or suggestion boxes to gauge their views on inclusiveness in communication. Analyze this feedback for patterns of non-inclusive language or practices. The final step is taking actionable steps based on this analysis. This might involve rewriting communication templates, conducting staff training, or updating internal policies to align with your goals of inclusive communication. It’s about actively fixing issues to foster a more inclusive workplace environment.

When starting an inclusive language and communication audit, involve diverse voices early on to ensure a broad perspective. Utilizing anonymous feedback platforms can uncover insights that might otherwise stay hidden. Incorporating regular, short training sessions on inclusive language can also educate teams, making the audit a learning process rather than just a checkpoint. This keeps the conversation ongoing and integrates inclusivity into daily communications, rather than it being seen as an annual task.

As with all comms audits: define scope and goals, gather data, develop/choose an evaluation framework, analyze, report, develop an action plan, act, monitor and review. Learn continuously. Repeat.

There are many tools and platforms we can use to aid us in this task. Some of my favorite inclusive language tools are: 🔹 Textio 🔹 Gender Decoder Of course, the use of these platforms alone won't do it! It's important to work towards a cultural shift where everybody understands why Inclusive Communications are important, how they will benefit from the change, and what tools they have at their disposal when they need support.

In conducting an inclusive language audit, diving into feedback from diverse groups offers fresh perspectives. Engage with tools that highlight non-inclusive terms, suggesting respectful alternatives. Regularly updating resources ensures your audit remains current, adapting to evolving language norms. Remember, inclusivity is a continuous journey, not a one-off task.

Use your audit committee, and/or your inclusion committee/council and source their perspectives for creating your guide. Using internal resources from across your organization is a great way to ensure the format you move forward with for reviewing language will represent many of the identities of your workforce.

GRI, WCAG, Universal design principles are some of them. Final choice depends on the current state of the organization, goals and needs.

Include real-world examples of how inclusive or non-inclusive language can impact different audiences. Showcase case studies of organizations that have successfully implemented inclusive communication strategies.