'I didn't speak the Queen's English': Why people worry about their accents
A survey on attitudes towards accents suggests that so-called "accent bias" is still an issue in many workplaces.
Mia Tanswell, a 22-year-old university student from Manchester, became acutely aware of her northern accent after arriving at Loughborough University. She feared her accent would make her appear less intellectual, especially in seminar settings. A recent BBC poll of over 3,300 adults in England, Scotland, and Wales found that one in ten people feel anxious or self-conscious about their accent in professional settings.
This anxiety was most prevalent among Geordies from Newcastle and those with a Cockney or Welsh accent, with around 5% of respondents believing their accent had cost them a promotion, pay rise, or senior role. Brummies (people from Birmingham) were the most likely to feel their accent was a hindrance, at 13%, followed by Geordies at 13%.
A significant number of respondents, 15%, reported that their accent had been mocked or criticized by colleagues. Common Ground, an organization promoting social cohesion, found that accent can imply a level of education or class. Martha Powell, a 24-year-old from Wales, loves her accent but feels it can lead to assumptions about her background, so she often gravitates towards others with a similar accent at networking events.
Benjaimin Aidomoan, a 20-year-old from the Czech Republic, has found that his Czech accent makes job-hunting more difficult, even though he now speaks English fluently. While most employers claim to treat applicants and employees equally regardless of accent, career expert Charlotte Davies from LinkedIn believes workplaces are increasingly valuing skills over accent or background.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
