As remarkable as it may sound this far into the 21st century, social biases remain a concern. And, while many of them have been addressed, one continues to fly under the radar. People who speak a language with a non-native accent are often perceived differently. Worse, the discriminatory behaviors that can result are often justified on the grounds that it’s too difficult to understand a person who has a “foreign” accent. Fortunately AI accent softening platforms like Tomato.ai are now available to help relieve this concern. Still, it’s useful to understand why accents matter in the workplace.
Unconscious Bias and the Human Brain
Our brains are tasked with processing billions of bytes of data every day. Our minds take shortcuts to compensate for this. For example, we usually scan words for patterns in the ways the letters are arranged—rather than observing letters individually when we read. This helps us process written documents more quickly.
We do something similar when we’re evaluating people we’re meeting for the first time. Our brains look for a certain set of traits to decide whether or not to trust a person. However, this sometimes results in flawed information. In turn, prejudiced behaviors can manifest—often without us realizing we’re engaging in them.
This phenomenon is referred to as “unconscious bias”.
Accents and Unconscious Bias in the Workplace
When it comes to the workplace, studies have shown people whose accents are perceived as being non-native are often judged to be less credible. Our brains have trouble processing their words because they way the speak is unfamiliar. The shortcut process is rendered inoperative, so we have to work harder to understand them. Our perception of their veracity is diminished as a result.
This can be problematic for non-native speakers seeking employment. It can also be a limiting factor if they are hired. Progressing within an organization is difficult when managers, co-workers and clients have credibility concerns. Ultimately, this can lead to situations in which differently accented people are subjected to discrimination.
Meanwhile, accent is not a protected trait when it comes to discrimination in the workplace. While it is illegal to discriminate against an individual based upon their race, gender, religious beliefs or sexual orientation, accent discrimination isn’t protected. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an employment decision can be based on accent if it is determined to be a significant hindrance to communication.
Overcoming Accent Biases in the Workplace
Acknowledge the Problem
There’s a reason unconscious biases are known as ”unconscious”. People don’t realize they have them. What’s more, nobody wants to think they are someone who discriminates against others. Therefore, the first step toward addressing potential accent biases in the workplace is for leadership to acknowledge such biases exist.
Educate the Team
Workshops in which the concept of accent bias is put forward and explained can help members of the organization be more aware of the potential for discrimination. The fact of the matter is everyone has an accent. We don’t hear ours because most of the people around us speak the same way we do. It’s important to impart this knowledge to team members and help them understand differing patterns of speech don’t imply the speaker is any less credible or capable.
Employ Accent Softening for Customer-Facing Phone Representatives
Some companies that are concerned about the efficacy of non-native speakers who communicate with the public by phone have employed artificial intelligence algorithms to help customers understand them more easily. As an example, the Tomato.ai accent softening platform is capable of adjusting differently accented speech to make it more comprehensible to native English speakers. This improves intelligibility and reduces customer frustration. Conversations flow naturally because the Tomato.ai algorithm functions in real time. It also determines the accent customers hear based upon the geographical location from which the call originates. In this way, the platform is both flexible and scalable.
Unconscious bias is a thing. People experience it every day in one form or another. Accent bias is one of the most prevalent of those and people who are victimized by it have few legal protections. That’s why it’s important for management teams to ensure accent bias is not allowed to flourish in their organizations. It’s unfair to non-native speakers. It also limits the talent pool from which a company can draw when speaking without an accent is allowed to function as a condition of employment.
Take the First Step Toward More Inclusive Communication
Accent bias doesn’t just affect individuals—it can impact your entire organization’s culture, communication, and customer experience. Tomato.ai helps forward-thinking companies overcome this challenge by empowering call center agents with real-time, AI-driven accent softening technology.