One in ten people in Britain experiences anxiety or self-consciousness about their accent in high-stakes professional situations, according to a new survey of more than 3,300 adults across England, Scotland and Wales, the BBC reports.
The data suggests that accent-based discrimination remains a significant obstacle in the job market. The highest levels of concern were recorded among those with Newcastle and East London accents. Approximately 5% of respondents believe their accent has directly harmed their chances of receiving a promotion or salary increase.
The research, conducted by the organization More in Common, found that workplace anxiety about accents peaked at 19% among those with Newcastle and East London accents, followed by Welsh speakers at 18%. Additionally, 13% of Britons admitted they have modified the way they speak to sound more professional at work.
Around 5% of all survey participants claimed their accent cost them a promotion, raise, or senior position, with Birmingham residents reporting the highest rate at 13%. Furthermore, 15% of those with West Country accents and 13% with Newcastle accents reported that colleagues had mocked or criticized the way they speak.
Lara Newman, founder of the organization Common Ground which commissioned the survey, shared that she previously changed her accent to advance professionally. Newman noted that "I'm incredibly realistic about what would have happened if I'd gone to university or entered the workplace with a strong West Country accent, I felt it was going to be an issue for me." She added that "I think there's a problem in the sense that accent implies a level of education or otherwise, it implies class."
Employment experts, however, point to positive shifts in employer attitudes. Charlotte Davies, a career expert at LinkedIn, stated that "hiring is increasingly about skills, not background or accent, your accent is part of your story, and workplaces that get it right treat it as a strength, not something to smooth over."
Siân Jackson, a partner at the law firm Mills & Reeve, explained that her firm has changed its approach to encourage diversity. Jackson said that "we don't judge, we assess on the basis of ability beyond someone's accent or appearance, like any other prejudice or bias, it's about being aware of it so you can put it aside." She added that "we feel we've come a long way as a firm, but we're behind nationally compared to things like gender, so there's more progress to make on accents."
Workers themselves report mixed feelings and competitiveness. Mia Tanswell, 22, from Manchester, shared that "I knew people would notice I'm northern and I don't speak the Queen's English, definitely in seminars sometimes I felt my accent sounded a bit less intellectual than others, especially if I was the only northern student in the class."
Martha Powell, 24, from Wales, described pride alongside adaptation to her environment: "I love my accent, if anything I'd want it to be more Welsh, I'd like to be able to stand out a bit more, but I think I adapt my accent depending on where I am in the country."
Foreign accents also present challenges for job seekers. Benjamin Idomuan, who arrived in Britain four years ago from the Czech Republic, recounted that "you can just see on many people's faces, that the expression and the way they look at you and the way they speak to you changes a bit." He added, however, that "it's about who you are, how you present yourself, what your attitude is and how hard you're willing to work."
