HR Grapevine features Amanda Lennon on sexist language
Our Employment Partner Amanda Lennon has been featured in leading HR title HR Grapevine, discussing sexist language in the workplace.
The article considers the case of a Blackpool HR boss, who was sacked after being found guilty of making ‘demeaning’ and sexist comments towards female workers.
Amanda commented: “Words like love and honey have crept into our vernacular, but there is no place for them in a professional context as they are patronising and inappropriate. Similarly, terms like ‘mate’ and ‘lad’ may be perceived as patronising by male workers. The recent case involving JWT reminds us that anti-discrimination laws can successfully be used by men as well as women. It is important to be careful with the language used at work. What matters is how someone perceives the word, even if there was no intention to cause upset or distress.”
