
And a high percentage of those people will be women. When you say something is “required” many people will take that literally.

“For engineering firms to be more inclusive they need to use the words ‘preferred qualifications’ instead of ‘requirements,’” she says. The word “requirements” is also a cliché and probably not the meaning you intend.Ĭlaire Rutkowski, senior vice president and CIO Champion at Bentley Systems, has seen this play out herself: That word drives people away, she says. “You lose top talent when you resort to these types of phrases.” “These are highly intelligent, skilled professionals who want to know what the position requires,” she says. This terminology has become common but is layered with problems. “Don’t use expressions like rockstar, ninja, or other cliches,” says Kim Jones, vice president of human resources at Toshiba. “Avoid using gender-specific terminology that may alienate certain groups.” 4.

“Inclusive language promotes diversity and sends a message that the organization is committed to inclusion,” he says. Bogan agrees, adding that research his firm has done indicates that in 2023 DEI is more important than ever.
