B&Q staff have been handed a whopping 30-page inclusive language guide warning them against using phrases such as “blind drunk”. The guidance states to avoid using any type of language that associates “impairments with negative things” which could be offensive to disabled people.
This is the latest attempt by a business to be more inclusive by implementing a list of diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies. The guide asks staff to “understand that offensive language often includes words and phrases that reinforce stereotypes, reinforce derogatory labels, exclude certain groups of people, patronise or trivialise certain groups of people”. The documents state that common phrases which may “associate impairments with negative things” should be avoided. Examples outlined in the guide include “deaf to our pleas” and “blind drunk”.
In a separate section, the phrase “sex assigned at birth” is used, suggesting that biological sex is not innate and is instead “assigned” based on how a person’s anatomy is interpreted at birth. B&Q has also produced a “coming out” guide for LGBT staff.
The 30-pager includes another section titled: “Tips of behaviour”, advising B&Q employees to “use your regular tone of voice, don’t patronise or talk down” and to “never attempt to speak for or finish a sentence for the person you’re talking to”.
Elsewhere in the guide, a section for “further race and ethnicity community resources” can be found where the DIY chain points towards resources for “Ramadan and Eid” and “Diwali”. However, the company failed to mention Easter or Christmas.
Alka Sehgal-Cuthbert, director of the campaign group Don’t Divide Us, labelled the guide as “nonsensical”.
“B&Q management need to get a grip,” she told The Telegraph. “It’s a DIY store where knowledgeable, polite customer service, a general rule to treat colleagues respectfully and some basic, clear outlines of sanctions/grievance procedures would be better than this effort to drum up a utopian workforce.”
Ms Sehgal-Cuthbert pointed out the absence of Christianity in the guidance, despite it being the “longest-standing cultural and ethical resource for the biggest community of all – the British people”.
A spokesman for B&Q said: “B&Q has been a proud part of Britain’s communities for over 55 years. Our 21,000-strong workforce helps more than 20 million people improve their homes across our 300 stores, and we’re committed to ensuring everyone feels welcome.”
