'I didn't speak the Queen's English': Why people worry about their accents

"I didn't speak the Queen's English": Why people worry about their accents

Mia Tanswell became aware of her accent when she began university.

Mia Tanswell, who grew up in Manchester, rarely considered her accent until her first week at university in Loughborough. The 22-year-old stated, "I knew people were going to notice that I was northern and that I didn't speak the 'Queen's English'." She added, "Definitely in seminars I would sometimes feel like my accent would sound a bit less intellectual than other people, especially if I was the only northern student in the classroom."

She is not alone. Recent polling obtained by the BBC indicates that many workers still perceive "accent bias" as an issue. The survey revealed that one in ten people in Britain experience anxiety or self-consciousness about their accent in high-stakes professional environments, such as speaking in a business meeting.

The research, conducted by More in Common among over 3,300 adults across England, Scotland, and Wales, found that accent-related anxiety in such work settings was highest among Geordies (from the Newcastle region) and those with an East London, or Cockney, accent (at 19%), followed by individuals with a Welsh accent (at 18%).

Approximately 5% of respondents believed their accent had prevented them from receiving a promotion, pay raise, or senior position. "Brummies," people from Birmingham, were most likely to feel this, at 13%.

Respondents with a West Country accent reported the highest rate of having their accent mocked or criticized by colleagues, at 15%, followed by 13% of those with a Geordie accent.

The poll was commissioned by Common Ground, an organization dedicated to promoting social cohesion. Its founder, Lara Newman, who has worked in construction, property, and the built environment industry for over 30 years, admitted to changing her own accent to advance in the workplace. She stated, "I am incredibly realistic about what would have happened had I gone to university or gone into the workplace with a strong west country accent." She felt that "that was going to be an issue for me."

Common Ground aims to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds find employment, but Newman noted that accent is one of the barriers they face. She believes "there is a problem in the sense that [an accent] implies a level of education or otherwise. It implies class."

Martha Powell is proud of her Welsh accent.

Martha Powell, 24, from Newport in South Wales, takes pride in her accent. She said, "I love my accent, if anything I wish it was more Welsh." However, she still worries that people "make assumptions" based on her accent, leading her to gravitate towards others with a Welsh accent at networking events. She expressed, "I wish I would be able to stand out a little bit more, but I think I adapt my accent depending on where I am in the country."

Softening an accent is common, according to the survey results, with 13% of Britons polled admitting to altering their speech to sound more professional, with Cockneys and Scots being more prone to doing so.

Benjaimin Aidomoan says his accent has made job-hunting more difficult.

A foreign accent, rather than a regional one, can also be a hindrance. When Benjaimin Aidomoan arrived in the UK from the Czech Republic four years ago at age 16, he spoke no English. He learned the language, but four years later, he says his accent has complicated his job search. He observed, "You can just see on many people's faces, that the expression and the way they are looking at you and the way they are talking to you kind of changes."

Benjaimin, who now works in a restaurant, believes most employers look beyond accents. He stated, "It's about who you are, how you present yourself, what is your attitude and how hard you're willing to work."

Most employers would assert that their goal is to treat applicants and employees equally, regardless of their accent. Charlotte Davies, a career expert at LinkedIn, noted that while progress is still needed, "the direction of travel is encouraging." She added, "Hiring is increasingly about skills, not background or polish. Your accent is part of your story, and the workplaces getting this right, treat that as a strength, not something to smooth out."

Sian Jackson, a partner at law firm Mills & Reeve, said her company recently changed its approach to encourage more local hiring and a diversity of accents. She explained, "We don't judge, we scrutinise based on capability beyond somebody's accent, or appearance. Like any other prejudice or bias it's about being conscious of it so you can then set it aside." She concluded, "We feel we've come a long way as a firm, but we are behind nationally compared to things like gender, so there is more progress to be made on accents."