B&Q publishes inclusive language guide for staff

B&Q has published an inclusive language guide for its employees that warns against using phrases such as ‘blind drunk’ and ‘deaf to out pleas’.

The DIY giant has encouraged staff not to use terms that associated “impairments with negative things”, The Telegraph reported.

The guide asks team members 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”.

“Common phrases that may associate impairments with negative things should be avoided, for example ‘deaf to our pleas’ or ‘blind drunk’,” it reads.

The handbook also notes that the retailer has created a ‘Coming out at B&Q’ guide for LGBT staff that features the trans-inclusive Progress Pride flag, an amended version of the rainbow pride flag that includes extra colours to represent black and transgender people.

A spokesman for B&Q told the publication: “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.”

More than 15,000 B&Q store employees will see their hourly pay increase this week as the retailer ups pay rates to £12.71 and up to £14.05 for those in London.

The pay rise is worth an extra 50p per hour and over £955.50 more a year for a full-time employee.

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