From the approachable Geordie twang to the instantly recognisable Edinburgh lilt, the UK is home to some of the most distinctive accents in the world.
But a new survey reveals that many Brits are toning down their accents – in the hopes of being perceived as more professional at work.
The survey, commissioned by Common Ground, asked 3,000 British adults about their experiences in the workplace.
Overall, 13 per cent of respondents said they have softened or modified their accent to sound more professional.
However, that figure rises to 23 per cent of those with an East London accent, and 20 per cent of those with a Scottish or an Estuary English accent.
The news will come as no surprise to many Brits, who often take to social media to discuss their accents.
‘I’m from inner city London, and when I went to uni, I had to really tone down on the slang and how I spoke. Naturally, that translated into corporate as well,’ said @yimmz_ on TikTok.
And @pepesilv1a said: ‘I always do interviews in a posh accent and when I get the job I watch their face drop as I speak with my usual accent lol.’
A new survey reveals that many Brits are toning down their accents – in the hopes of being perceived as more professional at work
Common Ground carried out the survey to understand the extent of ‘accent anxiety’ in the workplace.
The results revealed that one in 10 have felt self-conscious or anxious about speaking in high-stakes meetings or interviews.
People with accents from Newcastle and East London are the most likely to say this (19 per cent), followed by Welsh speaker (18 per cent).
Meanwhile, eight per cent of respondents even said they have had their accent mocked by a colleague or manager.
In particular, West Country speakers (15 per cent) and Geordies (13 per cent) are the most likely to be targeted.
What’s more, one in 20 believe their accent has actually cost them a promotion, pay rise, or senior role.
Lara Newman, Founder of Common Ground, said: ‘It’s hard enough trying to get jobs or promotions in professions that for decades have recruited from only certain classes or backgrounds and appear to exclude those with regional accents.
‘This new polling really underlines the deep-seated problems within recruitment and career development.’
Social media is awash with example of Brits ‘code-switching’ their accents
Social media is awash with example of Brits ‘code-switching’ their accents.
@yourboymoyo said: ‘If you put me into an interview situation and I’m talking to a businessman, I’m gonna be speaking posh like the Queen.’
And @mogilligan even has a skit about it, joking: ‘We all do code-switching. Doesn’t matter what job you work, you must code-switch.’
The survey comes shortly after a study revealed how your accent really can hinder your job prospects.
Researchers from Harvard Business School have uncovered an ‘accent penalty’ in settings where attention determines reach and influence.
For the study, the team analysed more than 5,000 high–profile public TED Talks delivered in English across a range of topics.
Their results uncovered a ‘clear pattern’.
Speakers with foreign accents consistently received less engagement, in the form of views and likes.
‘Importantly, this gap persisted even after adjusting for the content quality, topic, expertise, and visibility of the speakers’ talks,’ the team explained in an article for Harvard Business Review.
‘Put differently, two speakers could deliver equally strong ideas, on equally prominent stages, and still receive meaningfully different levels of attention, simply because one spoke with a “less–standard” accent.’
