The Benefits of Getting Name Pronunciation Right at Work

Getting the pronunciation of someone’s name right can make or break a deal, help a colleague feel more supported, and promote a culture of inclusivity. Rocketseed’s CEO Damian Hamp-Adams discusses this further.

Many people have had their name mispronounced - name pronunciation can be challenging, but shouldn’t have to be. In the workplace it’s particularly important to be able to pronounce names and family names - it is key in helping employers to increase inclusivity and a part of individual employee identity.

Why is it Important to Get Name Pronunciation Right?

Joseph Aninakwa, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant at Inclusive Employers defines the importance of name pronunciation as such:

“Name pronunciation is simply being able to pronounce a person’s first and last name as they would prefer it to be pronounced in its original intended form. This means without deviating or shortening for ease.”

How can employers promote name pronunciation across an organisation?

• Lead from the top
• Make it an HR priority
• Include in training
• Use internal marketing
• Add into social profiles
• Include in email signatures

More and more individuals, workplaces and technology platforms have been providing solutions to ease the embarrassment that comes from having your name mispronounced, or mispronouncing the name of someone else. LinkedIn and Slack, for example, now have a functionality to add audio pronunciation of names.

Adding Name Pronunciation to Email Signatures

One way to promote better understanding of name pronunciation is through the addition of name pronunciation to email signatures. It is the ideal tool as email is the most used business communication channel and your signature offers a massive opportunity to show colleagues, customers and contacts how to correctly pronounce your, or your colleagues’ names.

Rocketseed have created a guide on the importance of getting name pronunciation correct in the workplace, and ways that this beneficial activity can be promoted by and for colleagues. There’s also a handy guide on how to add your name pronunciation to your email signature, and how to spell your name phonetically.

Everyone deserves to have their name pronounced correctly - and adding name pronunciation to email signatures is a simple step that can make a big difference to company inclusivity. If you want to find out more about adding name pronunciation to your business email signatures, make sure to read our guide and contact Rocketseed if you’d like to know how we can help.