05 Feb Stories of Inclusion At Work
“Sir, Madam, Bill Please.”
After a lovely New Year’s Day lunch with my hubby at one of the 5star hotels, I signaled the waiter for the bill.
In a few minutes, the young man brought the bill and stood equidistant between me and my husband and said “Sir, Madam, bill please” with a neutral posture.
✨🌟I was so moved for a moment as I took the bill to pay.
⚡⚡Most of the time waiters assume that it is the man who foots the bill or that the lady won’t pay.
✨I was mentally making note on the inclusive and gender neutral gesture and the training that the hotel staff would have received.
The card machine failed to scan my card. Another waitress who observed that the machine was not working, went to pick another card machine.
🌟As all this was going on, I was contemplating on talking to the hotel manager to appreciate them on the lovely #GenderNeutral #inclusion training.
The waitress walked back with the card machine, swiped the card and handed it over to my husband to enter the pin.
🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
🤔Was the training effective enough? or was it the individual (1st waiter) who did it out of his own courtesy?
Key takeaways:
1. Being neutral and inclusive can be applied to
- Not just to hotel industry but to any B2C industry;
- a) In banks (it is assumed that the car or home loans will be taken by the man);
- b) Hospitals (man foots the bill or has the insurance);
- c) Customer Support tele-callers (always addressing their customers as Sir irrespective of whom they are talking to).
I can keep the list going.
- Staying neutral across – gender, age (old/Young), skin tone, ability (assuming that a disabled is dependent by default), appearance etc
2. Inclusivity Starts with Awareness – Breaking stereotypes in customer service requires awareness of unconscious biases, not just training. Employees need continuous reinforcement to challenge ingrained societal norms.
3. Small Gestures, Big Impact- Actions like neutral postures, non-assumptive language and equitable interaction can make customers feel valued and respected, fostering brand loyalty.
4. Inclusivity Is a Culture, Not a Checklist- Organizations need to build a culture of inclusivity that reflects in every aspect of customer engagement, ensuring employees embody these values authentically.
Inclusivity in customer service isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential in building trust and long-term relationships with customers. While small gestures, like saying “Sir, Madam,” may seem trivial, they reflect a deeper commitment to equality and respect. However, true inclusion demands consistency, awareness and continuous improvement across all touchpoints.
Ready to Take Inclusion to the Next Level? 🎯
While awareness is the first step, practicing inclusivity in real-life situations requires continuous learning. One fun and engaging way to build inclusive communication habits is through The Inclusive Language Game!
🌈 Try The Inclusive Language Game 👉 https://cecureus.com/inclusiongame/
This interactive game helps you recognize and challenge unconscious biases in language, making it easier to create respectful and inclusive conversations in any industry—be it hospitality, banking, healthcare, or customer service.
💡 Why play? ✅ Learn how small language shifts create a big impact ✅ Develop a habit of using neutral and inclusive language ✅ Make workplaces, businesses and customer interactions more welcoming
Let’s take this as an opportunity to reflect: How can we, in our own industries and daily interactions, ensure that inclusion isn’t just a concept but a consistent practice?