Identity and Words: Does Gender-Fair Language Impact Workers’ Gender-Work Identity Integration?

Understanding how individuals integrate their work and non-work identities has become a central concern in research analyzing individual differences in the work context. In particular, gender-work identity integration (GWII) has been proven to significantly impact employee well-being and work adjustment. We present two studies designed to improve GWII by gender-fair language use at work. In Study 1 ( N = 1024), employees of a telecommunication company, after completing a pre-test, received instructions to use either double gender-marking language (DGML, N = 355) or gender-neutral language (GNL, N = 310) in written communication. A third control group ( N = 359) did not receive any instructions. Results show that use of DGML improved employees’ GWII over time, which, in turn, also increased their work engagement and well-being. Study 2 ( N = 219) replicated findings from Study 1 showing that change in DGML use improves GWII, but only under low levels of observed sexist behaviors in the organization. Together, these findings provide evidence of the impact of organizational language policies on employees’ identity processes and well-being.