Inclusivity in the workplace starts with inclusivity over workplace comms.
And it’s best to start with email - since it’s still the leading business communication tool.
But we’re not talking about the content of the email.
We’re talking about one constant part of your email.
Yes - the email signature!
This guide will cover:
- What an email signature is
- Why you need an inclusive email signature
- How you can make an inclusive email signature
What is an email signature?
An email signature is a block of text you’d typically have at the end of an email, where you’d usually sign off.
A standard email signature will have key bits of professional contact information where recipients can get in touch with you.
But it doesn’t just have to be that.
For example, you might add a photo of yourself. Or a call-to-action linking to a piece of content.
The bottom line? You can make your email signature tailored and personal to you.
Why bother making an email signature inclusive?
Here are 2 reasons why you need an inclusive email signature right now.
1 - It's great for company image 👩⚖️
You might be wondering:
“Isn’t a standard email signature enough?”
No - not in this day and age.
Diversity and inclusion is something that’s becoming more and more important for companies - and rightly so.
And since companies run on email, why not show recipients your workplace’s commitment to being more inclusive?
Because there’s really no harm out of making an email signature inclusive. If anything, it’ll represent you and your company in a good way.
2 - It's personal 👤
Recipients get the same, boring old emails into their inbox everyday.
And it’s these emails that are overlooked the most. Because senders have put zero time and effort into them.
You can often spot them from a mile away - they never make sense, and sound like they’ve been sent by a bot.
That’s why it’s important to have an inclusive email signature. Because you’ll add your own unique and personal touch to the email.
And recipients can get to know about you, and what your company values in the process.
How can I make my email signature more inclusive?
It’s great we’ve convinced you to make an inclusive email signature.
But we also get you might not know where to start.
So here are 5, super simple ways you can make your email signature inclusive.
1 - Include preferred gender pronouns (he/him; she/her; they/them) ⬇️
This is one of the easiest things you can do.
And you’ll be indicating to recipients that you’re in a safe and inclusive working environment.
Max Masure (they/them), medium.com:
“For a cisgender person, there is little to no risk in sharing your pronouns. But for a person who’s transgender or non-binary, sharing pronouns can be a bit riskier.”
“That’s why we ask cisgender people to share pronouns. It normalises the process…and makes a safer environment for everyone.”
It’s a small change to your email signature, but it’ll have a huge impact!
2 - Include a pride flag 🏳️🌈
Member of the LGBTQ+ community?
Include a pride flag on your email signature!
3 - Include a feminist/gender equality symbol ♀️
We can all agree gender equality in companies is important.
So show recipients you’re passionate about this cause through a symbol or logo on your email signature.
For example, underneath the company name, you could have a feminist society icon with the phrase “We are a proud supporter of gender equality”.
Alternatively, just have the image, if you’re looking for a slightly cleaner design.
4 - Include a nationality/country flag 🌎
Show, rather than tell recipients your company is international.
Underneath your contact information on your signature, put down a flag of the country you’re from, or working from. And add more than one if you’ve got a dual-nationality.
It’s letting recipients know you’re proud to be a part of an inclusive, international team.
5 - Include a call-to-action (CTA) of a company award (for diversity or inclusion) 🏆
You might work for a company that’s received multiple awards for inclusion.
If there’s a recent one (the last 2 or 3 years), link it as a banner on your signature.
For example:
“Voted as 1 of the UK’s top 10 diverse law firms in 2019”.
The fact your brand or company is inclusive will speak for itself.
Inclusive email signature key takeaways
We’re aware that’s a lot of information.
So let’s recap the key points on inclusive email signatures:
Having an inclusive email signature will help level up your company image or brand in the eyes of recipients. Because you’ll be supporting values that are becoming more and more important in the workplace.
An inclusive email signature can also help you to appear more approachable over emails. Because you’ve added little touches that’ll help personalise email chains.
Finally, here are the 5 easy ways you can instantly make your email signature inclusive:
- Include gender preferred pronouns.
- Include a pride flag.
- Include a symbol that acknowledges gender equality.
- Include a flag or flags of your nationality.
- Include a company award related to D&I.
And there you go! There’s nothing else to it.
Having an inclusive email signature isn’t just the right thing to do. It’ll give your professional comms a boost like you’ve never seen before.
So don’t wait anymore and make yours today!
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