In increasingly diverse workplaces, characterised by greater participation of women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, the adoption of gender-inclusive language is an asset for the promotion of fair work environments. Research suggests that inclusive work environments encourage employees to communicate more inclusively, which could foster a sense of inclusion. However, there is a lack of empirical studies investigating the relationship between inclusive work environments and inclusive language use, particularly in Italian workplaces where institutions still debate on its implementation.
To investigate how inclusive environments promote the use of gender-inclusive language to accommodate demographic changes, a pilot study focusing on the relationship between perceptions of inclusion at work and the use of gender-inclusive language (GIL) among 223 Italian public administration employees was conducted. Using a cross-sectional research design, 223 questionnaires were analysed to explore the associations between climate for inclusion, positive attitudes towards GIL and intentions to use GIL. The results showed a positive correlation between employees' perception of inclusion at work and behaviours favoring the use of GIL. Mediation analysis showed that, in work contexts perceived as inclusive, employees are more likely to have positive perceptions of inclusive language and, consequently, to embrace its use. These results suggest that individuals are more likely to adopt inclusive language in work environments that are perceived as inclusive, which contributes to greater communicative fairness. They also demonstrate the crucial role of fostering inclusive work environments and the need to offer training on inclusive language as a key competence for cultivating inclusive communication at work. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, the sample is not representative, which limits the generalisability of the results. Future experimental studies should focus on verifying whether groups of workers who use GIL perceive greater inclusion at work than those who do not use GIL.