Scousers, brummies and cockneys beware – UK directors are busy judging you on the way you speak!
According to a survey of UK directors undertaken by the Aziz Corporation, strong regional accents continue to be a disadvantage to those looking to succeed in business. Nearly two thirds of small company directors and half of those working in the financial sector thought this was the case.
The respondents were also asked to rate particular dialects according to the perceived success, honesty and reliability. Those from the West Country (25%) and Scotland (28%) scored highest on honesty, with Liverpudlian and London accents coming off worst for honesty and reliability. There were however regional differences of opinion – those from the North were more likely to trust those with a Cockney accent, while Midlanders saw 'Scousers' as being the least reliable. Those seen as most successful spoke with a Home Counties accent (43% of respondents), with Scottish, continental Europe and American accents also being rated highly.
Aziz Corporation's chairman Khalid Aziz tempered the survey's findings with the comment that "the fact remains, it is not what you say, but the way you say it. Experience shows that the key is to avoid using localised vocabulary which others may not recognise."
