The Value of Values
Oi! You!
The way we speak to people, and the language we use, have always been aspects of communication that risk causing offence or a feeling of personal injury. There have been many social developments in recent times that have arguably accelerated this risk; the use of personal pronouns springs to mind as a powerful example. Even potential misunderstanding around colloquialisms and local modes of expression require care – as I’ve found to my cost over the years as a Glaswegian who moved to rural Cornwall 30 years ago.
Where relationships are based on unequal power, there needs to be some degree of personal reflection and awareness to ensure that people with more power take care not to exhibit language, attitudes and values that create resentment, fear, anxiety or exclusion. It’s not about wokeness; it’s about respect and professionalism.
Health & social care staff are often responsible for, and simultaneously have some implicit power over, vulnerable and potentially traumatised people – who in turn depend on their safety, care and role-modelling. In such a context professional values and language are fundamental. The language we are surrounded by and internalise are undoubtedly critical factors in forming our values, and ultimately our behaviour. It’s a moot point whether carers should be obliged to take a particular form of a Hippocratic Oath – the first principle of which would be to Do No Harm, which might include language and attitudes that can cause harm.
I’d tend to agree with this quote – but would probably be tempted to tamper with the order a little.
Your beliefs become your thoughts
Your thoughts become your words
Your words become your actions
Your actions become your habits
Your habits become your values
Your values become your destiny
(Ghandi)
The Dangers of Using Unprofessional Language as a Carer
The following 7 impacts represent a clear risk and are potentially inevitable:
1. Damaging Trust and Relationships
People in services often rely on carers not just for social and physical support but also for emotional reassurance. Unprofessional or inappropriate language can damage the trust that people have in the staff who support them. They may feel disrespected, judged, or unsafe, which can lead to anxiety, unwelcomed behavioural responses, withdrawal, and a general reluctance to engage.
2. Undermining Dignity and Respect
One of the core principles of health and social care is treating every individual with dignity and respect. Unprofessional language will clearly make people being supported feel devalued or unimportant. Using terms which patronise or infantilise risks failing to treat adults as capable, autonomous individuals, and can lead to a loss of confidence or feelings of humiliation.
3. Risking Miscommunication
Clear communication is essential in delivering safe and effective care. Using excessive slang, jargon, sarcasm, or intentionally ambiguous phrases can confuse service users, especially if they have learning difficulties, autism, cognitive impairments, or have language impairments. Misunderstandings can lead to mistakes (in the support being offered) or emotional distress.
4. Creating a Negative or Unsafe Environment
The language carers use contributes to the tone and atmosphere of a care setting. If carers regularly use harsh or negative language – such as complaining in front of people being supported or speaking rudely to colleagues – it can create an environment that feels unsafe or unfriendly. This not only affects the emotional well-being of people in the service but can also negatively influence staff morale and teamwork. Words can either uplift or harm, and professional, empathic language should always be the goal. A professional, respectful tone helps create a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels valued and heard.
5. Breaching Professional Standards and Codes of Conduct
Carers are expected to follow professional codes of conduct set by organisations such as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Care Quality Commission (CQC), and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). These standards emphasise the importance of respectful, clear and appropriate communication.
6. Impacting Mental Health
Words carry emotional weight. If a carer uses harsh or dismissive language it can have a lasting impact on a person’s mental health – especially if the individual has experienced past trauma. Repeated exposure to unkind language can contribute to feelings of worthlessness, depression or anxiety.
7. Setting a Poor Example for Others
In a care setting, behaviour and language can quickly influence the wider culture. If one carer uses unprofessional language without being challenged, it may become normalised and others might follow suit. It can be the thin-end-of the-wedge, leading to abusive regimes further on, as we have seen over the years in a raft of exposures into poor practice.
Addressing the Issue
Using professional language is not intended to create robots who merely follow rules or create a bland monoculture bereft of personality and humour – it’s about creating a safe, respectful, and compassionate environment.
In our PBMpro training programme one of the most-easily-glossed-over (identified) risk factors for behaviours of concern is authoritarian carer attitudes. Addressing such a problem can be very tricky, given that offenders can quickly become defensive and brush off breaches of protocol by stating they have been misunderstood or taken out of context, or that there has been an over-reaction to ‘banter’. We’ve all been there as unwitting culprits or victims. For those of us who have also had to be mediators, having to sensitively manage such situations, the process is fraught with potential pitfalls – having to simultaneously reassure and protect the injured party and observe employment law protocols.
Ask service managers what takes up most of their time – the people who are being supported’s behaviours or staff issues – and I’m confident they’d agree the latter is by far the most time-consuming for them. Not managing language and attitudinal issues is simply hoping they will miraculously go away; they won’t, but will actually just grow to an uncontrollable level over time. Unfortunately, many managers often have nothing tangible to fall back on when manging these situations. That’s why we recently launched our Values training for managers. Some of the benefits include:
• Increased staff awareness regarding individual standards of professionalism.
• Fewer managerial disciplinary interventions.
• Objective tools and terms of reference/policy for considering breaches of agreed values.
• Less conflict within teams.
• Better appreciation of where boundaries are for staff in language and conduct.
We are confident our Values training will help organisations and managers address this common problem and make your environments better places for everyone concerned.
Click here to read more about Values training