Labor is urging businesses to remove the word ‘male’ from job adverts in new equality guidance

The UK government has urged employers to remove “masculine” language from job adverts in a bid to encourage more women to apply for positions, particularly at senior levels.

The guidance has sparked a political row, with critics branding the recommendations “supportive” and unnecessary.

The new advice has been issued by the Office for Equal Opportunities as part of a wider initiative aimed at reducing barriers to women entering and progressing into the workforce. Ministers say the move is aimed at addressing hidden biases in hiring practices that may discourage women from applying for jobs.

Under these guidelines, employers are encouraged to review the language used in recruitment advertisements and remove terms that researchers believe may have sexist connotations. Words such as “competition”, “dominance”, “independence”, “power” and “ambition” were cited as examples of phrases that may unintentionally reinforce male stereotypes in recruitment processes.

The initiative is part of a wider strategy presented by Bridget Phillipson ahead of International Women’s Day. The government says the guidelines are designed to help employers attract more candidates and ensure women have equal opportunities to progress in their careers.

Phillipson said the new recommendations are based on research that suggests gendered language can affect how potential applicants perceive job roles and whether they see themselves as a good fit.

“There are many women who are still not paid properly, they are still stuck at work because of not being consistent in support or receiving regular maintenance for their health needs and being ignored or dismissed,” she said.

“We are working to develop women in the workplace and to collaborate with businesses so that we can all benefit from discovering women’s skills.”

Ministers argue that removing potentially ostracizing language can help companies tap into broader talent and promote diversity in leadership positions. The government also believes that such changes could support broader economic productivity by ensuring that skilled people are not discouraged from applying for jobs.

The government’s recommendations include behavioral and labor market research that suggests that certain personality traits often used in recruitment advertising can carry gender associations.

Research has shown that words such as “competitiveness” and “management” may be more associated with traditional ideas of male leadership, while another word may create an inclusive tone.

Officials say small changes in language can affect how job descriptions are perceived. For example, phrases like “participating”, “supporting” or “motivated” are sometimes recommended as alternatives because they are considered neutral or inclusive.

The guidance also cautions employers to examine how emerging technologies may drive bias in hiring processes. In particular, the government highlighted concerns about artificial intelligence tools used to generate job descriptions or screen applications.

According to the minister, some AI-driven recruitment systems rely on historical employment data that may contain gender bias. Without careful supervision, these systems can inadvertently repeat those patterns when generating new job ads or screening candidates.

The recommendations have drawn heavy criticism from opposition politicians, who say the advice is unnecessary and puts women at risk.

Claire Coutinho dismissed the guidance as “patronising gibberish”.

“Telling companies that women get the words ‘ambitious’, ‘competitive’ or ‘entrepreneurial’ like men is clearly insulting to women,” she said.

Critics within the Conservative Party say the government should focus on tackling structural barriers such as childcare costs, work breaks and pay inequality rather than encouraging businesses to change the wording of job adverts.

Some commentators have also suggested that the advice risks oversimplifying the causes of gender disparities in certain occupations.

The guidance is part of a wider government plan to tackle gender inequality in the workplace. Ministers have previously announced plans to encourage major employers to publish action plans detailing their intention to reduce the gender pay gap and improve support for women in the workplace.

Policy advisers say addressing workplace culture, recruitment practices and barriers to career progression are key factors in closing the gender pay gap.

The government maintains that improving gender equality in the workforce is not only a social objective but also an economic objective. Research often cited by policymakers suggests that increasing women’s participation in the labor market can significantly increase productivity and economic growth.

Employers’ reactions have been mixed. Some companies are already using gender-neutral language analysis tools to review job descriptions and identify potentially biased words.

Large companies, particularly in sectors such as finance and technology, are increasingly using automated software that flags language patterns believed to discourage underrepresented groups from applying.

However, small businesses have expressed concern that constantly changing hiring guidelines may add complexity to hiring processes without addressing deeper issues affecting workplace equality.

Despite the debate, the government says the guidelines are voluntary and intended as practical advice rather than mandatory laws. Ministers said they hoped businesses would embrace the recommendations as part of wider efforts to create more inclusive workplaces across the UK.

The issue is likely to remain a hot topic of debate as policy makers, employers and campaign groups continue to debate how best to reduce gender inequality in the labor market while maintaining efficient and transparent recruitment processes.