Page Text: Inclusive language guidelines here and there .
5. Join one of our online communities available to Automatticians
Collectively, we already make up a very diverse group. We come from and are part of different types of families. We live all over the place. We hold various religious beliefs — or none. We are all ages. We have good days and bad. We speak a ton of languages. We encourage visiting our private online spaces that include places:
For those who identify as LGBTQ+.
For those who are parents or are about to become one.
For those figuring out how to handle ADHD while working at Automattic.
For those who identify as women and wish to support and connect with each other.
For anyone who identifies as neurodivergent, or just wants to learn more about what that means.
For anyone who deals with mental illness and wants to discuss issues related to mental health.
For anyone with physical disabilities to navigate physical issues in an increasingly virtual world.
Some of these spaces have turned into official Employee Resource Groups which you can learn more about here .
6. Help make our products localized and accessible
Automattic shares the Open Source ethos of building products that people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities can use and enjoy. We actively encourage Automatticians to help make our products accessible. This means:
We create software that works smoothly for English and non-English speakers (WordPress.com is now fully translated in 16 languages).
We ensure our products are accessible across different bandwidths and devices.
We take into account physical and cognitive abilities and disabilities.
We aim to position our products and services as affordable options in the marketplace.
We strive to involve members of our audiences in our processes and actively solicit their feedback.
When you create, think of the diverse audiences your work will reach. If you stumble on something that might trip others, fix it or report it to someone who can improve it. For some guidelines on designing for inclusion, review our starter checklist .
7. Remember that great ideas can come from anywhere
Whether it is someone from a different team popping into a conversation in your team’s space or a user giving feedback, keep this idea in mind. It is up to us to stay open-minded so that powerful ideas can rise to the surface and come to fruition.
Below are just a few examples to help explain how diversity affects a unique place like Automattic:
Holidays & Observances
There are around 4,200 religions in the world and numerous individual days of observance in each country. When the holidays you celebrate or days of observance come around, keep in mind that other Automatticians might not be aware of them! Here’s a site that goes over holidays for major religions around the world. Before planning a meetup, scheduling a feature launch, or announcing a team call, do your best to make sure it doesn’t conflict with anyone’s ability to observe their holidays or days of observance.
LGBTQ+
Did you know there are places in the world where being homosexual is considered a sin, or even a crime? When planning team meetups, it’s important to remember this — you may have teammates who could be uncomfortable (or even in danger) based on the location chosen for a meetup. If we consider multiple perspectives when choosing locations, we can ensure a safe and happy trip for the whole team.
Language Differences
As an international company, we interact with users and fellow Automatticians whose first language is different than our own, and by improving our communication, we can improve the work we do. We avoid slang terms and idioms that may result in more confusion than clarity, and offer to explain and rephrase our words when needed. In the case of a misunderstanding, we always assume good intentions, and imagine how new possibilities can emerge.
Intellectual and international diversity is something that we strongly embody at Automattic — it’s where we’ve come from and how we’ve grown to include Automatticians from over 80 countries. Yet we recognize that we have so much more work to do in embracing the many differences that our community represents. We hope you consider joining us on our journey toward ever-increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion.