One of the things we’re most proud of about Sift is how it encourages better communication, more connectedness, and improved inclusivity. With Sift Profiles, you can get to know the people beyond your coworkers’ job titles, such as what languages they speak, how to pronounce their names, and what interests they have outside of work.
Perhaps our most inclusive feature to date is the ability for you to indicate your personal pronouns on your Sift Profile. Today, we’re excited to announce an update to make it even more inclusive to all: custom pronouns!
You now have the option of either choosing from a list of pronoun options (she/her/hers, he/him/his, or they/them/theirs) or defining your own through an open-ended text box.
More people are now using gender-neutral or gender-inclusive pronouns. According to Pew Research Center, the number of Americans who know someone that uses gender-neutral pronouns rose by 8% between 2018 and 2021 (18% vs. 26%). And when you look at younger people, that number is even higher: 46% of Americans between the ages of 18-29 know someone who goes by gender-neutral pronouns.
So while this may seem like a minor update, a small change can still have a major impact. Having to choose from a list of pronouns can be limiting if the options provided do not accurately represent a person’s identity. They may use neopronouns, a combination of pronouns, multiple pronouns, or none at all. Giving people the ability to define themselves by the pronouns they best identify with promotes inclusivity by allowing them to share who they really are – and truly bring their whole selves to work.