Saying 'millennials' is offensive, civil service told

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Civil servants have been told to avoid using the word "millennials" because it is offensive.

The recommendation was included as part of an "Inclusive Language Guide", which also advised staff against calling colleagues "Gen Z".

In a section on age, the guidance warned against using such terms to describe different generations as they can "reinforce negative stereotypes".

Staff have been told only to mention specific years or decades when referencing their colleagues' ages, according to the Daily Mail.

Age-related descriptions such as "old-school", "young-at-heart" and "aged" should also be avoided as they are said to imply that "people of certain ages are good or bad at particular things because of their age".

When interacting with "neurodivergent colleagues" the guidance stated that staff should avoid abstract expressions such as "raining cats and dogs" amid fears people may take the words literally.

Instead, the guide said that staff should use "plain English" and "avoid abstract/open questions, imagery and jargon".

The guide, published by the Northern Ireland Civil Service, advises staff to use gender-neutral language and avoid words such as "love", "dear" or "darling".

The phrase "fell on deaf ears" was also deemed offensive to deaf people.

According to the guidance, other terms such as "third-world countries", "ex-offender" and "homeless people" are stigmatising and therefore should be avoided.

In a foreword, Caoimhe Archibald, Northern Ireland's finance minister, urged colleagues to "better understand how your language can impact others and make them feel included or excluded".

In response to the guidance, Toby Young, of the Free Speech Union, told the Daily Mail: "No one gives a stuff about this sort of language apart from bug-eyed woke activists. Apologies if that phrase offends ants.

"If civil servants want to improve their relations with the general public they should stop working from home, respond promptly to email queries and pick up the phone occasionally."

It comes after an NHS hospital has urged staff not to describe babies as being "born male or female".

Guidance developed by the James Paget University Hospitals Trust in Great Yarmouth said staff should instead use the phrase "assigned female/male at birth".

It claimed that this "accurately depicts the situation of what happens at birth" and also describes other "inclusive language dos and don'ts" for its staff.

The document, called Celebrating Pride, includes an "LGBTQ+ glossary" with definitions for the range of terminology that should be used.