Q: I’ve been at my company just under a year, and I see an organization that is not inclusive and doesn’t seem to have a diversity focus. Senior leaders regularly call people “you guys’’ or make comments that assume the gender of someone’s partner, like asking a woman about what she and her boyfriend have planned for the weekend. I mentioned this to my manager and he looked at me like I was crazy. Now I worry I’ve been pegged as the overly sensitive employee. Should I push the matter or just deal with it?

A: For someone in your position — new to the company and seemingly not in a senior position — the answer lies somewhere between pushing the matter and dealing with it. At any level, you can make a small difference in the culture of an organization. You can communicate in a way that models inclusive language that you hope your colleagues may emulate, or at least notice in a positive way. It is a valid concern that you may be pegged as a difficult employee or as overly sensitive to issues that others might not consider problematic. You may want to position yourself as an employee who is interested in inclusivity and diversity. This way, you can work toward making the organization better, as opposed to becoming the office’s language police.

Much of what you are talking about is old-school language that needs to evolve. Asking about a boyfriend or using a colloquial “you guys’’ has become such a norm that most people do not even question it.

The biggest consideration is intent — and any threatening behaviors that may accompany the talk. If you think there is deliberate negative intent, it’s an entirely different situation that might warrant a visit to human resources. If you don’t detect bad intent, talk to your manager and HR about ways you can affect the organization in a positive way — perhaps by starting a special-interest group (though it should be mainstream) or offering training that raises awareness, minimizes gender bias, and fosters a more inclusive culture.

Look for senior leaders who might support your initiative. You should focus on making positive, constructive changes — not making everyone afraid to say something in front of you.

It’s also worth noting that in the business world, some people choose to maintain gendered language for a specific purpose.

For example, it’s not unheard of for women to use the title chairman, rather than chairwoman or chairperson, so as to not minimize the title. Whatever the situation, modelling appropriate language can change the dynamic — you can refer to anyone’s significant other as their partner, rather than boyfriend or girlfriend, and you can always address a group as “everyone’’ instead of “guys.’’

Make sure your message is about making the workplace more welcoming and more inclusive by changing some of the language being used and increasing awareness of gender-inclusivity among colleagues — including senior leaders.

Elaine Varelas is managing partner at Keystone Partners, a career management firm in Boston, and serves on the board of Career Partners International.