Bringing PRIDE to the Workplace
Happy Pride! In June, the world celebrates progress made by the LGBTQ community as they have striven for recognition, equality and the safety to show up as themselves in all aspects of their lives. The month was chosen because it is the anniversary of New York’s Stonewall riots in 1969, where gay and trans people spontaneously protested police raids and brutality, marking a turning point in the movement for equal rights.
Since that time, it’s clear that, in the West at least, significant strides have been made. However, we haven’t “done” equality yet. The LGBTQ community in Canada experiences substantially higher levels of mental illness and suicidality, and 60% report having been assaulted. These experiences are reflected in the workplace, with nearly 30% of LGBT-identified respondents to a 2015 survey reporting that they experienced discrimination in the workplace, as opposed 2.9% of the general population. Trans people find it hard even gaining employment, experiencing unemployment rates at twice that of the general population.
Workplaces can make a significant impact when they actively create an inclusive space, because these actions spread beyond the walls of your business. Ed Frauenheim, Director of Research and Content at Great Place to Work, puts it this way: “Having consistently great workplaces boils down to not wasting human potential. As a global society, we need to recognize that all people deserve and can have a great experience at work. And that when they do, there’s a ripple effect—as those employees leave good days on the job to be better parents, community members, citizens.”
If your business has an ESG strategy, you might be picturing the ‘S’ flashing wildly right about now. Because this is the exact intent of social sustainability – when the actions we put in place in our organizations positively impact human wellbeing in our communities and beyond. Whether you have adopted ESG yet, or you’re still exploring the idea of holistic (environmental, social and governance) sustainability, there are steps you can take right now to support inclusivity for LGBTQ employees in your workplace.
More than a rainbow flag
Why do we talk about inclusivity rather than diversity? A wise person once put it like this: “Diversity is being invited to the party, but inclusivity is being asked to dance.” Inclusion is about ensuring all employees see themselves represented not just in their workplace environment, but in organizational policy, leadership, behaviors and attitudes. It’s about creating an environment where no one has to hide aspects of themselves, which leads to better performance across the board.
Peruse your policies
Policies (and the budgets that support them) are usually a good indicator of what an organization values. Here are some ways that you can ensure your policies support LGBTQ employees:
Review all your policies for gender-neutral language. It’s perfectly acceptable to use ‘they/them’ for all pronouns these days.
Check that your discrimination and harassment policies specifically include language for trans folk, who may be more visible than other sexual minorities.
Check whether your benefit policies support the specific needs of the LGBTQ community, especially when it comes to things like medical leave, parental leave and so on.
How do you hire?
The numbers of unemployed transgender people, and the levels of workplace discrimination for the LGBTQ community suggest that, while many workplaces have all the right intentions, their inclusion practices are not fully embedding at the cultural level. Inclusive hiring practices can help:
Ensure your job postings have gender neutral language and specifically welcome diverse applicants.
Provide dedicated training for hiring managers to tackle conscious or unconscious bias and to establish interviewing and candidate selection process that support diversity.
Train people managers to meet the needs of LGBTQ employees, so they feel comfortable hiring a wider range of people.
Find and formalize allies
Many organizations welcome ‘Employee Resource Groups’ (ERGs) for staff who identify as belonging to particular groups, whether it be LGBTQ, ethnic or racial groups, mothers and so on. A further strategy which has proven to be very effective is to establish an ally group to work alongside LGBTQ ERGs. Allies help to create a space where people feel safe to be themselves, by wearing visible lanyards, pins or even coffee mugs, running training programs, organizing events and so on. Don’t forget to support ERGs with budget, time and leadership involvement, as well as a functional feedback mechanism to support meaningful change where required.
Measure it
It’s trite but true: you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Tracking progress for inclusion initiatives is essential, which means setting clear objectives at the outset, and adjusting your strategy if you’re not seeing the impacts you expected. This means that you also need a means of collecting data to inform your approach.
Some organizations feel uncomfortable about asking for employees’ personal information, especially when it comes to gender identity and sexual orientation. Some don’t even realize that they are allowed to ask. Provided it is given voluntarily by employees and can be anonymized, this data can shine an important light on where LGBTQ inclusion initiatives are doing well, and where there is more work to be done. Clear communication about why you’re asking for this information, what you will and won’t use it for, and how you will protect people’s privacy will help employees feel more comfortable about sharing.
Following up with progress reports will further embed a culture of trust and inclusion, so don’t forget to tell staff how you’re doing.
We might celebrate in June, but Pride is more than rainbow flags and cupcakes in the office kitchen – it’s something that all your employees can bring to work, year-round.
