How to create an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace that extends beyond Pride month.

June signals Pride Month, a time of celebration and awareness and an opportunity to reflect on past struggles and future prospects for activists and allies alike.

The origins of Pride Month date back over fifty years and over the decades Pride Month has come to symbolise a celebration and commemoration of the LGBTQ+ movement. But activities shouldn’t be limited to the thirty days of June but rather communities, including employers, should be extending their efforts towards greater inclusion the whole year round. Here are some ideas on how to sustain a year-round commitment to an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace.

 

Know your history.

To make progress in the future, it’s essential to understand the origins and significance of Pride month so employers can help educate themselves and their employees about events from the Stonewall riots for gay liberation in New York in 1969 which sparked the Pride movement to the present situation for the LGBTQ+ communities.

Read more on the History of Pride.

Review and revise inclusivity policies.

Developing non-discriminatory policies and practices can take many forms from sharing pronouns on email signatures, name badges and HR documents to offering gender-neutral bathrooms and addressing dress code policies.

 

Provide appropriate training.

Offering LGBTQ+ awareness and sensitivity training including appropriate terminology, respectful communication and understanding diverse identities can help address unconscious biases and encourage acceptance and understanding throughout the year.

Stonewall offers guidance, support and specialist training.

Update HR processes.

Look at processes such as onboarding, promotions, and performance reviews to ensure they are fair and inclusive for LGBTQ+ employees and develop a confidential reporting system for employees to flag incidents of discrimination, harassment, or bias. HR could also re-examine the wording of benefits including family leave to ensure they are equitable and investigate how best to support the more complex experiences and needs of, for example, trans and non-binary employees.

 

Establish ERGs.

Establishing and encouraging employee resource groups or ERGs is a great way to provide support, networking, and advocacy opportunities for LGBTQ+ employees. ERGs can provide a sounding board for how employers can best move forward in creating an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace.

Support the community.

Engage with LGBTQ+ groups all year round and incorporate Pride in the workplace by donating to charitable organisations, volunteering, and participating in diversity conferences to ensure inclusion goes beyond the workplace and into the wider community.

 

Encourage allyship.

By providing relevant resources, training, and awareness campaigns, all staff can become better allies to their LGBTQ+ colleagues.

Read more on how to become an LGBTQ+ ally

Stay curious.

Regularly look at your efforts and gather feedback from LGBTQ+ employees to regularly assess and improve the efforts towards inclusivity in the workplace and make improvements based on their experiences and needs.

Read more on the work of Workplace Pride.