More efforts can be made to make workplaces inclusive and welcoming for LGBTQ workers..

As the rights of LGBTQ workers were recently considered in two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, there are other business initiatives to support LGBTQ employees and be more inclusive. But workplaces and companies need to do more.

In the United States, 24 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and over 140 cities and counties have enacted bans on discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or sexual identity.

“In the U.S., 24 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and over 140 cities and counties have enacted bans on #discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or sexual identity. #LGBTQ”

The BBC reports that in a new study of LGBTQ workers by “Trades Union Congress, 68% said they had experienced harassment, with 42% saying colleagues had made unwanted comments about their sex life.” In the United Kingdom, surveys show that more than a third of LGBTQ staff are hiding their sexuality at work to avoid discrimination, and about a fifth have been the target of harassment or discrimination at work.

Yes, in some states, it’s illegal to discriminate based on someone’s sexual orientation, but there is a more subtle bias as well. It’s important for organizations across the globe to develop robust strategies for an inclusive corporate culture backed by policies that are non-discriminatory.

According to the New York Times, recent reports show that even the most progressive companies have stalled in their efforts to have fully inclusive workplaces. Here are five suggestions that organizations can adopt to be better at recognizing and supporting LGBTQ talent in the workplace.

“ According to the @nytimes, recent reports show that even the most progressive companies have stalled in their efforts to have fully #inclusive workplaces. #LGBTQWorkplace”

1. Company policies are the baseline.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation April 2019 report, the minimum expectation now is for clear and well-developed policies as a starting point. The most important thing is for businesses to monitor the daily behavior of their employees. The employee assessments have to be measured against standards that are clear, consistent, and most importantly, objective. This is the only way to have an even playing field for all employees. For example, Amazon developed leadership principles which are considered a universal standard for all employees to work towards daily and are the basis for all the assessments that are done at the company. It’s clear that we can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach to LGBTQ inclusion, but companies need to have a strategy that clearly defines their corporate culture as non-discriminatory, and back that up by establishing inclusive policies. That’s the baseline to promoting more diversity and making LGBTQ employees feel more supported and safe at work.

“Companies need to have a strategy that clearly defines their #CorporateCulture as non-discriminatory, and back that up by establishing #inclusive policies. ”

2. Create employee resource groups.

Employee resource groups, sometimes referred to as affinity groups, are led by employees and voluntary, and their purpose is to promote a diverse and inclusive workplace. They do this by establishing the key values and goals of the organization in action. These groups are great for creating the next generation of leaders and increasing employee engagement by giving members of any group a voice in the company. Paul Wiser, a project manager at Last Minute Writing and Draftbeyond, adds that “employee resource groups will advise the department on inclusive policies, will engage allies throughout the company, organize events, and help the employers understand the diversity of the workplace and recruitment strategies.”

“Employee #resource groups are led by employees, are voluntary, and their purpose is to promote a #diverse and #inclusive workplace.”

3. Promote diversity.

According to the World Economic Forum’s recent report, businesses that are more diverse not only improve the company culture and employee well-being, but they’ve also been proven to outperform their competitors. This means that not only is it the right thing to do, but it will also benefit the business. Promoting diversity includes educating the management team and empowering them to update their thinking and be culturally sensitive. This can be done on a regular basis and can involve managers leading their teams in brainstorming ways to increase inclusion, wellness, and productivity.

“According to the @wef ‘s recent report, businesses that are more #diverse not only improve the company culture, but they’ve also been proven to outperform their competitors. #DiversityInBusiness”

It’s also important for companies to show a positive and inclusive culture from the top down, showing senior leaders to be supportive and vocal in their support for all their employees, including the LGBTQ community.

4. Empower allies.

Companies can use simple ways to allow allies to be visible by using the rainbow flag, a symbol of diversity and inclusion. Sam Colwell, an HR manager at Writinity and Researchpapersuk, explains that “organizations can create lanyards that are in the rainbow flag or stationary that will open a dialogue and challenge harassment and discriminatory views. You can also consider adopting a simple change like adding preferred pronouns on the internal directory, and encourage senior leaders to do that as an example to others.”

“Companies can use simple ways to allow #allies to be visible by using the rainbow flag, a symbol of #diversity and inclusion. #PrideFlag”

5. Engage with the LGBTQ community.

All of these suggestions are excellent ways for companies to promote and support LGBTQ employees in the workplace, but according to a 2017 Accenture report, the most important thing to do is engage with the LGBTQ community. No matter what awareness, training, or advocacy you implement, nothing will compare to the actual day to day experiences of an LGBTQ employee. These can be totally different between each person, and managers need to be aware of that and consider that there is not one common experience. The unfortunate truth is that an organization can still come off as negative, insensitive, or prejudiced, no matter how diverse or well-meaning they are because of blind spots that still exist for sensitive issues. According to a recent Fundacion Seres report, it’s important for company leaders to engage with the community, listen, learn everything they can, and share that with others.

“No matter what awareness, training, or #advocacy you implement, nothing will compare to the actual day to day experiences of an #LGBTQ employee. ”

Companies have the responsibility to create a positive environment for all employees in an equal manner. This is most relevant to the LGBTQ community in the workplace. Companies need to strive towards learning and understanding.

“Companies have the #responsibility to create a positive environment for all employees in an equal manner. #Inclusion #2019Workplace”

Pam F. Contreras is a “happiness consultant” who also works in marketing, guiding teams through the process at Lucky Assignments and GumEssays. As a lifestyle coach, she wants to spread her positive messages.

Equal At Work: 5 Ways To Support LGBTQ Employees in the Workplace

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