Relationship Manager, Michael Stevens, shares tips for employers looking to create welcoming environments for their LGBTI+ staff — during and beyond Pride Month.
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June is Pride Month for the Rainbow communities, and a good time to consider LGBTI+ workplace inclusion.
We often hear the question “Do we still need Pride?” and as a gay man I can assure you that we do. People from Rainbow communities still regularly face discrimination and aggression when they reveal who they are in public places.
Take the example of two men or two women holding hands in public and behaving like a straight couple. I know from my own experience that this can result in people mocking and jeering, and even intimidation and threats of violence. If I experience this as a white gay cisgender man, imagine what it’s like for those who are part of the trans or other Rainbow communities.
Employers currently place great value on staff bringing their whole self to work. The logic behind this is if people can simply be themselves in the workplace, they will be happier and less stressed, and perform better in their roles. There is a wealth of research that supports this view. However, research also shows that people from LGBTI+ communities are hyper-vigilant in new environments, checking to see if they are somewhere safe or if they are somewhere they need to hide who they are. I know of gay men and lesbians who have invented opposite sex partners to talk about at work. That might seem crazy, but it is the reality for some. For some trans people there can be real anxiety about using shared toilets. Celebrating Pride can help with all this.
You might encounter some resistance from others in the workplace. Perhaps people will say “This goes against my culture” or “this goes against my religion”. Pride activities are not seeking to change peoples’ personal views. Someone can be a strict vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean they can stop other people eating meat in the workplace. It is the same here, someone can believe that being transgender or bisexual is wrong, but that doesn’t mean they can impose those views on everyone else. And it sends a clear message internally and externally about the values of the organisation, that it aims to be inclusive and welcoming to all.
This is why Pride activities in the workplace are so valuable. They are a way to signal to your LGBTI+ staff that they are welcome and can be themselves in the workplace, if they want to. Not everyone will feel comfortable about talking about who they are, and they shouldn’t feel pressured to come out if they don’t feel ready. But for many, seeing some clear messaging from management that they know we exist and we’re welcome to be ourselves is all that’s needed.
1) Send a clear message throughout the organisation that Pride is coming, and you intend to support it as an organisation. Ideally this should come from the CEO or someone else in senior leadership.
2) Encourage staff to set up an affinity group consisting of members of the Rainbow communities and allies. Task them with preparing something for your Pride month celebration. Allocate them some budget so they can do this. Make sure it is publicised as voluntary, but ensure attendance from key leadership.
3) Track how everything goes and see what can be improved for next year.
It might surprise you, but something as simple as putting up a Pride flag in a shared area can be very effective. It is sending out that signal to LGBTI+ people that you as an organisation know we exist, and that we are welcome to be ourselves, we don’t have to hide.
By creating a more open and inclusive workplace culture you’ll both help Rainbow communities and help productivity, and enhance your brand overall.