How LGBTQ+ Inclusion Promotes Business Success
How LGBTQ+ Inclusion Promotes Business Success
In light of LGBTQ+ Pride month, we explore how LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace promotes business success. From attracting talent to strengthening both external and internal relationships, the LGBTQ+ community offers many benefits in the business sphere, contributing significantly to organizational success.
How to foster a LGBTQ+ inclusive culture
Before speaking to the benefits of how LGBTQ+ inclusion promotes business success, we delve into a guide on how organizations can foster an LGBTQ+ inclusive culture within the workplace.
Implement LGBTQ+ policies
The first step to becoming LGBTQ+ inclusive is implementing robust and comprehensive policies that include and address gender identity. Ensuring that your policies are LGBTQ+ inclusive will foster a culture of connection and belonging across your workforce. It also sets a clear understanding among colleagues and if any discrimination had to arise, having these policies in place will make the process of managing those instances easier.
Incorporating Gender Neutral Facilities
To create an inclusive culture where everyone feels comfortable, consider adding a gender neutral facility as well as separate men’s and women’s facilities. This will ensure everyone in the workplace, irrespective of their gender identity, is respected.
Consider Specific Benefits for LGBTQ+ Employees
Those who identify as LGBTQ+ appreciate understanding when it comes to their gender identity. For some, they might need more time off for healthcare, medical treatments or mental health appointments. By allowing time for these, the LGBTQ+ employees in your organization and their families will feel more included and respected.
Use Inclusive Language and Pronouns
It is important to refer to employees who identify as LGBTQ+ as their chosen individual pronouns. By encouraging inclusive language and the use of each individual's pronouns, LGBTQ+ employees will feel equally appreciated and respected in the workplace.
Celebrate LGBTQ+ Events
Just as big calendar events, such as New Years Eve, Eid, or Christmas, are important to employees in the workplace, LGBTQ+ employees also take part in celebrating events in their communities. As an organization, you can create a more inclusive culture by celebrating these events with them.
Here are some examples:
- LGBTQ+ pride month (June)
- Agender Pride day (19 October)
- Transgender awareness week (second week of November)
- International Pronouns Day (third Wednesday in October)
Mentorship and Leadership Opportunities
Mentorship and leadership opportunities are important to all employees in the workplace irrespective of their gender identity. Ensure your organization considers employees who identify as LGBTQ+ when it comes to mentoring or leading others to establish equality across the organization.
Address Issues
To successfully foster an inclusive culture for all employees, it is crucial to address issues that involve discriminating LGBTQ+ employees in an efficient and fair manner.
Benefits
Being LGBTQ+ inclusive as an organization has many benefits, each of which contributes significantly to overall business growth and success.
Here are some benefits of having an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace:
Boosts Employee Morale and Mental Health
LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace contribute to the diversity among teams, bringing about new perspectives and opinions. This can encourage other employees to be more engaged in the work that they do, having a positive effect on the mental health and productivity of all employees whilst at work.
Attracts Talent
Being an LGBTQ+ inclusive organization shows your commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I). DE&I is becoming increasingly important to job seekers, with over 40% of U.S employees considering whether a company is diverse and inclusive when weighing up a job offer. In addition to this, welcoming LGBTQ+ people in your organization allows you to expand your talent pool when searching for new candidates, making the recruitment process easier.
Innovation through Different Perspectives
Having a workplace that includes people from multiple backgrounds allows for more perspectives, opinions and ideas, which significantly contributes to an organization's productivity, efficiency and innovation, all of which play a crucial role in profitability and overall business success.
Boosts Reputation and Brand Loyalty
Being an LGBTQ+ inclusive organization and sharing about it on your social platforms or website, will allow you to positively build your brand image and gain more reach. Knowing that employees are four times more likely to work at a company that publicly supports the LGBTQ+ community, sharing how your organization is LGBTQ+ inclusive will undoubtedly boost your reputation and brand loyalty.
Strengthens Relationships and Extends Reach
Having a diverse workforce that includes employees from the LGBTQ+ community, gives your organization the opportunity to connect with many new customers from different areas and makes it easier for customers from diverse backgrounds to identify with and build relationships with employees in your company. Not only does this benefit external relationships, but internal relationships among colleagues can also be strengthened, resulting in a more engaged, connected workforce.
Companies that fully support the LGBTQ+ Community
When supporting the LGBTQ+ community as an organization, it needs to be treated seriously, with adequate data to support your company efforts. Much like ‘greenwashing’, a term used to describe deceptive marketing tactics that some organizations make use of in order to gain exposure and entice customers into buying their products or services, we see ‘pinkwashing’ in the sense of gender inclusivity in business. Pinkwashing refers to companies using pride terminology to appear ‘inclusive’ in their marketing efforts and lure in new customers, where in reality they aren’t really dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
Here are a list of companies who support the LQBTQ+ community and ensure that people of all genders and backgrounds are treated as equal in a business setting:
Conclusion
It can therefore be concluded that including the LGBTQ+ community within your organization offers significant benefits, from attracting new talent and boosting your brand reputation to driving innovation and strengthening internal and external relationships. When it comes to fostering a LGBTQ+ inclusive culture, implementing robust policies, using inclusive language and offering equal opportunities are essential. Be cautious when it comes to advertising your LGBTQ+ efforts as an organization and ensure that what you are saying is substantiated with data or evidence to avoid ‘pinkwashing’. The LGBTQ+ community ultimately has a lot to offer to organizations and their contributions should be respected and acknowledged, fostering a culture of connection and belonging.
