Now is the time for LGBTQ+ Diversity Training
Diversity, in itself, does not create inclusion. An inclusive environment must be intentionally designed, nurtured, and supported. In a lot of countries, June has become Pride month. This is an ideal time to scale up diversity training. If you want to be a true ally to LGBTQ+ colleagues, we can help you go beyond rainbow Zoom backgrounds, Pride parade attendance, and rainbow logos in your corporate email signatures. As the LGBTQ+ community continues to make gains politically and in the workplace, while there is no question that most organizations have always had LGBTQ+ employees, over the past two decades, a growing number of employees have come out at work, demanded workplace protection, and acquired equal access to workplace benefits. Supporting team members of all gender identities and sexual orientations means taking active steps towards a more diverse and inclusive work environment. From strategic recruitment efforts to workplace training, here are a few simple ways to ensure LGBTQ+ diversity in your workplace.
How common is diversity training on LGBTQ+ issues?
According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), over half (52%) of Fortune 500 companies now offer training on sexual orientation issues and 42% of Fortune 500 now offer training on gender identity and expression issues, but as the HRC’s 2017 Corporate Equality Index reports, training on gender identity and expression is also on the rise.
Undeniably in America the corporate landscape has changed as it becomes more progressive, led by some of the nation’s largest tech companies as they extended health benefits to same-sex couples long before gay marriage was ever legalized. However, this may have originally had more to do with the bottom line. Employers known to discriminate against employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression are increasingly being penalized beyond local and governmental laws and fined but also on two other levels: lower share values and a decreased ability to attract well-trained employees from around the globe. There is still much room to grow. According to a Glassdoor survey cited by CNBC, “47 percent of all LGBTQ respondents believe that being out at work could hurt their career, including losing a job, not getting a promotion or not getting selected for a project.” The risks go beyond lost career opportunities. Coming out at work can endanger an employee’s safety.
What elements should you include in your LGBTQ+ diversity training?
Labels and categories: Not all LGBTQ+ individuals identify the same way. A woman who is attracted to other women may be preferred to be called a lesbian however may also identify as gay. Likewise, a gay man may call himself “queer” but not want his coworkers to use the same language to describe him. A large percentage of transgender people use traditional pronouns (one’s that match their chosen gender identity) but some do not. The terminology is also constantly shifting. LGBTQ+ terminology could be considered confusing if you think you should be labeling or placing others into categories. Inclusive would mean to allow the person to let you know how they wish to be identified. It is important to include labels and categories into any LGBTQ+ training program to improve awareness and inclusion.
Compliance: Training programs should also include a clear overview of any company policies that are impacted by marital status or gender and explicitly discuss what it means to be in compliance with your organization’s policies regarding them. This is particularly important in states (e.g., Mississippi) where an organization may have more progressive policies than the state itself. Let your employees know your company’s stance on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.
Workplace culture: A positive LGBTQ+ culture in a company is more than just following laws or defining and teaching your company’s compliance. Workplace culture is complex, and often where discrimination happens is on a more subtle level. Everyday conversations about weddings, children, and family are inevitable, but sometimes these conversations can feel exclusionary. It is important for others to understand how something that wouldn’t affect them could affect others. Help create a sensitive workplace culture, one that recognizes both the history and ongoing struggles of LGBTQ+ employees.
Benefits of LGBTQ Inclusion in Diversity Training
I also want to explore the additional benefits to a company that offers LGBTQ+ topics in their diversity training program. In some companies it may be a controversial topic, which is unfortunate but also demonstrates the need for training on these topics.
Safer employees: Everyone wants to and should feel safe at work. Safe from being fired without cause. Safe from harassment, bullying, or physical violence. Safe to use the restroom. Your LGBTQ+ employees are dealing with unique challenges.
Offering these training topics sends a message that you value the safety of all employees and want to help everyone better understand each other. It reduces the chances of someone being bullied or harassed because of their sexual identity or orientation. Employees know that this behavior will not be tolerated by the organization.
Stronger relationships: When employees feel comfortable being “out” at work, they can share their authentic selves and create stronger relationships with their coworkers. In a company whose culture is not welcoming, LGBTQ+ employees have to avoid personal conversations or mask the stories with generic details or even lie. This wall around the truth can reduce trust and increase suspicion. Not to mention the anxiety or fear the employee may feel. How can they give 100% to their job if their mind is preoccupied with being “outed”?
It is a natural behavior for employees to become friends and socialize. If people can be open about their lives, it’s no longer the topic of office gossip or speculation. Gossip is distracting, hurtful, and unproductive. No one wants to be the topic of office whispers. You want employees to be productive and focused at work not worrying about censoring themselves. Deeper workplace relationships translate into a more successful work environment. People are willing to go above and beyond, to stay late, to pitch in for their peers and supervisors when a stronger relationship exists.Attract talent: LGBTQ+ candidates will research your company to see if it is a welcoming workplace. They will review your website to see your mission, vision, and values. They can tell if it is an inclusive culture by the tone and messaging on your website, in your social media, advertising, and sponsorships. Do the pictures of employees on your website and social media show a diverse group or could it be perceived as alienating?
Eliminate stress: People in the LGBTQ+ community learn to live with a certain level of stress related to their sexual orientation and identity. Every day there is a story in the news or on social media of discrimination: someone being denied housing in a senior center; a clerk refusing to issue a marriage license; someone being attacked coming out of a gay-owned business.
Employees deal with stress from their personal lives all the time but most are temporary situations. Planning a wedding, going through a divorce, or moving a parent into a new living situation. We support our colleagues through these momentary issues. When a company offers LGBTQ+ training or publishes a company policy of diversity including sexual orientation and identity, the daily stress and worry related to sexual identity or orientation is at least reduced at work.
REMEMBER Anyone Can be an Ally: Speaking Up for an LGBTQ+ Inclusive Workplace.
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