Friday, November 15, 2019
Five ways to welcome LGBTQ employees during Pride month
Five ways to welcome LGBTQ employees during Pride month Five ways to welcome LGBTQ employees during Pride month Regardless if youâre the founder of your own company with a handful of employees, or a manager on a large team at a 500-person corporation, learning how to guide people to success is a big learning curve. While youâll quickly discover that everyone flourishes differently, youâll also begin to value your employees for their individual, unique qualities. Though you want to be mindful to keep your actions (and reactions) professional, itâs a smart idea to celebrate national holiday and awareness months, in an effort to show respect and kindness that boosts team morale. During the month of June, companies and managers have the opportunity to express their support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) community in honor of Pride: a positive stance against discrimination and violence toward people within the LGBTQ community. âIt is imperative that every member of your team feel comfortable at work. Managers must lead the way by consistently demonstrating kindnes s and tolerance of difference,â Amy Cooper Hakim, Ph.D., industrial-organizational psychology practitioner and workplace expert explains. âWhen managers support LGBTQ employees, they lead by example and let other employees know that discrimination and intolerance are not accepted in the workplace. Managers encourage tolerance and inclusion and set the tone for the office through their direct behavior and interactions.âHereâs how to professionally support your LGBTQ employees this month - and every month.Include the word âdiversityâ in your mission statementIf youâre the CEO of your company or you lead a large team, you set the standard for whatâs accepted, promoted and tolerated. And if you have the opportunity to write or contribute to the mission statement, Hakim says to make sure you center your internal guidelines around diversity, which of course, just means âdifference.â âIn meetings, emphasize the need to embrace different ideas, different positions, and different people from all backgrounds and sexual orientations,â she shares. This open door policy from the get-go will help those within the LGBTQ community feel appreciated and comfortable in their workplace, which encourages them to not only be better employees, but happier, too. Let employees know theyâll be respected Regardless of your employeesâ personal lives outside of working hours, sexuality isnât something thatâs included in your performance review and has no role in determining or holding back a raise or a promotion. Thatâs why Kate Sullivan, a business psychologist and career coach notes that itâs a managerâs responsibility to make it clear to all employees - lesbian or lesbian or gay or straight or bi or transgendered or questioning- that their orientation is a non-issue. âWhether youâre heterosexual, homosexual, bi, asexual, androgyne, trans, or any other permutation of human sexuality, it doesnât matter at work- your professional identity is wh at counts. But since your sexual identification is part of who you are as a total human, any baggage associated with that inevitably comes to work with you,â she notes. âAs a manager, demonstrate to your employees every day that itâs your skills, attitude, enthusiasm, and professionalism that matters on the job- not who you choose to date.âAnother thing that managers should note: the days have passed when people could argue âI donât see color,â or âI donât see sexuality.â That erases the experience that some employees want to embrace. Other employees may not want to. Either way, pay attention to what makes people feel respected. Instead of pretending differences donât exist, honor the differences and stay focused on teamwork.Have regular diversity awareness training sessionsJust like most companies mandate sexual misconduct training as required, you can do the same with diversity awareness sessions. These will help other employees within the company, including those who work directly with LGBTQ employees, to understand their biases and to overcome them, if necessary. âInvite external consultants or agencies to deliver these sessions. When a company pays for training, then the employees recognize that this is important,â Hakim says. What should these sessions cover? Like above, consider budgeting for a trained professional and make sure the agendas are clear and productive. Sullivan suggests covering topics like âdiscriminatory speech, derogatory terms, and normative language that might be making your LGBTQ employees uncomfortable in the workplace, and more.â Offer clear and comprehensive benefits and leave policiesA (much-awaited) trend in many modern workplaces is offering family leave opportunities for not only fatherâs (since theyâre becoming parents too), but for LGBTQ community members who are adopting or welcoming children into their households. Sullivan says by offering the same opportunities for everyone, employees wil l feel empowered and appreciated by the higher-ups. Here, itâs not just the benefits that are key, but the way you word them, too. You want to be inclusive of all. âBe sure that you offer âdomestic partnerâ benefits instead of simply spousal benefits, if itâs feasible to do so,â Sullivan says. âInstead of maternity or paternity leave, consider offering âparental leaveâ that allows the non-birthing parent to take time with their new arrival, or that permits LGBTQ parents who are adopting to spend the necessary time during that complicated process, including giving time off for background checks, visits, paperwork, and bonding with the new arrival. Offer whatever assistance is possible to transitioning employees, including time off work and help with educating coworkers on terminology and new introductions.âSupport affinity groupsMany companies encourage affinity groups for employees. Google, for instance, has âGayglers.â These affinity groups can be valuable s ources of support, communication and job opportunities for employees of different identities.During the month of June, you could plan something special for all employees, giving everyone the opportunity to show their support of their LGBTQ co-workers and friends. It shouldnât be mandatory, but Sullivan says it should be fun and tasteful. âConsider company sponsorship and/or volunteering in your local Pride March in or near your city or organize a Pride Week event for employees of all identities to participate and celebrate diversity together,â Sullivan explains. âIf youâve already established support structures, resources, and possibly even an Allies group within your organization, this is a great way to get people together to understand and celebrate diversity- and if you havenât set up an Allies group, this may be a good way to kick off those efforts.âAnd remember: donât call it a parade. Like Black History Month and Womenâs History Month, Pride is not purely cel ebratory; it also acknowledges the struggle for equal rights. Many LGBTQ people wouldnât even call festivities âparadesâ: many prefer to call them âmarchesâ until equality for all has been reached within the community.
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