Pride Month: 5 vital resources for HR professionals in summary:
- Did you know that over 40% of LGBTQ+ employees have felt the need to hide their identity at work? This emphasises the ongoing challenges in achieving genuine inclusivity in the modern workplace.
- We’ve carefully selected four resources – including resources from charities Stonewall and Gendered Intelligence, insights from Greater Good, research by Marina Gorsuch, and a CIPD podcast series – to assist HR professionals in fostering a more inclusive workplace.
- Beyond Pride Month, HR teams must also push for continuous education and proactive measures to support LGBTQ+ employees and cultivate an inclusive organisational cultures year-round.
The flags are flying, the rainbows are out – yep, Pride Month is in full swing.
But while there’s a lot to celebrate, it’s important to remember the reality behind the festivities. Over 40% of LGBTQ employees say they’ve felt the need to hide their identity at work – a stat that shows there’s still a long way to go when it comes to true inclusion.
As HR professionals, we’ve got a big part to play in changing that. But building a genuinely inclusive workplace isn’t always straightforward – especially if you’re still at the beginning of that journey.
To help you on your way, we’ve pulled together four helpful resources to support your team and create a more inclusive culture this Pride Month – and beyond.
1. LGBTQ+ facts and figures | Stonewall
Understanding the nuances of being LGBTQ+ in the workplace – particularly if it’s not an experience aligned with your own – can be a tricky endeavour. This is where the charity Stonewall can help.
Stonewall is Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ rights organisation, and have been campaigning for better equality and diversity policies since 1989. Their LGBT+ Facts and Figures not only outlines some of the key stats, but also sheds light on the ongoing prejudices faced by the LGBTQ+ community. And, with a website absolutely packed with direct insights into the pitfalls and barriers of common policies, the Stonewall website makes for a useful aid in getting familiar with the current climate experienced by LGBTQ+ workers.
2. Gendered Intelligence
If you want to increase your understandings of gender diversity and help support the lives of trans, non-binary, and gender-questioning community, then UK-based charity Gendered Intelligence is a great place to start.
They offer a range of services tailored for HR professionals and organisations aiming to enhance their trans-inclusive practices. Plus, they have a wealth of resources you can download, including the Trans and Non-Binary Inclusion at Work Policy Development Toolkit – a comprehensive guide to assist organisations in creating inclusive workplace policies. And, the Trans Inclusion Resource List for Professionals – an extensive compilation of references and materials for those seeking to deepen their understanding of trans inclusion.
By engaging with Gendered Intelligence’s offerings, you can take more proactive steps toward cultivating a workplace environment that respects and values gender diversity.
3. What Makes a Workplace Diversity Program Successful? | Greater Good
While diversity initiatives are put forward with the best of intentions, it’s important to acknowledge the potential downfalls.
Greater Good’s What Makes a Workplace Diversity Program Successful? article gives us a glance into the unintended consequences of diversity initiatives if not planned with full care. What are the potential shortcomings of well-meaning policies and practices, and how can you take care to make yours a success?
4. Understanding LGBTQ+ Employment Discrimination | New Economic Thinking
In this short interview, microeconomist Marina Gorsuch explores some of the most common biases against LGBTQ+ candidates within the recruitment and hiring space.
With a walkthrough of one of her own studies, Gorsuch takes a deep dive into how employers can approach recruitment more thoughtfully to reduce biases, and with a more open mind, to create an equal opportunity hiring process within their organisation.
5. LGBT+ at Work Podcast Series | CIPD
Not all forms of discrimination are overt, and not all can be deterred by a simple policy change or staff training webinar.
CIPD’s podcast series (which you’ll need to become a member to list to) highlights the importance of subtler, more easily overlooked, displays of allyship in the workplace. So whether it’s adjusting your language, becoming more conscious of microaggressions (such as not respecting a person’s choice of pronouns), or simply asking the right questions, the series makes for a useful tool in uncovering some of the less obvious ways in which HR can support LGBTQ+ employees.
The need for LGBTQ+-inclusive practices, of course, extends far beyond the month of June. So in keeping educated – both on the current climate and the changes needed to improve – HR professionals can continue to champion and support a sustained focus on fostering a more LGBTQ+-friendly workplace culture.
Kim Holdroyd
HR & Wellbeing Manager
Kim Holdroyd has an MSc in HRM and is passionate about all things HR and people operations, specialising in the employee life cycle, company culture, and employee empowerment. Her career background has been spent with various industries, including technology start-ups, gaming software, and recruitment.
