A guide to LGBTQ+ inclusion for employers

Unfortunately, there is still a lot of work to do. A survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that too many LGBTQ+ people feel unwelcome in the workplace, with more than one in five respondents experiencing a negative or mixed reaction from others at work due to being LGBTQ+.

In this article, we’ll look at the benefits of an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace, the consequences of failing to drive inclusivity, and steps employers can take to ensure their workplace is welcoming for LGBTQ+ workers.

What does LGBTQ+ mean?

The acronym LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer. The first four letters have been in use since the 1990s, but in recent years there has been a shift to accommodate a range of identities, with the “+” representing those who are part of the community but for whom LGBTQ does not reflect their identity.

There are numerous variations of the acronym that are also commonly used, such as LGBTQIA, where the “I” represents Intersex, and the “A” stands for asexual, aromantic or agender.

The benefits of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace

In its Diversity Wins investigation into the business case for diversity, McKinsey & Company highlighted that the relationship between “diversity on executive teams and the likelihood of financial outperformance has strengthened over time,” bolstering the case for increasing inclusivity in the workplace.

Furthermore, UK charity Stonewall, the biggest LGBTQ+ rights charity in Europe, explains that more inclusive workplaces allow for different sets of opinions to be aired, resulting in a more innovative, caring, thoughtful and inclusive environment. This can also contribute to increased happiness and satisfaction at work, as employees feel included and better able to express themselves, in addition to helping to increase staff retention.

Liz Ward, Director of Programmes at Stonewall told Totaljobs: “We all perform better when we can bring our full selves to work, and having an employer that supports LGBTQ+ people to thrive as themselves can make an enormous difference to the lives of all staff.”

Consequences of failing to have an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace

Not having an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace means missing out on the benefits noted above. According to the CIPD, this can also cause a decrease in:

• Employee satisfaction
• Productivity
• Motivation

The absence of LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the workplace can also harm talent retention. Our research found that 43% of trans employees have left their job because they felt the environment was unwelcoming. As a result, companies can miss out on a broad range of skills and perspectives, potentially hindering productivity in the process.

There can also be legal consequences for companies found discriminating against an employee or candidate based on whether they are LGBTQ+. The Equality Act 2010 lists different types of discrimination which apply to protected characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender reassignment.

This includes direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation, and harassment. The CIPD explains that companies should follow the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s code of practice on employment, which gives important guidance on good practice. Failure to comply with the code could be taken into account by tribunals or courts.

Strategies for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace

There are several steps that employers can take to ensure they have an inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ employees. Let’s take a look at some of the most significant.

1. Develop clear policies

To build an inclusive workplace, start by implementing zero-tolerance policies against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic discrimination and harassment. This should include defining the sanctions for staff and/or customers who engage in this type of behaviour.

You should also ensure family and parental leave policies are geared towards including people who are building a family, whether traditional or not, and that compassionate leave includes an employee’s chosen family.

2. Improve trans inclusion

According to Stonewall, a third of trans employees have reported being the target of negative comments or conduct from customers or clients at work. As a result, employers should look to implement a trans inclusion for employees who are transitioning that gives them dignity and full ownership of their transitioning process.

This can include guidance for line managers on transgender inclusivity in addition to information on:

• Confidentiality
• Dress codes
• Using facilities

3. Provide LGBTQ+ training

It’s crucial for employers to provide diversity and inclusion training that supplements professional learning and educates staff on recognising and challenging anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.

Managers should be equipped with the support they need to effectively advocate for LGBTQ+ employees. As a starting point, this can involve including training for senior leadership who can advocate for inclusion at the highest level.

4. Recruit and promote diverse candidates

Fostering an inclusive workplace requires a recruitment process that expands your talent pool to include a more diverse range of candidates.

To do this, your organisation needs to promote diversity, equity and inclusion when writing job advertisements and ensure talent acquisition teams and line managers are supported with relevant processes, training and policies. This is particularly important when considering how to recruit young talent.

This requires ensuring the use of inclusive language in external and internal job postings that highlight your commitment to diversity. Including a statement on diversity and inclusion at the bottom of the ad can be particularly effective for encouraging a diverse range of candidates to apply.

5. Monitor staff diversity

Collecting and analysing diversity data across pay and grade can help to identify potential areas of discrimination in career progression. For example, gathering data on gender identity within your workforce.

In addition to this, by also including the collection of diversity data during the exit interview process allows departing employees to provide honest feedback on any LGBTQ+-related concerns you can use to improve processes moving forward.

6. Set up an LGBTQ+ network

The creation of an LGTBQ+ network or LGBTQ+ employee resource group can be a great way to support staff and encourage education and inclusivity, providing a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community to communicate. Networks like this also provide an opportunity for employees to identify issues affecting LGBTQ+ staff and suggest how these can be resolved.

7. Celebrate the LGBTQ+ community

Marking events like LGBTQ+ History Month and Pride and Trans Day of Visibility can be a great boost to LGBTQ+ inclusion and awareness, acting as learning opportunities for the entire workforce. These milestones also provide a chance for your network group to get involved and raise important topics and issues.

8. List pronouns

Listing pronouns in order to normalise not assuming someone’s gender has become a common inclusive effort in recent years. In the workplace, this can be as simple as including employee’s chosen pronouns on email signatures or across social media channels.

Getting into this habit can help trans and non-binary members of staff feel more comfortable and accepted at work and reduce their risk of being misgendered.

9. Use inclusive language

Employers can take the use of inclusive language further to make sure LGBTQ+ people feel safe in a work environment by adopting it in all communications. By doing so, employers can demonstrate a commitment to equality and creating a more welcoming environment for all employees and stakeholders.

This requires checking the use of gender-neutral terms and working to avoid heteronormative assumptions in:

• Internal documents
• Policies
• Marketing materials

For instance, you could replace ‘husband’ or ‘wife’ with ‘partner’ or ‘spouse’, and use ‘they’ instead of ‘he’ or ‘she’ when gender is unknown or irrelevant.