The importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion and education within workplaces

According to a 2020 Gallup survey, 5.9% of the U.S. workforce openly identifies as LGBTQIA+, with many more concealing their identity due to fear of discrimination. Awareness of LGBTQIA+ rights has grown significantly, but challenges still persist in creating truly inclusive workplaces where every employee feels respected and valued as their true self.

Before the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2020, which extended workplace protections to LGBTQIA+ individuals nationwide, employers could legally terminate employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. While this ruling marked a critical step forward, it underscored the ongoing need for increased measures to foster inclusivity within the workplace. In fact, McKinsey found that LGBTQIA+ individuals often still feel excluded in their workplace and uncomfortable discussing topics around their personal lives, due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The importance of psychological safety

To make a change, companies must work on improving their employees’ feelings of psychological safety, which is the feeling of being safe enough to be honest, take risks, and raise concerns without consequences. Employers must do this by ensuring their employees know they’re welcome to express themselves authentically without feeling out of place. This can be done by making people feel seen, and creating spaces where everyone can be vulnerable by leveraging education and inclusive policies.

Research from the Boston Consulting Group indicates that LGBTQIA+ employees are six times more likely to stay at a company where they feel psychologically safe. Feeling safe helps to foster the growth and relationships of your employees, which results in improved company culture and productivity. When your employees feel safe expressing their opinions, innovation is also positively impacted as diverse perspectives can result in more innovative ideas. Ultimately, psychological safety centers around an inclusive working environment, encouragement of vulnerability, open communication, and explicit appreciation for all team members, of all backgrounds.

Inclusion and education work synergistically together

Achieving true inclusion requires a dual focus on both education and inclusive practices. Educating employees about the LGBTQIA+ community, including its history, challenges, and terminology, is essential for fostering empathy and understanding. In order to maximize the feeling of inclusivity, all employees must have a base knowledge of underrepresented groups in addition to inclusive policies and benefits. An inclusive workplace also creates more opportunities for further education, as individuals may feel more inclined to share vulnerable aspects of their lives – creating a positive cycle. The more knowledge, the stronger the connections between your employees.

How employers can promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion

Inclusion groups, also known as Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), play a pivotal role in fostering a sense of community and support for LGBTQIA+ employees. These groups provide a platform for networking, mentorship, and advocacy within an organization. Inclusion groups bring not just those who may identify within those groups together, strengthening bonds and fellowship, but also allows individuals outside of those communities to engage, interact, and build allyship. Promoting the groups to all employees, opens doors for conversations and perspective building, which in turn brings out the best in employees culturally and productively.

Additionally, inclusive policies and benefits are crucial. These may include gender-neutral restrooms, health care benefits that cover gender-affirming procedures, and nondiscrimination policies that explicitly protect LGBTQIA+ individuals. When developing these policies, it’s essential to involve LGBTQIA+ employees in the decision-making process to ensure their perspectives and needs are accurately represented. Having inclusive policies and benefits not only improves the lives of current employees, but is an attraction for future ones – and the simplest changes to policies and benefits can often be highly inclusive. Within the LGBTQIA+ community, dress codes, while often well meaning, can isolate various groups of people from showing up authentically or even applying to work with a company. Allowing employees to wear clothes, hair or makeup in the way that best represents them, gives the employee the confidence to do their best for a company who acknowledges their uniqueness.

Related: LGBTQ+ mental health: Time to stop dropping the ball

How employers can prioritize LGBTQIA+ education

In addition to inclusive policies and ERGs, ongoing education is critical for sustaining an inclusive workplace culture. On top of workshops, seminars, and training sessions, companies can also develop additional resources such as book clubs and safe spaces for open conversations about various topics. Open conversations about LGBTQIA+ topics further enhance understanding and empathy within the workplace. These discussions create space for LGBTQIA+ employees to share their experiences, concerns, and insights while encouraging non-LGBTQIA+ colleagues to listen, learn, and become effective allies, resulting in more respectful interactions.

Creating a workplace where LGBTQIA+ individuals feel safe, valued, and empowered requires deliberate action and ongoing commitment from employers. By prioritizing psychological safety, fostering inclusive practices, and highlighting educational resources, companies can better cultivate a culture of acceptance and respect for all employees.

Cody Britton is the Junior Manager of Order Verification at Zappos.com and also the co-leader of their LGBTQIA+ ERG, LGBT-Z. She’s been at Zappos for almost 17 years and is passionate about developing inclusion in the workplace by bringing humanity to the forefront of everything she does.