When organisations talk about inclusion, the focus is often on the big things, policies, awareness days, or training programmes. For many LGBTQ+ employees however, belonging is shaped far more by the small, everyday interactions that happen at work.
Research from Stonewall shows that two in five LGBTQ+ employees remain closeted at work due to fears of discrimination, harassment, or career setbacks. The same research showed over a third of employees heard discriminatory comments made about an LGBTQ+ colleague.
These statistics reflect that not all workplaces are creating cultures that allow everyone to feel safe and valued.
Often, exclusion is unintentional. It can look like:
- Asking a colleague if they have a girlfriend/wife/husband/boyfriend, rather than more open language like a ‘partner’.
- Referring to parents as only ‘mums and dads’ rather than the broader term.
- Assuming everyone celebrates the same holidays, traditions, or events.
- Laughing along with a stereotypical joke to avoid conflict.
- Assuming someone’s pronouns, identity, or experiences based on their appearance.
To create a sense of belonging for everyone, we don’t need to be perfect. We just need to challenge the assumptions we make and be willing to make small changes.
Simple ways we can make workplaces more inclusive could be:
- Using gender neutral language until someone tells you otherwise.
- Including pronouns in email signatures, or introductions for everyone.
- Avoiding gendered phrases like ‘ladies’ when talking about a group, unless you are already acquainted with them all.
- Speaking up when jokes or comments rely on stereotypes, even if it is meant as humour.
- Taking a moment to notice if there are colleagues who don’t speak up in meetings and consider who may be regularly interrupted or overlooked.
- Listening openly when someone says a behaviour or process feels like it’s excluding them.
This pride month, it is worth thinking not only about whether workplaces aim to be inclusive, but whether or not employees actually experience that inclusion day to day, and take time to reflect on the part we each play in creating workplaces where everyone feels valued.
If you’d like to chat to us about how your workplace can be more inclusive, we run workshops, programmes, leadership training and more, designed to suit your needs and budget. Get in touch with our Director for Organisations, Rose, today.
