Pride, Year-Round: Best Practices for Employers in Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Workplace Cultures
Pride, Year-Round: Best Practices for Employers in Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Workplace Cultures
Jun 24, 2022
Share to:
Every June, Pride Month is a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. In 2020, Pride Month was particularly momentous as the U.S. Supreme Court declared in the case of Bostock v. Clayton that Title VII, the federal law prohibiting employment discrimination and harassment in the workplace based on certain protected categories, extends its protection to sexual orientation and gender identity.
LGBTQ+ individuals have long had a complicated relationship with their workplaces. In recent years, while LGBTQ+ individuals have grown increasingly comfortable being “out” at work, many across the country continue to experience apprehension about the consequences of doing so and therefore elect to keep their sexual orientation and/or gender identity hidden. As a result, their work may suffer, or they may leave their positions at higher rates. Employers can enact several best practices to retain these employees and promote an overall LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace culture. Beyond formal changes to policy or employee benefits, this article focuses on workplace culture changes employers can implement to foster a more inclusive environment. It provides only a few of many options that exist. If adopted, they benefit not only LGBTQ+ employees, but the organization as a whole.
