June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month around the world. If your organization is wondering how they can support their LGBTQ+ employees during this month – and all the months afterward – here are four suggestions to get started:
A simple message of support can go a long way for your LGBTQ+ employees. Try crafting a strong and detailed message of support or blog post and put it up on your company’s website and social media. It’s an easy, effective, and highly public way to make your inclusionary values known and show your LGBTQ+ employees you stand behind them.
Another option for the public message of support for your LGBTQ+ employees? Make it a part of your organization’s comprehensive DEI strategy. There are many different types of diversity to address within an organization – including support for LGBTQ+ employees – and a well-thought-out and publicly broadcast plan to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues is a great place to start. Go beyond just stating your support; provide the needed details and actionable steps your organization is doing to encourage diversity and inclusion at all levels.
Money talks. A donation to LGBTQ+ causes (here’s a good list) is an excellent way to “put your money where your mouth is” and back up your stated support for the LGBTQ+ community. Work with your accounting firm to make sure some of your yearly charitable contributions go towards one of these LGBTQ+-focused causes. Additionally, you could look into financially supporting the LGBTQ+ community in other ways – funding a scholarship for an LGBTQ+ college or high school student focused on your industry, for example.
Are you hearing what your LGBTQ+ employees have to say? One of the best ways to show your backing of the organization’s LGBTQ+ population is to create an Employee Resource Group (ERG) or affinity group for LGBTQ+ individuals – and then listen to what they have to say. Work with key stakeholders and diversity management to create and fund this working group. Then, be sure to have regular check-ins with the group to hear their concerns, open up a beneficial dialogue, and make needed changes to benefit the whole organization.
