Creating an LGBTQIA+ inclusive workplace isn't just the right thing to do—it's also the smart thing to do. Workplaces where LGBTQIA+ employees feel safe and included experience higher employee engagement and productivity. (1) 

By creating inclusive work culture, we reduce stress, improve workplace relationships and increase job satisfaction overall. Here’s a non-comprehensive guide for where you and your workplace can get started in building LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

Bring Everyone on the Journey

LGBTQIA+ inclusion takes time and buy-in to establish and grow. The first step is often to reflect on and develop the business case for why an inclusive workplace is important to the employer, and clearly define the objectives. Explore:

• Why this matters to our workplace, people and culture.
• Our goals and objectives for building LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
• The areas that will be prioritised in the short, medium and long term, and what these timelines are.
• That it’s okay to not have all the information at once, so long as there’s genuine effort to learn and make change as part of an ongoing process.

Understand LGBTQIA+ Identities

Creating buy-in for inclusion starts with understanding and empathising with the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people. Knowledge levels on LGBTQIA+ identities can vary greatly in any group of people, especially in workplaces. Building LGBTQIA+ is an ongonig process, and most effective when it’s part of a regular and consistent learning. You can do this by:

• Sharing LGBTQIA+ articles and videos via internal channels like Slack or Jammer. 
• Inviting LGBTQIA+ guest speakers for days of significance like IDAHOBIT or Trans Awareness Week. 
• Hosting “Lunch and Learns” or panel discussions with guest speakers, staff or a combination of the two. 
• Undertaking professional development and training of all staff, and refreshing this year to year. 

Training & Guest Speakers

Consult with LGBTQIA+ People

Consult with LGBTQIA+ people about the decision and projects that affect them. What works in one setting may not be the same in your workplace, as your clients, community and employees will all have unique views and experiences.

Create a safe space to openly share these experiences, through engagement surveys, listening sessions, or project based committees. When collecting any form of feedback, it’s important to be transparent and set clear expectations for how the feedback will be used, and communicate when the feedback has successfully informed further initiatives. 

Employee Networks

Pride Networks demonstrate an employer's commitment to equality and diversity. They can enhance communication and reputation across the workplace, and assist in building inclusion in areas like talent management, legal compliance, and community engagement. 

The most successful employee networks are a joint venture between senior leadership and the wider workplace, with a clear business case, and realistic objectives. 

UK organisation Stonewall has released a guide for building LGBTQIA+ employee networks, available here.

Lead Through Action

An inclusive workplace is signaled not just through the absence of discrimination, but through the ways in which LGBTQIA+ people are actively included on an interpersonal and systemic level. This can include taking steps to:

Respect Pronouns
Using the name and pronouns of people correctly and consistently, even when that person isn’t present, or when other people don’t. This is made easier by taking steps towards building a culture of sharing pronouns, such as adding pronouns to email signatures, name tags or other places where names are displayed. Learn more about pronouns at work here.

Signal Inclusion
Display the rainbow flag and messages of inclusion throughout your workspaces reaffirms your commitment to inclusion and safety in a visible way. This can be done through rainbow stickers on entrance ways, LGBTQIA+ posters throughout workspaces, or flag pins as part of uniforms. 

Address Discrimination and Harassment
All workplaces in Australia have a legal duty to prevent and address discrimination and harassment from occurring. This includes updating policies to explictly include LGBTQIA+ discrimination, and creating a culture where harrassment (including deliberate, disrespectful language or inappropriate questions) is addressed.

Provide Flexibility and Support
Understand the flexibilities LGBTQIA+ employees may require in the workplace, and the role managers and employers play in supporting these. For example, trans and gender diverse employees who are affirming their gender may change their name, gender markers, or presentation during their employment. Having clear guidelines and training in place ensures a smoother process when the need arises. Transhub have template guidelines available here.

Celebrate Pride and Inclusion

Genuine, internal steps towards building LGBTQIA+ inclusion deserve to be celebrated. Sharing your work not only signals your values of inclusion throughout the community, but can inspire others to learn from you too.

Celebrating events of LGBTQIA+ significance - like IDAHOBIT, Pride Month, Mardi Gras and Trans Awareness Week - are perfect places to start.  

It can be internal (like engagement activities, education, inclusion projects and staff events) or external (like the release of pride merch, community events and charity support).

There’s no limit to how you can celebrate LGBTQIA+ inclusion and pride - so long as you can back up your outward visibility with the internal steps of building authentic LGBTQIA+ inclusion throughout the whole year. 

Go Rainbow at Work