Celebrating Pride Month in the Workplace: Why Diversity helps everyone succeed

Every June, Pride Month is celebrated all around the world to celebrate LGBTQIA+ individuals and their accomplishments, (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual plus Allies).

In honour of Pride Month, we thought it would be fitting to discuss the importance of diversity in the workplace. As a company that celebrates diversity and inclusion in our ESG programme, we believe that every workplace should be an environment where LGBTQIA+ employees feel safe and accepted.

It’s also a time to reflect on the progress we have made, as well as the work that still needs to be done. One of the most important aspects of Pride Month is creating and celebrating LGBTQIA+ inclusive workplaces and this is an area we will be focussing on in our recruitment.

Diversity helps us succeed
In order for companies and organizations to be successful, they need to have a diverse workforce. This means that they need to have individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and orientations represented in their employee base.

It is important to remember that whilst race, gender and religion are integral to diverse workplaces, so is the inclusion of those in the LGBTQIA+ community.

Diversity is not only good for individual employees, but it’s also good for business. A recent report conducted by McKinsey on workplace diversity shows businesses that support the LGBTQIA+ community not only see a reduction in costs but see a 35% increase in profit compared to those of the national average. In extension, LGBTQIA+ friendly businesses consistently outperform on the stock market. This is largely due to the increased retention of talent and drawing in additional customers.  

Diversity is more than just a checkbox on a list. It is about recognizing the unique strengths and perspectives that each individual brings to the table. When everyone feels accepted and valued, it leads to improved creativity, productivity and morale. It’s what allows different points of view to be heard, and it’s what helps teams come up with better, more innovative ideas.

How to Show Support for Pride Month in the Workplace
According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), 46% of LGBT+ individuals are closeted at work and 28% are totally closeted and not open to anyone in their lives. 

There are several reasons why LGBT+ people remain in the closet, such as fear of bullying (25% to 75% of LGBT employees encounter discrimination in the workplace), lack of trust, damaging promotional opportunities, difficulty in proving discrimination, to fear of job loss.

There are a few things you can do to help encourage diversity in your workplace. The most important thing is to be an advocate for change and create an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable and respected.

Showing support for your colleagues can be as simple as displaying a rainbow flag in your office or wearing something that celebrates Pride.

You can also get involved in local Pride events in your community. Supporting these events not only celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community, but also helps to build a stronger and more inclusive community for all.

If you’re looking for other ways to show your support, there are a number of resources available online. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has a great list of ideas that can help get you started.

This June, let’s remember why diversity is so important in the workplace. By fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, we can create a space where everyone feels comfortable and respected. This not only benefits LGBTQ employees, but also employees from other marginalized groups. We need to continue to work towards creating more diverse workplaces, so that everyone can feel comfortable and proud to be themselves.