Pride month is a month-long celebration to recognize and highlight the diversity and activism of the LGBTQ+ community. Many employees struggle to fit into organizations due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Actions may speak louder than words. However, if the right words are spoken, they can truly make an impact on a community. Employees need to feel inspired and motivated to come to work. Peer pressure in the workplace is real, especially when you are trying to fit in with the company culture. The minute employees enter the office, they are being observed and judged in every way possible. Having a sense of belonging in the workplace will allow employees to feel wanted and needed. Listed below are inspirational quotes to keep your employees feeling like they belong and are wanted and needed in the workplace.
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life. Define yourself.” – Harvey Fierstein, actor, playwright, and screenwriter
The office environment is not always a pleasant one. There are haters out there who will undermine others just because they hold a certain prejudice about identities and life experiences differing from their own. Unfortunately, most of the time, LGBTQ+ employees tend to keep their identity to themselves because employees want to fit into the organization they join. Bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity is real. Employees are far more productive when their cup is filled with confidence, motivation, loyalty, and joy because they know they’re accepted no matter their identity.
“I’ve been embraced by a new community. That’s what happens when you’re finally honest about who you are; you find others like you.” – Chaz Bono, writer, musician, & actor
Building a strong community is everything for an organization to succeed. At the end of the day, all employees, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, are people. Embracing new and different standards of inclusivity can be an uncomfortable experience. However, organizations need that sense of community between their employees in order to retain and support them. According to Investopedia, “previously, LGBTQ+ employees could be fired on the basis of their sexual orientation.” Every member of a workplace needs to play a part in ensuring an inclusive environment. Inclusivity refers to the practice and policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, in this case, members of the LGBTQ+ community. A team is a team regardless of what identities everyone holds, including their sexual orientation or gender identity. Organizations should continue to encourage inclusive behaviors in the workplace to maintain strong company culture as well as a good reputation in the public eye.
“To innovate, and to do anything successfully in business, you need to have people of different backgrounds, and people who think differently when they are looking at the same situation you are, with a different set of eyes.” – Shamina Singh, founder and president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and President Barack Obama’s appointee for the Board of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
They say what makes you different makes you special. According to The Guardian, “evading questions about family life can be like dodging bullets,” especially if an employee does not wish to be an outcast in the office. Diversity is such a powerful element in creating a successful company culture. Not focusing on sexual orientation or gender identity and instead focusing on an employee’s professional skills and capabilities will allow your business to stand out from the haters as well as competitors. Hiring a diverse group of employees will automatically get colleagues and leaders to see fresh perspectives for present and future projects and assignments. Creating a safe space for them to express their thoughts will significantly increase job satisfaction, decrease work-related stress, improve mental and physical health, and, most importantly, create positive relationships between teammates, colleagues, and leadership.
“When all [people] are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.” – President Barack Obama, politician, lawyer, and author
It’s important for organizations to believe that their employees are the superheroes that help them reach “business stardom”. LGBTQ+ employees deserve to be treated just like any other employees in the organization. Workplace equity refers to treating everyone with the same respect in the office. In other words, a non-discriminating, safe zone to express thoughts and opinions and work productively. People from the LGBTQ+ community need to feel valued and appreciated. This means instituting policies that are equitable for them to have the same basic rights and privileges as all other employees, from equal pay and advancement opportunities to family and health leave to financial and social benefits for them and their loved ones.
“We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love. That’s okay.” – Laverne Cox, actress and activist
Employees should have the freedom to be exactly who they are. The unfortunate part is that workplaces may try to compel employees to behave in a certain way to fit their idea of what their workplace image and culture should be. Workplaces and individual employees alike should make it a point to support employees from the LGBTQ+ community through inclusive work practices that don’t depend on a person’s sexual or gender identity. Glassdoor suggests that “mentoring, employee networking groups, seminars, and conferences all go a long way in becoming a more inclusive place to work.” Building a community to include any minority or discriminated communities helps everyone in the long run, by building stronger connections and the overall culture at a workplace. Besides this, building and maintaining a diverse workforce leads to fresh perspectives on projects that will get your organization to be on a different wavelength for better success.
Prioritizing Inclusive Workplace Culture with PxidaEX
At the end of the day, employees need to feel inspired to come into the office. Leaders and mentors need to ensure that employees leave on a high note rather than a low one. Luckily, PxidaEX is a brilliant tool to start with. With the variety of employee experience surveys, leaders and mentors can figure out how to ensure a positive work environment for all employees regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Sign up for a free trial today! And Happy Pride!