Tips for Building an LGBT-Inclusive Workplace
Every June, we celebrate LGBT Pride month. As a small business owner, you can show your support by implementing these best practices for an LGBT-inclusive work environment. Creating a safe space for LGBT employees and customers can make your business more appealing to a diverse group of employees and a growing market of consumers.
The Business Case for Equality. The pace of acceptance of the LGBT community has been driven in no small measure by the business community. While commonly identified with large corporations, small businesses have also participated in making equality part of their business model. Fostering an inclusive and friendly business environment is a way to hire and retain employees, as well as help you break into corporate supply chains. Furthermore, by projecting an inclusive business model, small businesses have the opportunity to sell to the LGBT community, which has an estimated $830 billion in buying power.*
Learn the Full Spectrum. So where do you begin? The first step is to get familiar with sexual orientation and gender identity definitions to fully understand the spectrum. Simply using the correct terms can go a long way toward making employees and customers feel like management is sensitive to the LGBT community.
Offer Equal Benefits. Your employee benefits package is crucial to your organization’s culture, improving job satisfaction, and employee morale. Review your benefits package to ensure that LGBT employees are covered equally. Some health insurance providers leave out or exclude benefits that are imperative to LGBT employees (such as transgender-inclusive health insurance benefits). The first step is to talk to your benefits provider or broker about LGBT-friendly plans.
The Department of Health and Human Services created a web page that explains theimpact of the Affordable Care Act on the LGBT community.
Update Your Policies and Live by Them. Does your business have a non-discrimination or equal opportunity policy? Generally, these policies are provided in an employee handbook or code of conduct. The vast majority of Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation and gender identity within their equal opportunity statements.
Training is an important tool for businesses to encourage workplace equality. Providing up-to-date sensitivity training to make employees aware of LGBT issues can reinforce your non-discrimination policy as well any anti-harassment policies. For more resources, the HRC has a library to help businesses interested in workplace equality.
Support the Community. Public engagement is a way to demonstrate to the public that your business has LGBT-inclusive policies and best practices. Philanthropy, sponsoring LGBT events, and support of legal equality will show the community and employees your commitment – as well as present an opportunity to build a relationship with new customers.
Stay Up-to-date. Legal issues are rapidly evolving, so check with your attorney to evaluate the legal landscape in your area. For example, many states do not protect sexual orientation or gender identity in employment. An overview of your state laws can be found in theState Equality Index.
For More Information. For a more in-depth review of how to make your workplace LGBT-inclusive, watch this webinar http://bit.ly/1URVXPo presented by the SBA and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
Source: www.sba.gov
