With organizations pulling back on DEI initiatives, it’s important for HR to continue to cultivate inclusivity and belonging among LGBTQIA+ employees during Pride Month and throughout the year.
By Maggie Mancini
For many businesses across the United States, Pride Month might look a little different this year. With one in eight companies rolling back their diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives this year in the wake of political backlash, just 35% of organizations are celebrating this year compared to 40% in 2024, according to research from Resume Templates. At the same time, approximately 15% of business leaders surveyed say respect for LGBTQIA+ employees in their workplace has declined since November, while 23% have noticed an increase in anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiments or comments, and 22% say employees are now less likely to face consequences for expressing discriminatory views.
To understand why this is happening, HRO Today recently spoke with Dr. Antonio Cortes, director of people and organizational strategy at OneDigital, about practical ways HR leaders can support LGBTQIA+ employees during challenging times.
HRO Today: With LGBTQIA+ rights under fire and organizations increasingly pulling back on DEI initiatives, how can HR leaders provide year-round actionable support for these employees?
Dr. Antonio Cortes: It is imperative that organizations recognize, support, and engage their employees on an ongoing basis. During critical times such as these when DEI—and more specifically, the personal rights of the LGBTQIA+ community—are at stake, employers have a unique responsibility and opportunity to explicitly support their employees. HR leaders in particular should be thinking about and planning ways to demonstrate meaningful, clear, and action-oriented approaches to signal their commitment to these communities.
Similar to the fact that HR functions are necessary year-round, their actions, messages, and consideration of DEI impact need to be ongoing. HR leaders can communicate and show genuine support by:
- issuing a thoughtful, affirming statement to acknowledge the company’s unwavering support for LGBTQIA+ rights;
- highlighting existing inclusive policies and refreshing all employees’ awareness of non-discrimination policies, DEI commitments, employee resource groups (ERGs), and health benefits that are available to staff;
- identifying meaningful opportunities for education on topics including the history of LGBTQIA+ rights, the importance of marriage equality, and the potential implications of its reversal;
- highlighting mental health and legal resources that are available to staff;
- promoting and participating in local Pride events as a company; and
- highlighting and engaging in community service opportunities with local or national nonprofits that support the LGBTQIA+ community.
HROT: What benefits have the greatest impact on LGBTQIA+ employees? What can employers do to ensure that the benefits they offer meet the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ employees and their loved ones?
Dr. Cortes: Benefits that attract, retain, and support a dynamic workforce are often a priority for organizations. When considering the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community, there are some common gaps that employers could consider addressing. To ensure maximum impact, it is essential to really consider the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ staff and their families.
Some of these gaps include a lack of family planning and fertility support, mental health coverage with LGBTQIA+ affirming providers, accessible and inclusive healthcare for LGBTQIA+ employees, lack of inclusive definitions of family, or dependent care that includes access for multiple partners and kids regardless of legal marital status.
HROT: How can HR leaders address anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiments in the workplace?
Dr. Cortes: Similar to addressing any negative sentiments amongst staff and leaders, addressing anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiments in the workplace requires HR leaders to take proactive, sustained, and visible action to foster a culture of inclusion, accountability, and psychological safety.
It’s important to ensure your non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies are up to date and explicitly protect against gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation discrimination. These policies should include a zero-tolerance stance on anti-LGBTQIA+ behavior, just as you would with any unwelcome behavior among staff and leaders.
Provide confidential, easily accessible ways to report discrimination or bias. Offer access to counseling, mediation, or external investigators if internal capacity or trust is low.
In alignment with broader culture work, conducting climate surveys or listening sessions which include components explicitly around LGBTQIA+ topics are key. Additionally, gathering onboarding feedback is essential to understanding how well the organization welcomes new staff. On the other end of the spectrum, offboarding conversations may illuminate opportunities for growth related to unresolved incidents, patterns of exclusion, microaggressions, or discrimination.
It is well known that the most senior leaders drive a majority of an organization’s culture, and for this reason, it is necessary to encourage senior leaders and managers to model inclusive behaviors and speak out against bias.
Implementing ongoing training on topics such as LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences, bystander intervention, recognizing and correcting microaggressions, and other topics are essential to creating a broader culture of inclusion. Many organizations also emphasize slightly more intense training for senior leadership as a means to signal top-down commitment but also clarify their unique role in fostering the desired culture they wish to espouse organization wide.
HROT: What are some best practices for HR and business leaders looking to address and celebrate Pride Month during challenging, unpredictable times?
Dr. Cortes: Pride Month is often a time of the year when organizations can either demonstrate their ongoing commitment to inclusive workplace activities or tokenize members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Launching programs or initiatives in June can be a good way to ensure awareness, but those programs should extend throughout the year. Additionally, educational opportunities do not need to be confined to Pride month. This same idea is useful to consider for all celebratory/recognition days and months.
In advance of Pride Month, talk to your LGBTQIA+ staff or ERG leaders to understand what they would like to see happen. Staying informed on staff sentiment is key to ongoing inclusion strategies, and your staff will appreciate proactive conversations.
Address undesired behaviors directly, when staff exhibit them or make comments which are counter to your desired organizational culture. It is possible that your organization employs people who are not supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community, and while their opinions remain their own, if they violate workplace policies of non-discrimination or perpetuate undesired behaviors which are counter to inclusion, they should be addressed openly and immediately as appropriate. This could be a mild intervention such as a coaching conversation, or as serious as formally documented reprimands requiring performance accountability. The latter may be the most appropriate approach if the situation violates anti-discrimination laws or organizational policy.
