woman holding rainbow Pride flag up to the sun

Sunshine and rainbows

We reach the end of June, a month in which we’ve enjoyed longer nights and an improvement in the weather. Many will also have noticed a flurry of Pride marketing: a smatter of rainbows and glitter from brands on social media, in newsletters, on websites, in an attempt to support the LGBTQIA+ community for Pride Month 2023. But how far does a rainbow-edited logo really go to supporting this community and fostering greater inclusivity?

The importance of inclusivity for people

Pride is not just about a one-month logo change, and inclusivity shouldn’t just be a switch we turn on at the beginning of June and switch off come the end of the month. Rather inclusivity is a fundamental part of both mental wellbeing and workplace culture. And, currently, we are clearly not doing enough as businesses to foster inclusivity in the workplace:

graph showing percentages by age group of LGBTQIA+ staff who reported hiding that they are LGBTQIA+ at work, due to fear of discrimination

Here we see percentages by age group of LGBTQIA+ staff who reported hiding that they are LGBTQIA+ at work, due to fear of discrimination (Stonewall, 2018). These are quite shocking statistics. It is a basic human right to be treated as equal and to feel comfortable in your own skin, no matter your background, age, race, sexuality, gender. For, on average, 35% of LGBTQIA+ employees to express such fear is clear evidence against the provision of such a right in their workplaces. A CIPD research report also found that 16% of LGBTQIA+ workers felt ‘psychologically unsafe’ in the workplace, compared to 10% of heterosexual colleagues, an indication that businesses are failing their people, particularly LGBTQIA+ staff, when it comes to duty of care.

LGBTQIA+ employees are still facing barriers, with a lack of confidence in procedures for reporting bullying and harassment, an absence of adequate DE&I policies, and a lack of visible support (beyond rainbow-edited logos) from senior leaders and managers for the LGBTQIA+ community. Organisations must do more to support this community, and do so all 12 months of the year. Here are just a few suggestions:

Develop clear DE&I policies and ensure these are easily accessible so that employees don’t have to jump through hoops to find them
Support staff, including managers, through diversity and inclusion training, explaining how to challenge anti-LGBTQIA+ attitudes and discrimination
Recruit and promote diverse candidates, with clear communication throughout the recruitment process of your commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Monitor inclusivity as a measure of mental wellbeing through employee mental health assessment tools

The importance of inclusivity for organisations

The greatest asset to any business is its people and so fostering inclusivity is undeniably crucial to the success of any organisation. Let us revisit some diversity and inclusion workplace statistics from Built in Beta to emphasise this:

Inclusive companies are 120% more likely to hit financial goals
With 48% of Gen Z already being of a racial or ethnic minority, groups currently seen as minorities may reach majority status by 2045
Diverse companies enjoy 2.5 times higher cash flow per employee
Diverse management has been shown to increase revenue by 19%
3 in 4 job seekers and workers prefer diverse companies and co-workers

Younger generations are increasingly likely to avoid organisations that are unable to prove an inclusive workplace culture. Productivity and revenue are higher in more diverse and inclusive organisations. The need to evidence proper and comprehensive DE&I and wellbeing policies in contract applications and to win business is ever-increasing. For your business to not only thrive but even survive in the future then you must go to greater lengths to foster inclusivity and make your workplace one in which the younger, more diverse generations want to work.

How we can help

At 87% we understand that inclusivity is of paramount importance to mental wellbeing and workplace culture, all 12 months of the year. We actively measure the level and quality of inclusivity in your organisation year-round.

With our Employee Wellbeing Platform you can harness real data from employee self-assessment to understand the underlying wellbeing of all your people. You will uncover which audiences report the lowest and most critical levels of inclusivity, and through our tailored recommendations you will know how to address these issues in your organisation. Book your free personal demo with us to see how you can foster a more inclusive workplace.