“How Can LGBTQ+ Employees Spot Pride Within the Workplace in 2021” – part 2

“Hope will never be silent.” – Harvey Milk.

We have a voice from the moment we enter the world.

It emanates from us, belongs and we can call on it across our lifetime. No matter how jaded we feel as we walk our journey, no matter the challenges and boundaries, the two things as “human beings” we maintain, somewhere within us, our voice and the hope for better, for change.

To this end, I’m picking up where I left off, with my previous article, with more thoughts on #Workpride and it’s place in business today, as discussed with our panel in the my Gwork global forum. This time, I’m looking at allies, inclusivity working from home & ensuring everyone is included in #inclusivity :

What new issues have arisen within the LGBTQ+ community because of working from home?

1. We all live in a virtual bubble now. We cannot randomly see someone and invite them to grab a drink/chat. Our access to time with each other is now through a calendar, the connected norm, check ins are scheduled, as a way of working and communicating. Who knew?
2. Consequently, lockdown and the virtual world has created different kinds of isolations/feelings for everyone, in more ways than we could have originally conceived I believe. We might be together in a pandemic, but we are separated in so many more ways, the loneliness is real and very much heightened, even as we progress through the year.

In response to the above, brand new challenges have arisen.

The commute to work, which we maintain a love/hate relationship with, now truly seems to be much missed.

“Do I HAVE to always BE on camera?”

“What is the reaction of my colleagues if I decide I just don’t want to be ON camera today?”

“I can be ON camera, even though am not feeling it today, because I’ll do my hair and #gameface it.”

“Can someone tell I’m not myself, beneath the surface even when I show up with an Oscar winning performance?”

The water cooler/social capital moments we all took for granted have been reduced and rely on us all, reaching out and insisting the connection, that those moments are maintained.

As leaders and colleagues in a DEI workplace, how do we keep a handle on these situations?

• Keep tuned in to your people. Daily. Relentlessly. When you cannot, assign buddies within your network to carry the torch.
• During the day, make a point of being vigilant and self-check that you are as alert to subtleties in people and their demeanor as you can be.
• Find alternative ways of opening dialogue. I banned the expression “how are you?” for a time in 2020 in my meetings, because I did not want to answer it and frankly, neither did anyone else. That did not mean we stopped talking or caring, quite the opposite, but we would open the meeting with an energizer, talking on a theme or sharing a pod cast and debating its points. The conversation never stopped, we just found a different, original way to open it and have people be comfortable to tell us how they were doing, in their own time.
• Create your own virtual kitchen/water cooler, invite colleagues to join the moment. Make it a regular occurrence and you will see the difference you’re making. No one needs to feel lonely.
• Design the content in your virtual meetings, so that they become an event for everyone, either with themes or props, but at the very least comfortable, inclusive interaction. Call out virtual bubble fatigue and collaborate to combat it.

How can we attract LGBTQ+ allies to join in with #Workpride?

1. Connect with hearts and minds. Always. And concurrently.
2. Talk. Look people in the eyes. Deliver authentic story telling that outlines not only, the invitation to join but WHY it is so important to join in.
3. Top down, “role modelling” needs to become “behavior – BAU.” Simple.
4. Balance content between current affairs, education, fun and essentially, inclusivity. It is for everyone.
5. Unapologetic amplification of messages through multiple comms methods.
6. Be innovative! Do things differently, consider new ways to approach and encourage potential allies and measure that impact.
7. Remind everyone it is all part of building a community; lead with energy and galvanize people across your business, feed them with inspiration and engagement.

How do we create an inclusive environment when working from home?

• Inclusivity needs to be inherent in the company culture at every turn.
• Comms – what you tell, how you tell and when you tell, is everything for effective internal communications and messaging.
• Collaboration – as THE way of working as an expectation and clearly demonstrating that you as a leader, talk the talk and walk the walk; teamwork with every strand you can find is when the magic happens for people and that matters. It also matters, that people SEE that.
• Virtual events: hangouts, team quizzes, coffee chats and cocktail making have become the norm, which is great but think about other ways to keep the DEI momentum rolling… send "checking in" cards (e/physical), watch parties for TED Talks, Fireside chats, gratitude focus groups, podcast and books clubs etc… #makesomethingnewandyours.
• Colleagues need to have the utmost confidence that DEI is threaded through the DNA of the company they work for and its values. The values do not just belong on a wall, mouse mat or company newsletter, they are there to be maintained, cherished – values guide people and inform them as a collective “this is how you show up”, irrespective of, working from home or the office IMO.

How do you combine the festivity of #Workpride with the social messaging?

Balance.

“Hearts and minds”, once again is the way to nail this with your audience, authentically, be aware as a creator and leader that every aspect of #pride has to “click”. Tell the story, absolutely, but most importantly, position the “WHY” so colleagues see not only how they juxtapose but how they fit together.

How do you ensure that pride festivities are for everyone, not just LGBTQ+?

1. People spot smoke and mirrors, a mile away. Be authentic in the purpose and the invitation/welcome to activities. It is not only about the stories you tell, but WHY you are telling them. This is how to ensure it resonates.
2. Lead colleagues TO it and all the way THROUGH it.
3. “Diversity, equality, inclusivity” is not the specific lens we use to see things, there should only BE one lens, with DEI an integral part of the everyday lens we use as people, this in itself, is not just about or for LGBTQ+, it’s for everyone.
4. Let colleagues get involved in any and every way they feel comfortable. There is #Roomforeveryone as they want to be (as we say in Booking.com) part of being inclusive is allowing role models, allies, ambassadors to be free to BE themselves and collaborate as they wish to. Put that out there.
5. #Workpride should not be a once a year “thing.” There is not a day, week, month, or year when it isn’t timely, relevant and required; this matters because it matters to people.

Inclusivity.

Equality.

Diversity.

Progress.

Respect.

Topics for everyone.

Part of life and work, for everyone. They always will be.

This is not about politics, it is about life, about living – a seat at the table we all need and deserve.