Happy Pride to all in our LGBTQI+ community!
At UMBRA International we want to embrace and celebrate a culture of inclusivity. We want everyone to be themselves, and to be comfortable being so. When we feel comfortable and accepted, we thrive as individuals, and within a work environment we contribute to a healthy, happy, and prosperous business.
The benefit to businesses from LGBTQI+ inclusivity can be seen through:
- Higher retention and loyalty/satisfaction rates among all employees
- Better reputation – companies supporting the LGBTQI+ community are perceived more positively and forward-looking
- Higher profit margins reported
- Diversity of thought
- Higher levels of productivity (an Oxford study showed productivity is 13% higher when employees are happy at work)
How businesses and individuals can be more welcoming and inclusive of the LGTBQI+ community
Language has the ability to build bridges, empower people, and protect them. On the other hand, it can also alienate and stigmatise.
How to build a more inclusive company through the language that you use:
The evolution of language and our understanding of what is respectful to our LGBTQI+ community can leave some feeling unsure of what they should or shouldn’t say, which means they end up not engaging in conversations, or with the community out of fear of being considered not supportive.
From a business perspective, this is where training and education are incredibly important. It is the company’s responsibility to create a safe space and foster an environment of compassion and respect for all employees. This can only happen if everyone is on the same page about understanding equitable language.
As individuals, we can create a welcoming atmosphere and demonstrate an openness to topics relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. Being sensitive but straightforward, and having the openness to learn and adapt are the most important things. Understanding that part of the learning process may mean that sometimes we may make mistakes in our phrasing or expressions, but the important thing is to correct ourselves, move on, and continue to work on using the correct terminology.
To learn more about terms used within the LGBTQI+ community visit Stonewall’s list of terms, or look to utilise the many short courses LinkedIn offers around creating an inclusive workplace.
Read UMBRA International’s Policy on Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect, and we hope that you can join us on our journey of putting our values into practice – in both words and actions.
From all at UMBRA International, we wish you a happy and inclusive workplace experience.
Written by Kim Garrett
Contributions from Alexandra O’Sullivan