6 ways to build a more LGBTQ-friendly workplace

As LGBTQ professionals are more able to be out at work, it’s every company’s responsibility to make its queer employees feel safe, welcome, and accepted. From company culture to inclusive benefits, there are a number of ways to do this.

Beyond being a moral imperative, catering to LGBTQ employees is a plus for everyone involved. Research conducted by YouGov on behalf of LinkedIn in May revealed that 49% of LGBTQ professionals will not work at a company that does not have LGBTQ-friendly benefits—and that’s no small percentage of the overall workforce. According to a February 2022 Gallup poll, one in five Gen-Zers self-identifies as LGBTQ, and research from myGwork reveals that 66% of those queer Gen Z-ers would leave a job if they felt they couldn’t be out at work.

Creating a safe and adaptable workplace can also foster “freedom of emotional real estate” for queer employees, says Rosanna Durruthy, head of global diversity, inclusion, and belonging at LinkedIn.

In an LGBTQ-inclusive workplace, queer employees are “not scrutinizing every word coming out so it won’t be misinterpreted by someone else. You’re free to be yourself, which means you’re also free to be more innovative, more productive—you feel freer to unlock that discretionary part of your talents that include your experiences in life.”

Every company has to start somewhere. Even if you’ve never addressed the needs of LGBTQ professionals in the past, taking the initiative to start doing so is a key indicator to queer employees that you’ll meet them where they are. Fast Company spoke with leading professionals in LGBTQ inclusion to get their advice on where to begin. From insurance policies to accountability, here are six ways to curate an LGBTQ-friendly workplace:

Use inclusive language

The best way to keep someone from feeling “othered” is by making an effort toward inclusion in your day-to-day workplace operations. Building queer-inclusive language into your company’s structure is a great first step.

“Any demographic questions, or any sort of required anything, needs to give people a mechanism to reflect their reality and their identity,” says Charlie Arrowood, senior counsel to the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission of the New York Courts. For example, when onboarding or otherwise collecting employee information, companies should provide the space for everyone to accurately self-identify.

That guidance applies to any and all materials your company produces. “If you notice that things are gendered—your employee handbook, or whatever, says ‘he or she’ throughout it—notice where that stuff pops up. Neutralize everything,” Arrowood says.

And, of course, refer to people by the names and pronouns they identify with. Arrowood uses they/them pronouns, and despite having them listed in their Zoom display name, in their email signature, and even on their license plates, they’re still frequently misgendered.

“The biggest thing is just call people what they ask to be called,” Arrowood says. “Be on the lookout if there is some sort of sign for what they want to be called—whether it’s a name, or pronouns, or honorific, title, whatever—and then actually use it.”

Don’t tokenize

Sometimes, even when a company is committed to education and creating a queer-friendly workplace, it can rely on its queer employees to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ community. This puts the onus on marginalized staff to fend for their own well-being, often without additional pay. This can increase workplace stress instead of alleviating it.

“Everybody finds the one person who’s part of a community and then taps them for everything . . . so, don’t do that,” Arrowood says. “If it’s something that someone is passionate about, and they want to do that labor, great. It should be compensated.”

Beyond compensating employees to take on that advocacy work—educating coworkers about pronouns, leading diversity workshops, or advising higher-ups on inclusive policies, for example—employers should consider creating employee resource groups, or ERGs, and/or hiring outside consultants to ease the burden of their queer staff.

“Sometimes I feel like trans people have to work as their job, and also work as being trans,” says Cecilia Gentili, principal and owner of Transgender Equity Consulting. “Sometimes putting it on their own employees to create the change that they want . . . is a little bit overwhelming. And committed companies could hire consultants to do that.”

You should also avoid being vocal about LGBTQ issues during Pride Month but silent the rest of the year. That sends a clear message: You want to look like an ally without putting in the actual work.

“For anyone who’s a member of the LGBTQ community, we’re not a part of the community one month of the year. It’s a year-round experience. And so you would hope that companies are demonstrating that same kind of support on a year-round basis,” LinkedIn’s Durruthy says.

Establish a transition policy

Coming out as transgender in the workplace can be extremely daunting. Companies can ease this stress for their employees by having clear transition policies already in place, both to meet the universal needs of trans people and adapt to an individual employee’s experience.

Arrowood suggests that companies consider the following questions: Is there a plan? Is that plan a back-and-forth between the person and the company to make sure that bases are covered and everyone’s comfortable and things that are confidential are kept confidential? Are you able to change your name on things? Are you able to access restrooms?

If you’re not sure what exactly that transition policy should look like, resources from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Transgender Law Center provide excellent models.

Rethink your health insurance

Having health insurance that’s inclusive of queer people, particularly trans people, can make or break an LGBTQ employee’s decision to stay at your company. Gentili says she knows trans people who “basically have been moving from job to job depending on their needs,” so providing comprehensive coverage can be the key to securing employees for the long term.

Arrowood recommends looking over your current insurance plan with a critical eye, making sure it includes coverage for queer-inclusive fertility benefits for family building, as well as transition-related care. Within that section on trans healthcare, ensure that all provisions are covered, especially treatments sometimes deemed “cosmetic.”

“If you have a mastectomy because you have breast cancer, it’s seen as medically necessary. Insurance covers that, no problem,” Arrowood explains. “If you have it because you have gender dysphoria, sometimes the policy will say, ‘Well, that doesn’t count. It’s not medically necessary; it’s cosmetic.’”

Depending on your company’s existing insurance plan, making these changes may not be realistic financially. In that case, consider what benefits or financial coverage you can offer “to make up for the lack of services that the insurance that you give provides,” Gentili recommends.

Arrowood says one strategy is to establish a company fund for care not covered by insurance: “The expenses are not that high for a company, whereas it would break the bank for [an individual].”

Own up to mistakes

No one expects your allyship to be perfect right off the bat. What your LGBTQ employees will expect is an acknowledgment of your shortcomings and a commitment to improving. For example, if you misgender a colleague by using the wrong name or pronouns, Arrowood recommends apologizing and thanking them for the correction.

“If you [just say] sorry to a trans person for misgendering them, then they feel like they have to say, ‘Oh, it’s okay,’” Arrowood explains. “If you’re saying, ‘Sorry, thanks for the correction, I’ll be more cognizant of it,’ that makes a big difference.”

Ongoing education and workshops for all employees are also key, as they’ll foster an environment where queer folks not only feel comfortable standing up for themselves but where they also can depend on their colleagues to take a stand on their behalf when microaggressions take place.

“If you have peers and managers who have not only been instructed and informed around [queer inclusion] but have an expectation of how we treat each other in the workplace, there’s a good likelihood that someone will say something, even if you’re not the person to say something about it,” Durruthy notes.

Be vocal on LGBTQ issues

It’s a scary time to be queer in the United States. More anti-LGBTQ legislation has been introduced in 2022 than ever before, and half of all LGBTQ professionals say that it’s taken a toll on their mental health. A 2022 YouGov study conducted on behalf of LinkedIn revealed that one-third of LGBTQ professionals ages 18 to 69 believe their company has not made them feel supported and heard amid ongoing news around this legislation, and 36% of LGBTQ professionals say they would consider leaving their current company if it does not take a firm stance against discrimination.

For queer professionals, when their employer doesn’t speak out against anti-LGBTQ legislation, “that’s an environment where you may wonder whether it’s safe to be yourself at work,” Durruthy says, noting that taking a stand for LGBTQ rights is a win-win. 

“[LGBTQ-inclusive companies] are not only able to better attract LGBTQ talent, but they’re better able to attract all talent,” she says. “That kind of environment is one that not only unlocks greater health, happiness, productivity, but it also is more likely to grow and retain talent and lead in business.”