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Moment of HaPiness
One of the advantages of living in New England is access to oceans and lakes, especially during summer’s warmer weather. Some research even suggests that living near a body of water has a number of therapeutic benefits, including promoting feelings of calm and peacefulness, lowering stress and anxiety, and increasing overall well-being. In addition, being near the ocean can help you feel more creative and improve sleep. Here’s your friendly reminder to schedule time for enjoying your nearby beaches and lakes this summer—for the betterment of your health.
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Ideas & InsightsIn the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for 2021, they surveyed 1,142 companies. While the study showed that there’s still progress to be made, it also showed a great amount of growth when it comes to providing LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices. Here are some key highlights from the study:
RECOGNIZED AS BEST PLACES TO WORK FOR LGBTQ EQUALITYEMPLOYERS
767
4 Ways to Make the Workplace More Inclusive for LGBTQ+ Employees
The HaPi Guide Future of Health Care • Issue 021
June is Pride Month, a time to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, celebrate LGBTQ+ identities within our communities and recognize that there’s still work to be done in the realm of equal rights. In a recent survey, 40% of LGBTQ employees expressed that they are not openly out at work, with 26% not feeling comfortable to come out. In addition, 75% reported experiencing negative workplace interactions related to their identity in the past year.
These statistics aren’t just bad for employees—they’re bad for business, too. When an individual doesn’t feel safe, they’re less likely to speak up, take creative risks or do their best work. However, business leaders can take steps to better support and empower LGBTQ+ employees.
Here are four initiatives to implement this Pride Month to help shape a more inclusive, equitable workplace culture for employees of all identities:
Health Tip of the Month
With over a third of the U.S. population fully vaccinated, the CDC has updated its recommended guidelines for individuals who are fully vaccinated, lifting many of the restrictions from the past year. While some individuals are ready to resume activities as they did pre-pandemic, everyone’s comfort level is different. For business leaders, especially those working on a transition back-to-work plan, here are some tips to help ease anxiety and stress some within your workforce may be feeling:
Five steps toward creating a more inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ employees.
A guide to using gender pronouns and inclusive language at work.
Key findings on LGBTQ+ youth mental health in the U.S.
Toolkits and resources for employers on non-discrimination policies and inclusive benefits.
Read on to find out how to make the most of your benefits and to see how we’re innovating to meet
the needs of modern health care.
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Provide ongoing education.
Be active about nondiscrimination policies.
Evaluate your benefits offering.
Show inclusive representation.
Setting the tone for inclusivity requires company-wide awareness and conversation. To help show your organization’s commitment to inclusion, consider creating safe spaces, amplifying voices from the LGBTQ+ community, hosting workshops and training around sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and continuing this discourse throughout the year. Additionally, bear in mind that awareness starts top down, so business leaders themselves need to be open to learning and self-educating.
Part of ensuring your workplace is inclusive is making it clear that discrimination will not be tolerated. This goes beyond anti-discrimination policies to expanded policies that include protections for LGBTQ+ employees. Employers should also consider comprehensive reviews of their job application, hiring practices and response protocols to make sure that processes, decisions and internal concerns are treated seriously and fairly in a way that doesn’t adversely affect LGBTQ employees.
Those who identify as LGBTQ+ are at greater risk for obesity and eating disorders, alcohol and substance abuse, breast and cervical cancers, heart disease and sexually transmitted diseases, in addition to discriminatory environments that lead to avoidance of their essential care. When building your benefits package, consider offerings that address the unique health needs and emotional well-being of your LGBTQ+ community, such as gender-neutral parenting policies, health coverage for same-sex spouses, adoption benefits and transition-related health care coverage.
Ensuring your company and leadership positions are representative of all races, genders, identities and sexual orientations tells the world that you’re walking the talk on DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion). Whether existing or prospective, helping underrepresented talent feel that your organization is welcome and safe for people like them is key to creating a truly equitable workplace.
Make a commitment to implementing one or all of these measures starting this month—not just for LBGTQ+ employees, but for everyone at your organization. Doing so can help your people feel more engaged and fulfilled in their work, which is good news for your bottom line, too.
92% offer a robust set of practices (at least three efforts) to support organizational LGBTQ diversity competency.
94% have an employee resource group or diversity council that includes LGBTQ+ and allied employees and programming.
78% provide inclusive benefits for same- and different-sex spouses and partners.
91% offer at least one transgender-inclusive plan option with current market standard coverage, up from 0 in 2002.
55% include LGBTQ diversity metrics as part of senior management/executive leadership performance standards.
Be patient and flexible, understanding that everyone has different circumstances and support at home.
Create a space for processing, encouraging employees to express feelings and emotions with one another safely and honestly.
Overcommunicate, even if you don’t have all the answers, so that your employees feel that they’re part of the process and in the loop about future plans.
Pay attention to warning signs and stress during your transition to ensure your employees have assistance and support as they encounter challenges with returning to work.
