Empathy in the Workplace: Pride Beyond Prejudice

How can HR leaders foster an inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ employees during Pride Month and beyond?

Smashing the “rainbow ceiling” to achieve empathy in the workplace

In recent years, the progress towards diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and empathy in the workplace has shown signs of stagnation. For HR leaders, it is crucial to address this issue head-on and prioritize the creation of inclusive cultures where all employees, including LGBTQ+ individuals, feel valued, seen, safe, and heard.

According to our 2023 State of Workplace Empathy Report, there is a significant gap between CEO’s and employee’s awareness of their company’s DEIB initiatives. While 87% of CEOs and 70% of HR professionals are aware of these programs, only 62% of employees possess the same knowledge. Further, 38% of CEOs, 35% of HR professionals, and only 31% of employees actually saw DEIB initiatives demonstrated in the workplace.

This gap highlights the need for increased visibility, and more importantly, engagement needed from leadership in acting on DEIB efforts.

Representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in leadership roles remains astonishingly low. According to research from McKinsey, although they aspire to top executive positions as much as their straight counterparts, there are only four openly LGBTQ+ CEOs leading Fortune 500 companies—three male, one female, and none who identify as transgender.

For those counting, that’s less than 1%, while LGBTQ+ identification is at 7.1%, according to Gallup. And in fact, three in 20 LGBTQ+ women believe their sexual orientation will negatively affect their career advancement at work. This underscores the urgency of creating safe and welcoming environments for LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace.

The balance between being empathetic and keeping to your organization’s policies and procedures: Actionable steps for HR leaders

• Increase awareness: At our 2023 Vision conference, Rachel Reese from Alera Group discussed the importance of awareness. In order to begin to establish a culture of empathy in the workplace, encourage open dialogue, provide diversity training, and actively address unconscious biases within the organization.

• Provide supportive resources: Rules, policies, and procedures are there for a reason—whether it be compliance with federal law, or to set organizational expectations. But it’s still important to consider the human element. Marcy Klipfel, Businessolver’s Chief Engagement Officer noted that policies are not people. “You don’t need to over-index” you can be transparent with employees and say “as someone who cares about you in this organization, we want to make sure you understand everything that’s available to you”—highlighting the importance of bringing forward the right information, at the right time, for the right reasons.

• Continuous improvement: Conduct regular surveys and feedback sessions to gauge employee satisfaction, identify areas for improvement, and track the impact of DEIB initiatives. Jed Lam, from Edelman Data & Intelligence stated that asking your employees how they’re feeling, even if you can’t do anything to address their concerns in that moment, shows effort—which can be meaningful for employees to know that they’re heard. Then, use those insights to put into action, and address those concerns effectively.

By prioritizing DEIB initiatives, fostering an inclusive culture, and addressing the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ employees, we can create environments where everyone feels valued and empowered.

There is an opportunity during Pride Month to reaffirm our commitment and take concrete steps towards building a more inclusive future for all. Empathy can’t wait.