Experts highlight best practices around hiring, learning and development, gender-neutral language and benefits
With Pride Month approaching for most Canadian cities, experts are reminding employers that LGBTQIA+ individuals still need DEI consideration, especially with legislators across the country introducing anti-trans policies.
“In today's environment, workplaces might feel that since gay marriage has been legalized now for quite some time, and that Canada generally is a relatively progressive country, they may feel that the work has sort of been done,” says Jennifer Philpott, employment lawyer with Goulart Workplace Lawyers in Toronto.
“But I can tell you, as someone who works as I do in the nonprofit sector … that there is a lot of work to be done in terms of initiatives to support these communities.”
Beyond Pride Month: hiring practices to support LGBTQIA+ employees
Some tangible actions employers can take to support LGBTQIA+ employees includes broadcasting their intent to welcome those individuals through their hiring practices; a simple step could be to state on job postings that the employer is welcoming and encourages applicants who identify as members of that community.
But that message needs to go beyond the job posting, says Philpott.
“They need to be able to walk the talk, so to speak, and to have different policies in place in the workplace for when someone's actually hired … that clearly articulate that these workplaces are going to be welcoming and safe spaces,” she says.
Plus, giving opportunity to members of underrepresented groups to take on leadership roles is important; for example, by meaningful inclusion in employee resource groups.
“Sometimes there's this fear of tokenism, that someone who is a member of the LGBTQIA community, that they're going to be put on a committee but they're not really going to have much of a say, and so it's sort of hollow, and it doesn't really provide meaningful inclusion,” says Philpott.
“If organizations provide those real leadership opportunities, with maybe more decision making and authority on how the certain events and programs run, that's very impactful.”
Beyond Pride Month: L&D for LGBTQIA+ employees
Leadership is an important aspect of meaningful support for underrepresented groups, as it recognizes that that LGBTQIA+ employees, including trans and non-binary individuals, may not have had the same access to education and development opportunities as their straight or CIS-gendered peers, says Greg Sottolano, CPO at FOLX, a benefits provider of LGBTQIA+ health care in the States.
Creating these avenues to leadership is crucial to make impactful change, he says, “fecognizing that that group may not feel as safe in the workplace, and so there does need to be a little bit more care for those individuals around mentoring, around bringing those people along in the journey of leadership and growth and development.”
Corporations and organizations play a pivotal role in that journey towards equality, says Sottolano.
“Most of us spend the majority of our days in a working environment and around peers, working for our companies, and the cultures that people create in those organizations then really set a tone for that individual and how comfortable they feel being able to show up as their authentic self at work.”
If an organization doesn’t have employee representation to provide that leadership, says Philpott, it is up to them to reach out to the wider community for guidance.
“There are plenty of nonprofit organizations and other community groups that could provide that lens, so that the employer is ensuring that it has these groups and initiatives, as well as policies that accurately capture the relevant issues for employees in the workplace.”
Beyond Pride Month: defaulting to gender-neutral language
Another recommendation Philpott has for employers that can be implemented for meaningful change is defaulting to gender-neutral language pronouns in employment contracts.
The benefit to this practice is two-fold, she says.
“It's important to respect and acknowledge an individual's chosen pronouns and to avoid any dead naming,” she says, “they/them is inclusive by nature. It's going to cover everyone, and it's just easier that way, you have to make fewer modifications … if you're going to use this agreement for hiring other employees down the road, you already have a gender-neutral form.”
A recent study from the University of Toronto found that disclosing nonbinary pronouns on resumes reduced positive employer response by 5.5 percent – a number which author Taryn Eames, PhD student, concluded is “strong evidence of discrimination against applicants who disclose nonbinary ‘they/them’ pronouns.”
Eames’ and her team submitted nearly 8,000 resumes (in pairs) to job postings for 15 occupations in six U.S. cities.
Philpott adds that gender-neutral language is going to become more commonplace as younger generations age into the workforce, many of whom identify as nonbinary or trans, and who will expect to be addressed as such.
“I think we're going to see growing inclusivity, particularly around transgender individuals, and gender-neutral language, as society continues to really become more and more inclusive, which is an excellent thing, is a very positive step forward.”
Other basic but impactful steps employers can take include providing gender-neutral washrooms when possible, Philpott says, as well as benefits that consider the needs of LGBTQIA+ employees and their families.
Beyond Pride Month: benefits for LGBTQIA+ employees in Canada
The question of families is an important one when considering benefits and health care for LGBTQIA+ employees, says Sottolano. For example, providing paid leave to care for loved ones who might not fall under the traditional definition of “family”, and also extending benefits to those individuals.
“Recognizing the definition of family is often different within the LGBTQIA+ community, for a variety of reasons,” he says.
“The needs, the traditional way we've looked at insurance benefits, etcetera, may not fit those needs … it is about gender affirming care. It is about giving individuals access to the mental health resources, the clinical health resources that allow that individual to move through their gender identity as they need to and be affirmed in that process.”
Offering gender-affirming and non-traditional health benefits, trauma-informed mental health care, and options such as fertility treatments can be life-altering for LGBTQIA+ employees, Sottolano says. It also can draw talent and improve the bottom line.
“That's a statement to not only your existing employees, but your prospective employees who are looking at you as a possible employer, and frankly to your customers, around the practices that you've got, about creating an inclusive place.”
Pride Month is a time for empathy and reflection as much as celebration
Sottolano emphasizes that to ensure authenticity during Pride Month, it’s important for employers to acknowledge that while the month does include celebration, it is also a time for reflection that can be challenging for some individuals who may have trauma in their own histories.
“We celebrate Pride, all those things are fantastic and we love it – it's also a time to be empathetic and compassionate to the LGBTQ community, to understand each individual's journey and recognize them for the individuals that they are during this time, too,” says Sottolano.
“I think it's equally important to remember that Pride was born from a place of advocacy and a fight for equality. … I also think corporations are critical in the spirit of being an influential voice in the political landscape that exists within a country, and oftentimes a leading voice and a progressive voice when it comes to practices that are inclusive, that do recognize the diverse nature of their workforce.”
