{"id":8811,"date":"2021-08-17T17:26:42","date_gmt":"2021-08-17T17:26:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/affinityhrgroup.com\/?p=8811"},"modified":"2023-11-27T20:29:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T20:29:17","slug":"diversity-equality-inclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theworkplaceadvisors.com\/diversity-equality-inclusion\/","title":{"rendered":"Diversity, Equality & Inclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"
Federal and in some instances state and local law protects several groups of people in the workplace based on their sexual or gender identity.\u00a0 Given the newness of these protections, as well as the diversity of characteristics and people within this group, some employers are finding it difficult to know how to react to and accommodate the needs of this group.<\/span><\/p>\n Definitions:<\/b><\/p>\n LGBTQ+ <\/b>stands for<\/span> Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer with the \u201c+\u201d representing the numerous other sexualities and gender identities covered by this broad term. While employers are not required to know all of the terms, they are required to be accepting, treat an employee equally, and protect them from discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.<\/span><\/p>\n DEI<\/b> is a term encapsulating the goals companies should have when creating policies, procedures, and practices with respect to employees in any protected group (including race, national origin, age, and\/or LGBTQ+).\u00a0 While descriptions vary slightly from source-to-source, common definitions include (as found at <\/span>DEI Expert Hub<\/span><\/a>):<\/span><\/p>\n Diversity<\/b> \u2013 Having different types of people from a wide-range of identities with different perspectives, experiences, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n Inclusion<\/b> \u2013 Putting diversity into action by creating an environment of involvement, respect, and connection \u2013 where the richness of ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives are harnessed to create value.<\/span><\/p>\n Equity<\/b> \u2013 Removing the predictability of success or failure that currently correlates with any social or cultural factor, examining biases, and creating inclusive environments.<\/span><\/p>\n The basics \u2013 legal protection:<\/b><\/p>\n On June 15, 2020, the US Supreme Court issued a landmark 6-3 decision that includes sexual orientation, including LGBTQ+ employees, as protected under Title VII. This means that terminating or taking other negative employment actions against an LGTBQ employee based on their sexual or gender identity constitutes sex discrimination and therefore is against the law.\u00a0 While several states, counties, and cities had these protections prior to the ruling, the US Supreme Court\u2019s decision makes it the law for every employer who falls under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (which applies to most employers).<\/span><\/p>\n In response to the US Supreme Court\u2019s decision, the minimum action all employers should take is to:<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond legalities:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n We encourage our clients to go further than simply \u201cfollowing the law\u201d to experience added benefits. According to <\/span>research<\/span><\/a>, fostering DEI within the workplace has been found to increase company cash flow by 2.3 times and revenue by 19%, and team performance increases by 30%. Additional <\/span>research <\/span><\/a>shows that employees in an inclusive organization have higher job satisfaction, lower turnover, higher productivity, higher employee morale, improved creativity and innovation, improved problem solving, increased organizational flexibility, and all-around better quality of work life. By hiring, training, and promoting employees so they are active participants in policy and decision-making, employers have ready access to various perspectives, ideas, and experiences to strengthen their business practices.<\/span><\/p>\n Find reliable resources such as the <\/span>National Center of Transgender Equality<\/span><\/a> to learn what the LGBTQ+ statuses mean and what LGBTQ+ individuals go through. While every LGBTQ+ person is different, this research will help you examine your policies, practices, and procedures for places of improvement in preparation for an employee asking for accommodation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Some accommodations may include<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n You should be understanding and respectful, asking for their guidance and help along the way. Your goal should be to learn to make a better workplace for them and everyone else.\u00a0 Remember, it is not the responsibility of the LGBTQ+ community to teach you \u2013 it is your responsibility to learn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Some critical don\u2019ts include<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n In summary<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n By actively creating more opportunities and fostering a productive environment for LGBTQ+ employees, you will reap tangible benefits. Being open to the possibilities will allow you to discover new ways to grow your business and keep your best employees.<\/span><\/p>\n If you have any questions about how to navigate the LGBTQ+ landscape or how to respond to an employee\u2019s request, reach out to us at Affinity HR Group.\u00a0 Visit our <\/span>website<\/span><\/a> to learn more about our services or connect with us at <\/span>contact@AffinityHRGroup.com<\/span><\/a> or 877-660-6400.<\/span><\/p>\n By Paige McAllister, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Vice President for Compliance \u2013 Affinity HR Group, Inc.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Federal and in some instances state and local law protects several groups of people in the workplace based on their sexual or gender identity.\u00a0 Given the newness of these protections, as well as the diversity of characteristics and people within this group, some employers are finding it difficult to know how to react to and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10085,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[10,11,12],"class_list":["post-8811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-compliance","tag-hr-policy","tag-paige-mcallister"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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