Celebrating Pride: Tips for Building Inclusivity in the Workplace

June marks the arrival of Pride Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and honoring the ongoing fight for equality and acceptance. Celebrating Pride in the workplace fosters inclusion and belonging among employees.

Here are a few tips for employers and employees to celebrate and show their solidarity with the LBGTQ+ community during Pride Month and throughout the year.

For Employers

Create an inclusive work culture

• Update your employee handbook to reflect non-discrimination and zero tolerance policies. This is also a good time to put together an official non-discrimination and zero tolerance policy if you don’t already have one, here are some tips.
• Provide regular inclusivity training opportunities for your team members. Insist on language that is not offensive; educate employees and create an environment of ongoing learning.
• Reinforce your company’s code of conduct—for example during annual meetings—stating that discrimination will not be tolerated in the workplace.
• Avoid putting the spotlight on specific employees and be mindful that many members of the LGBTQ+ community don’t feel safe or comfortable sharing their sexuality with others.

Make Inclusivity a Conversation

• Does your office bring in guest speakers? Consider planning a lunch-and-learn session or all-company meeting on the topics of inclusivity, diversity and acceptance.
• Host an inclusion workshop for a training session led by a facilitator for LGBTQ+ equality.
• Consider hosting a book club focusing on books written by LGBTQ+ authors or creating a shared playlist where staff members can share their favorite song by an LGBTQ+ artist.

Take Action

• Consider joining a community walk or organize your own charity fundraiser to support the LGBTQ+ community.
• Partner with a LGBTQ+ nonprofit on a community service project and supply corporate volunteers.
• Decorate your office in Pride colors. Not only is it fun, but it will also demonstrate that the office is a safe space for employees to disclose their sexual orientation without risking discrimination.
• Display your public support—consider seasonally switching your corporate logo on social media platforms or develop a post strategy to show your support.

For Employees

Celebrate and get involved

There are year-round opportunities to get involved in events and volunteer opportunities that celebrate inclusivity. Here are just a few of the available options in Hawaii:

• The Honolulu AIDS Walk is held annually in June.
• Kauai Pride and Hawaii Island LGBTQ Pride are both annually celebrated in June.
• Honolulu Pride and Aloha Maui Pride celebrate Pride in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day and LGBT History Month.
• Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival returns annually and is one of the longest-running and most respected LGBTQ film festivals in the country.
• Volunteer and make a difference with the Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation, or Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation.

Commemorate Inclusivity

Put together a Diversity and Inclusivity Committee to bring awareness and create common ground in the workplace and beyond.

• Host a movie night featuring LGBTQ+ movies.
  • Pride Month Movie Guide: 30 Films By, For and About the LGBTQ+ Community by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  • Celebrate Pride Month with Netflix
  • 34 Best LGBTQ+ Movies and Shows to Watch on Hulu This Pride Month and Every Month
  • Paramount+ Celebrates Pride

• Start a book club and include LGBTQ+ literature.
  • Da Shop HNL’s – Books that go Beyond the Binary

These important calls to action not only celebrate diversity and inclusion, but also set the table for coming together as a community.  Now, get out there and celebrate!