Celebrating Diversity: A Movement, Not a Moment

June is over, but Pride is not.

This month is Pride Month.

Pride Month is a time for us as allies to advocate for and use our platforms to raise the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community. Many businesses are genuine with their efforts when it comes to celebrating Pride Month and supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. They share resources, educate others, and make monetary donations or volunteer for LGBTQIA+ organizations that are close to their hearts.

But these efforts tend to fizzle out once July 1st hits.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone! In fact, many of our clients have come to us to ask how they can continue to celebrate diversity and foster an inclusive workplace throughout the rest of the year.

At Envol, we’re dedicated to contributing to movements, not moments. While the month of June may be at its end, the opportunity to celebrate diversity, create an inclusive work environment, and make a true impact is not! ??

Here are 5?suggestions to help you celebrate Pride the *entire* year:

?? Make learning materials available – and use them! Educating and understanding is the first step to replacing fear (and any subconscious fear) with empathy. (Pro tip: share this collection of resources and dictionary terms from GLAAD and this Best Practices Guide from Pride at Work with your team to get you started).

?? Don’t expect LGBTQIA+ people to take the lead – give everyone the opportunity to get involved in planning of pride initiatives throughout the year! Similarly, don't lean on LGBTQIA+ people in the office when planning initiatives or ask for their input solely because they are part of the community - this is "tokenism" and it's offensive.

?? Weave LGBTQIA+ allyship into your organization. Conduct training sessions and educate your team on what it means to be an ally. (Psst - we can help with this! Get started here.)

?? Make support accessible. Ensure your team has access to resources and knows what resources are available for them to use. The LGBTQIA+ community is disproportionately affected by mental illnesses. Incorporating mental health resources and treatment in benefit plans is important to supporting members of the community.

?? Create a safe, inclusive work environment for everyone. Incorporate pronouns into your workplace and encourage sharing them, be aware of gendered language, don't make assumptions, and incorporate training sessions, like this one, to educate your team.

Celebrate Pride year-round with authenticity. Create an inclusive workspace. Embrace diversity. Make a tangible impact.

Want to learn more about how to build a DE&I strategy that celebrates diversity year-round? Get in touch with us! We're here to help you every step of the way. ??

Take your DE&I strategy to the next level ??

A strong DE&I strategy is key to any organization's success.??

It helps foster a workplace that is safe, inclusive, and celebrates diversity every day.

A great first step to developing your DE&I strategy and making a real impact is by conducting a DE&I audit to find out where your company currently stands and what steps you can take to improve moving forwards.

Here's a framework to get you started:

1. Develop an understanding of your DEI audit's purpose by collecting perspectives from across your organization. Different departments will offer unique insights that will allow you to holistically structure your audit.
2. Define key DEI metrics you'll use to measure progress. Some metrics might include retention rates, job satisfaction and engagement, or employee turnover rates.
3. Collect feedback! Ask your employees about their experience at your company to understand their perspectives and pain points. This will help you identify where you can make improvements. (Pro tip: ask for feedback in an anonymous survey - this creates a safe space for your team to speak freely!)
4. Use your audit data to put plans into action! Your collected data will shed light onto where you can target your actions and make measurable DE&I progress.

Need some help getting DE&I off the ground? We’re here to support!

Get in touch with us?for further information on how we can partner with you to support you in building a strong DE&I foundation and strategy.

Does your workplace encourage the use of pronouns?

Pronouns are an important part of a person’s identity. ?

Using someone’s correct pronouns demonstrates respect and inclusion – something that’s essential for every human to experience!

Read our blog post on pronouns in the workplace to learn more about the importance of using pronouns and how you can easily incorporate them into your workplace. ?????

Interested in accessing more information about hot HR topics like employer branding and competing for top talent? Explore Envol’s FREE tools and resources today!