Pride in work: Inclusivity policies make better workplaces

This International Pride Day, join us in promoting workplaces that make all employees feel safe, respected and valued.

Pride is traditionally held in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City. Today, Pride Month is observed throughout the entire month of June and is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture, community and activism.

28 June is globally recognised as Pride Day and is the perfect opportunity to not only celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and gender diverse culture and people, but to also reflect on how far we’ve come as a society.

It’s also an opportunity for us to consider the work that is left to be done in fostering cohesion and collaboration for the greater good.

This kind of thinking at work can be found in the details of a business’s Diversity and Inclusion policy, where inclusive initiatives help attract new talent while also offering them an environment in which they can thrive.

Kyle Pentland, Live Chat Support Specialist at MYOB, can attest that the theory works in practice, having accepted a job with the company over three years ago as a direct result of our inclusivity.

Free to be

It wasn’t so long ago that non-conforming behaviour, particularly regarding traditional gender stereotypes, was considered taboo – which at times made growing up an uncomfortable experience for Kyle.

“At school, anyone who was in anyway gender non-conforming was essentially ‘boxed in’ and expected to behave just like everyone else.

“We were told that school was preparing us for the real world, but it wasn’t until I was out in the real world that I could really be myself.”

It’s experiences like those from his school years that Kyle has sought to avoid at work by gravitating towards organisations that are open in discussing how they support their staff.

“I leapt at the opportunity to work for MYOB once I realised how supportive their culture is,” recalls Kyle. “But it wasn’t until I started working there that I discovered the full extent of it.”

Support in transition

Kyle had been working with MYOB for a while before an exciting announcement was made – the company was looking to introduce a transition leave policy in support of staff members considering affirming their gender identity.

“At that time, I was a year into my own transition,” he says.

“Until then, I’d never worked for a business that would have actively supported me in it.”

Hearing the announcement, Kyle immediately reached out to find out more about the proposed transition leave, becoming instrumental in its successful delivery at the same time.

Shaping the future of work

MYOB invited Kyle to review draft policies and communications regarding the gender transition leave before putting it into action.

In addition to receiving paid leave in support of his transition, Kyle was able to quickly and easily change all non-legally binding information in MYOB’s systems while he waited for his legal name change to come through.

“To have that tangible display of support was incredibly powerful,” Kyle explains. “Some businesses may have inclusion and diversity policies, but that doesn’t mean they’re putting their money where their mouth is.

“It’s something I really appreciate, and I know it will be appreciated by others who need it.”

Michael Rule, Head of Operations & Enablement for MYOB, sees the gender transition leave policy as a clear winner for all.

“At MYOB, we recognise and celebrate the rich diversity of our team members including those who identify as sexually and gender diverse,” he says.

“This is why we felt it was it was important to look for ways to support our team members – one of those ways is offering gender transition leave.”

In that sense, supporting your team members fosters a more successful and engaged workforce that not only benefits the entire team, but the broader business as well.

“Whether you’re an ally or part of the LGBTQIA+ community, everyone at MYOB is encouraged and supported to bring their whole self to work in a safe and supportive environment,” Michael says.

So how are you celebrating and supporting your employees this International Pride Day?