AuthorPIP Admin

LGBTI employees may find themselves in sticky situations on a daily basis, some harsher than others, but the accumulative impact of micro-aggressions and discrimination can have a significant impact on one’s wellbeing and mental health. Unfortunately, in the 2016 Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Employee Survey, only 45% out of the 10 lowest ranking number confirmed that they knew where to go for more information about LGBTI inclusion. How do we make these paths for reaching out easier and more accessible?

Here is an experiment you can run: take three new employees and ask them to act on the following scenario – their closest workmate had a chat with them and told them they were gender diverse and thinking about transitioning. They seemed anxious and depressed, and this process has a major impact on their wellbeing. You want to help. Now go to the organisation’s intranet and find two people you are absolutely confident your friend can contact and get support from as an LGBTI individual, one from HR, one not.

Now sit down and have a look at how they try to get this information from the intranet. Where do they go first? What is the logic that guides them? Do they start with the HR page? Do they go to the diversity page? Is there a designated LGBTI area? Is it clear and easy to find? What comes up when you type LGBTI support in the search field?

This first part of the experiment will help you assess how accessible the information is to all staff. It is important to note that the specific scenario was not chosen without thought.

First, the reasons why the AWEI asks for LGBTI friendly contacts that are both HR and non-HR are to do with confidentiality, disclosure and safety. Some people might want to have an off-the-record conversation with a colleague or a manager who can provide some insight about the organisation’s approach, without worrying about their personal files or policies and procedures. Some will feel more comfortable talking to a HR contact that can help refer them to the organisation’s policies and track record in LGBTI inclusion and assist them with references to relevant information for their situation.

Second, LGBTI individuals are the ones who will usually seek out help and support, however everyone might find themselves in situations where other people in their lives may need support and assistance, and all employees need to be able to access this information. Many times we see great intentions translated into poor structures as HR/D&I individuals are convinced that the platform they created is accessible and easy to find without actively testing the waters. When it comes to support, it is vital that you are able to find what you are looking for quickly and easily. Reaching out is incredibly difficult and challenging for many people, which means that every additional click/phone call/question that stands between them and getting support may serve as another indicator that it is not safe for them to be their full self within your workplace. If you can reach support easily via your intranet home page while following a clear, logical, and intuitive path – you nailed it. Anything more complicated than that may be counterproductive.

Now to the second part of the experiment. Let us say that all three of your new staff got to a list of LGBTI-friendly contacts, including HR and non-HR, and provided you with two names as requested. Keep enquiring: are you sure these people can effectively manage gender affirmation processes or advice related to them within your workplace? Are you sure your friend can trust them to use inclusive language and to refer to them appropriately? Are you sure confidentiality will be kept? How do you know this? How did you assess the emotional safety required for such sensitive processes?

Once again, we need to walk in the shoes of an LGBTI person in need, or someone who is trying to access necessary support or information. The bottom line here is that explicit language is vital in order to create a level of safety and accessibility for LGBTI people and peers. It is not enough to just provide the names and numbers, it is essential to also mention credentials, relevant training, confidentiality, processes etc. Do not assume that people know or will assume these things. The contrary works – assume they know nothing, and provide them with all the information you can in order to make it easier to make a very hard decision – reach out, come out.

The good news is that these structures do exist and operate successfully in some of our member organisations. In comparison to 45% of the employees in the 10 lowest ranking members who knew where to go in order to seek information about LGBTI inclusion, a whopping 87% knew where to access this information in our 10 top ranking organisations. This is a strong reflection and demonstration to how LGBTI inclusion permeates to different layers of the organisation over time. Taking into consideration that the 10 top ranking members have been working with Pride in Diversity for a number of years, they have had the time, and often a number of AWEI submissions to fine-tune their structures, policies and procedures for maximum impact. Constant exposure to events, executive sponsors, visual inclusion cues, information, policies, training sessions and other initiatives create an environment in which reaching out is simpler and safer for LGBTI employees.

It is important to rely on the recommendations in the AWEI, as they stem from years of experience of organisations that have been with Pride in Diversity since its inception in 2009. These high resolution items carry the same spirit of visibility, accessibility and clarity, and provide LGBTI employees with an experience that counteracts their inherent sense of exclusion and replaces it with inclusion and safety. Isn’t that what we all want from our employer?

Shai Feniger, a Relationship Manager for Pride in Diversity, comes with over 15 years of experience working and volunteering with marginalised groups, with a focus on LGBTI, Indigenous peoples and mental health. He is experienced with Team Management, Program Development, Training and Facilitation, Community Development and Service Provision, and with experience in LGBTI inclusion in the workplace.

Direct: +612  9206 2196 | Switch: +612 9206 2000 | Mobile: 0419 583 034
Email: sfeniger@acon.org.au

Visibility for transgender and gender diverse people provides a vital tool for workplaces working on improving inclusion for transgender and gender diverse people, but is visibility alone enough to build an inclusive society or even an inclusive workplace?

Transgender Day of Visibility (31 March) is a day set aside to acknowledge and celebrate the lives of transgender and gender diverse people. Increasing visibility of transgender and gender diverse people is essential to acknowledging diversity and building inclusion.

It is important for us all to realise that visibility of transgender and gender diverse people has already made a significant difference in some of our workplaces, it informs those who have struggled with identity, that they have options, it assists organisations to benefit from talented individuals who would otherwise not have an opportunity to shine, but there is much left to do.

Visibility alone is not enough to build an inclusive society or even an inclusive workplace. Visibility however does provide a vital tool for workplaces working on improving inclusion for transgender and gender diverse people.  The risk of this visibility is that it may burden our people with a task many may not want to bear.  Most transgender and gender diverse people just want to go about their day like everybody else, being recognised as valuable for the work they do regardless of their gender identity. Although there are occasions when people will be comfortable to address appropriate questions and provide information related to their identity and experiences, they should not be automatically expected to bear the burden of repeatedly having to educate others. When we also consider that most transgender and gender diverse people consider that cisgender people should not speak on behalf of the community, how then can an organisation work towards greater inclusion without expecting too much of their transgender and  gender diverse employees?

This is where organisations can benefit from resources provided by ACON’s Pride in Diversity and Pride in Sport programs. Both these programs provide expertise, consulting services, training, printed resources, , informative and inspiring guest speakers, including speakers with lived experience. By accessing the expertise available within these programs, workplaces and sporting organisation can become better informed about the challenges faced by transgender and gender diverse people, without forcing employees to disclose their history or placing them in situations where they constantly have to educate others about what it means to be transgender or gender diverse.

What can your organisation do on Transgender Day of Visibility, to celebrate the lives of people while being respectful of transgender and gender diverse colleagues and employees?

• Invite a transgender or gender diverse speaker to address your workplace;
• Undertake LGBTI or transgender specific training;
• Simply direct employees to some of the fantastic video resources that are available via ACON’s Pride in Diversity program, or;
• Hold a celebration acknowledging the diversity of your workforce

ACON’s Pride in Diversity and Pride in Sport’s programs wish you a fantastic and insightful Transgender Day of Visibility 2017!

Kimberly Olsen is a Manager within ACON’s Pride Inclusion programs. Kimberly is able to draw from her perspective as a transgender woman in order to help organisations meaningfully engage with people of not only diverse sexualities, but also diverse gender identities. Email kolsen@acon.org.au.

While I think most Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) professionals would say that we have made some progress and that the business case for diversity is now widely acknowledged and communicated (even it is does sometimes appear a little well-rehearsed and a somewhat tired piece of diversity rhetoric), this D&I game is still a tough gig. Many would argue that support is still just lip service, that while we just roll the benefits off our tongue and get the executive nod when its needed (because it’s something we should all be paying attention to), when it comes to the crunch ie. the tough stuff (additional resources, budget or Senior Leadership KPIs) there is still some considerable pushback.

In the 2016 Australian Workplace Equality Index employee survey we asked employees of participating organisations whether they believed their organisation genuinely supported LGBTI inclusion. While 90% of the employees in our 10 top ranked organisations strongly agreed with the statement, only 66% of the employees in our 10 lowest ranking organisations felt the same. How do we make sure our LGBTI inclusion initiatives are reflected in the DNA of the company, and that the change permeates to all layers of the workplace?

Since 2013 and the significant change in anti-discriminatory laws, the Australian work environment is experiencing a fast-tracked process of change around the meaning and the importance of inclusion initiatives in the workplace. On top of an array of impacts that self-editing employees may suffer, as LGBTI identities are now considered protected attributes, businesses are liable for LGBTI discrimination, bullying and harassment, and any type of emotional distress that an individual might suffer as consequence.

In the past three years Pride in Diversity experienced a 365% growth in membership, and witnessed a significant shift in the way businesses endorse LGBTI inclusion, embrace its benefits and use it for branding and marketing. Despite these rapid changes, the end experience of LGBTI employees is not all positive, and in this front changes can be far slower, as they permeate gradually into the different layers of the business.

Quite often we encounter professionals who assess inclusion based on vague ideas and concepts and not based on facts and numbers. We hear about an inclusive vibe, about not having an issue with LGBTI people, about a few employees who are ‘out’ and fine with it. While all of these observations might be true, they neglect to thoroughly address all layers of the business, and address possible roadblocks that LGBTI individuals might encounter in different departments, locations, environments or under different management. As LGBTI individuals more often than not come with an inherit experience of exclusion, it is essential to remember that unless their  identities are explicitly and proactively invited to be celebrated as part of the business’s DNA, they will not necessarily feel included no matter what the vibe is. The art of LGBTI inclusion is about incorporating LGBTI inclusive initiatives, while communicating them clearly, visibly and explicitly.

Further to the belief in businesses’ genuine support in LGBTI inclusion, in the 2016 AWEI survey, we looked into employees’ belief that their organisation communicates LGBTI inclusion initiatives internally. Within the top 10 ranking organisations, 82% of the employees strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, in comparison with 43% of employees of the lowest ranking organisations. This is consistent with other markers, such as employees’ knowledge of where to get more information about LGBTI inclusion in the workplace (87% vs. 45%). In short, members who reach out more, communicate more, and promote accessibility – maximise the impact of their LGBTI inclusion initiatives.

Let us take policy review as an example. For many organisations, amending the existing policies into including LGBTI identities, relationship and specific benefits is one of the first stages taken in their LGBTI inclusion process. It is also the first question in the AWEI, aiming to build a strong structural framework which serves as a foundation for eliminating major roadblocks LGBTI people might encounter. But what happens when the job is done? How do businesses harness the wonderful job that HR people put into the policy review as an explicit cue for inclusion? There are a few ways to do this, including informing all staff via an email from an executive, or by launching the new gender affirmation process policy in a special event. If there is no communication whatsoever, uninformed LGBTI employees will most probably not bother checking for any updates to the policies unless something specific happens, and as a result will miss out on possible benefits, as well as the sense of inclusion that comes with such a significant change to the DNA of the business.

Here are the four elements that need to be addressed in order to maximise the impact of LGBTI inclusion initiatives in the workplace:

Visibility: show and tell as much as you can, while ensuring that what you are selling is top notch. Make sure you can stand behind the inclusion initiatives you create, make sure that the suppliers that you work with are on board, and make sure you use the right language and the right methods. Once you have something great in your hands – let people know. Send the message out there. Celebrate successes. This is not just about branding – this is about creating a new awareness for LGBTI and non-LGBTI employees. Do not assume they know, make sure that they do.

Accessibility: make it easy for LGBTI individuals to access information and support. Nominate specific HR people as LGBTI go-to people and compile a list on the intranet. Make sure that allies are branded in their email signatures, on the intranet, in their workspaces. Identify LGBTI inclusion leaders and provide them with public platforms to express their thoughts and ideas. Make sure that explicit language is out there in a user friendly, accessible way. If you are not sure about it – ask employees to look for the information and assess accessibility.

Sustainability: think long term; do not trust enthusiastic individuals to carry the vast majority of LGBTI inclusion initiatives, as they will move on at some point and will leave a void behind them. Incorporate LGBTI inclusion responsibilities into HR, D&I and executive management job descriptions. Delegate tasks to different people, departments and locations. Make LGBTI inclusion strategies part of the organisation’s wider strategy. Shift from innovation into maintenance, as LGBTI inclusion becomes an integral part of the DNA rather than a mixed and inconsistent array of events and messages.

By taking all three components into consideration, you will be able to make sure that your LGBTI initiatives tap into the core of the business and the essence of LGBTI lived experiences in the workplace. This is a win-win situation, as LGBTI individuals enjoy the privilege of bringing their authentic selves to work, and the business experiences higher productivity, enhanced creativity, longer retention, brand loyalty and satisfied workers.

Authored by Shai Feniger, Relationship Manager, Pride in Diversity. To read Shai’s bio, please click here.

This article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, WA Today and The Age on Tuesday 4th October.

Close to one in two gay, lesbian and transgender Australians hide their sexual identity in the workplace for fear being “out” could damage their careers.

Dawn Hough, director of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, which collected the data says the new figures are a big improvement on those reported as recently as six years ago when the vast majority of people surveyed would hide their sexual identity.

However, Ms Hough said she was surprised people were much less comfortable to come out in the public sector compared to the private sector.

“It is the first time we have done any significant analysis between the public and the private sectors and we are really quite surprised at that,” she said.

“People in the public sector feel there is less support, they feel their senior management are less likely to genuinely support inclusion initiatives.”

The new 2016 Australian Workplace Equality Index found 45 per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex Australians hide their sexuality or gender identity at work because they fear it may damage their career. The other 55 per cent were out in the workplace.

Encouraging ANZ Pride Network members to utilise their Volunteer leave with LGBTI organisations has been a priority in 2015, and we’re proud to say that our members have been out in force this year.

In 2015, ANZ staff across the bank Volunteered 108,000 hours some of which were Pride Network members volunteering with visits to the Victorian AIDS Council as well as the Lesbian and Gay Archives. Both of these organisations appreciate ANZ’s involvement and have written to the bank or posted messages of thanks on social media.

The most recent of these volunteer activities was making Red Ribbons for World AIDS day on 1st December, where more than 100 hours were volunteers across two ANZ sites for this worthy cause.

Caption: some of our wonderful volunteers with Daniel from the VAC who provided an overview of the VAC and why World AIDS day is so important

In total, more than 2,500 ribbons were made for distribution within ANZ on World AIDS day, as well as 750 pre-cut ribbons for 2016 (we even ran out of cardboard backing!).

Some of our Pride Network committee

MORE volunteers helping to distribute the ribbons on 1st December.

We’re looking forward to continuing our volunteering efforts in 2016 by expanding the number of GLBTI (or GLBTI supporting) organisations where volunteering opportunities can be provided; particularly in each state the Pride Network has a presence.

We’re proud of our diverse and inclusive organisation and the volunteers who continue to give back to the LGBTI community.

Find out more about the Red Ribbon Appeal.