“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.

” – Stephen Covey

Fact: Diversity is a fact; Inclusion is a choice.

Fact: Diversity and Inclusion affects organizations’ bottom lines.

Fiction: Diversity automatically translates to Inclusion

Source: Zinnov research & analysis

An average person ends up spending close to 90,000 hours at work, over their lifetime. That amounts
to 1/3rd of their life. Let that sink in for a moment. So it’s safe to say that an environment that makes
you feel comfortable, a place where you can be yourself, is a basic necessity for a workplace. But if
one identifies as a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or any of the identities on the
spectrum, can one really be their true self in the workplace?

The LGBTQ+ community, though marginalized for the most part, is an integral part of the workforce
across organizations, big and small. With the opinionated and liberal millennials entering the
workforce, it becomes all the more important for organizations to foster a work culture that is not just
diverse, but inclusive as well. After all, diversity doesn’t necessarily or naturally translate to inclusivity;
it has to trickle down from the top, with significant investment from the leadership team. With Glassdoor
finding that 67% of people weigh diversity as a factor when deciding where to work, it’s a no-brainer
for organizations to focus on being a diverse and inclusive workplace from a business perspective as
well.

Studies show that LGBTQ+ employees positively impact organizations’ bottom line, thus making an
interesting financial case around LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workforce. Despite a direct correlation
between LGBTQ+ inclusion and economic returns, many leadership teams fail to understand the
importance of having policies and regulations that protect and empower these employees.

There is a strong case to be made for LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces. This has the potential to drive
economic and business growth, which in turn drives greater employee productivity and contribution.
This leads to increasing the innovation capability of organizations, thus leading the way for a more
diverse and inclusive organizational culture across verticals.

• Economic Growth: LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces creates a conducive environment of

creativity and diversity that drives economic growth. Cities – tier 1 and 2 – are major drivers of
this growth, as people tend to migrate to cities that are more LGBTQ+ inclusive, because they
are open, tolerant, and accepting of all kinds of people. This helps them assimilate and
integrate themselves in the community faster, thus driving effective economic growth through
their contributions. Diversity of thought and perspectives foster innovation, contributing to the
development of economies that are knowledge-based.
• Global Markets: Diverse and inclusive organizations have the potential to tap into global
markets. Conversely, LGBTQ+ discrimination has the potential to hinder global customers
from using global suppliers, who have codes of conduct in place that make it necessary to not
discriminate on the basis of gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Companies such as
 Apple, Sony, HTC Corporation, etc., have non-discrimination policies that place them at the
forefront of creating diverse and inclusive organizational culture.
• Attracting Talent: There is an impending war for talent that organizations are waging.
However, companies that are more diverse and inclusive have a decided edge when
compared to their peers who cannot be bothered with D&I. Diversity strategies help
organizations in recruiting top talent, hence ensuring that D&I is a business imperative, rather
than a PR exercise. LGBTQ+ inclusion has a major commercial benefit for organizations in the
form of attracting top talent and showcasing a good work-life balance as well. Most employees
expect some overlap between their personal and professional lives, in order to be their most
productive selves. And this is especially true for millennials, who will form the majority of the
workforce in the next few years.
• Retaining Talent: Several studies have shown that organizations that prioritize D&I have
higher rates of retention of their talent pool, thus improving their bottom line. Conversely,
LGBTQ+ discrimination results in higher churn rates, where organizations are forced to spend
huge capital on recruitment and training new employees. With the war for talent in battle-ready
mode, organizations can’t afford to lose out on top talent because of a lack of D&I policies and
initiatives.
• Innovation Capability: Innovation is the moat that organizations have come to depend upon,
to keep from being disrupted by new age players in their domain. And many a study indicates
that organizations which are more diverse and inclusive have higher levels of innovation and
creativity. Some of the most innovative organizations in the world such as Apple, Microsoft,
etc., have D&I at the core of their organizational culture. Apple, one of the most valued
companies in the world, has Tim Cook at its helm, who is an openly gay business leader.
Remarking on Apple’s slogan – Inclusion Inspires Innovation, he said, “It’s the future of our
company.”

LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Organizations

Despite several tangible benefits to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, many organizations
are still grappling with formulating policies and regulations that work best for them. Additionally, D&I
has to be an organizational priority embedded in its culture, for it to have a positive effect. The
leadership needs to realize that D&I is a business imperative rather than an HR obligation. So what
can organizations do to make their workplaces diverse as well as inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees?
For one, something as simple as talking about what is happening in the LGBTQ+ community outside
the workplace helps because there is no distinction between the business world and the outside one.

1. Educating employees about the importance and benefits of D&I

2. Formulating strict anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies
3. Creating equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies that address all gender identities,
gender expressions, and sexual orientations
4. Taking complaints on discrimination and/or harassment seriously with strict penalties in place
for violations
5. Ongoing/Repeated training on addressing homophobia/transphobia to foster an inclusive work
culture
6. Making it known that your organization is an equal opportunity employer
7. Creating informal spaces to address issues related to LGBTQ+ diversity
8. Encouraging setting up and/or participation in Pride marches and events
9. Hosting activities and events that are more inclusive, rather than those that reinforce
heteronormative values
10. Having gender-neutral washrooms
11. Showing support publicly to the LGBTQ+ community by donating to LGBTQ+ related charities,
non-profits, etc.

Benefits of diversity in the workplace

The word diversity is usually correlated with having more women in the workforce. However, this is an
umbrella term that can include national diversity (employees from different nationalities), gender
(particularly in male-dominated domains), sexual orientation (LGBTQ+ employees across the
spectrum), PwD (people with disabilities), religions, and employees who have varied and/or diverse
work backgrounds. In essence, diversity encompasses people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and
identities. Having an open mind is key to achieving true diversity in any organization.

“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” – George Bernard Shaw

1. Diversity fosters creativity. A person’s experience colors the lens through which they view
the world, thus affecting their perspectives. Moreover, research has shown that diverse teams
show higher productivity, higher creativity, prevent groupthink, and even higher innovation
potential than teams consisting of people with similar backgrounds.
2. Diversity opens up business opportunities. A diverse workforce naturally translates to an
organization possessing a diverse set of skills and capabilities. Organizations that employ
LGBTQ+ employees and/or people with disabilities, will have an inherent advantage while
designing products and services to cater to their niche needs.
3. Diversity fuels the network effect. Networks of women, LGBTQ+, PwD, etc., are crucial to
addressing issues concerning their inclusivity and standing in the organization as a whole.
This network effect trickles through organizations, helping translate an inclusive work culture
and not just a diverse one.
4. Diversity helps attract and retain talent. Several studies have revealed that prospective
employees research if an organization has Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) policies in place when
deciding on an opportunity with their most recent employer.

The road ahead…

LGBTQ+ inclusion in organizations is a journey of progressive realization, and not an overnight change
in organizational culture. The intent behind creating a diverse and inclusive organizational culture
needs to be clear for business leaders, with leadership and business commitment driving this change
from top down. Such a massive change has to have leadership buy-in, along with necessary changes
in organizational structure, processes, technology (in some cases), and people (the most challenging
and the most rewarding change).

Unintentional exclusion prevents complete inclusion. Being recognized and identified, and being
respected for who they are is what everyone craves. By extending the same to all, regardless of which
community they identify with, at the workplace and elsewhere, organizations can take that all-important
step towards creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.