5 Tips to Create an LGBTQ+ Community-Friendly Hiring Process

How do I hire more LGBTQ+ employees?  How do I make my business LGBTQ+ community friendly?  What measures should a company have in place to ensure the inclusion of LGBTQ+ employees? 

Keep reading to find out. 

Introduction

The June 2023 Pride Month is here. However, the LGBTQ+ community is still fighting discrimination in the workplace. Despite substantial progress toward LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion over the years, the community’s self-reported experiences show that complete employment equality is still a distant dream. 

Nearly half of LGBTQ+ employees in the United States said they are still out of work, and 75 percent said that they had unpleasant workplace encounters because of their unique identification. So, clearly, the LGBTQ+ community needs support from employees, managers, and C-suite executives. 

Creating equality in the hiring process for the LGBTQ+ community, like any diversity program, begins with taking steps to assist current LGBTQ+ employees and improving workplace inclusion efforts. With that in mind, here are five ways to create an LGBTQ+ community-friendly hiring process.

5 Ways to Create an LGBTQ+ Community-Friendly Hiring Process

1. Train your existing staff on discrimination policies
   

   Even if a company’s values flow from the top, employees at all levels must be aware of the company’s equality and inclusion policies. 
   
   The company should also inform employees about respecting boundaries and adhering to cultural and behavioral protocols, during the onboarding process. It’s also critical to foster a transparent culture where employees feel comfortable sharing criticism and reporting unacceptable behavior. Companies must train managers to adopt and administer a fair policy that safeguards everyone from discrimination and abuse.
   
   Organize training sessions at your company and help people understand the following:
   
   
   1. How do anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and abuse manifest in internal teams? 
   2. Why prejudice toward the LGBTQ+ community is bad for both businesses and employees?
   3. How to confront or respond to anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice?
      

2. Make LGBTQ+ community inclusion part of your brand

   Apart from adding words to your career page, identify which other micro-signals you’re giving to job seekers to show that your organization is LGBTQ+ community-friendly.
   
   These signals can be as simple as putting a rainbow sticker on your brand logo or posting on social media. Such actions demonstrate that you are serious about hiring LGBTQ+ employees and promoting equality at your company. Most importantly, these steps can help you make great diversity hires for your company.
   
   For example, Pfizer provides complete support for the LGBTQ+ community. The company is a primary sponsor of the HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index and a yearly supporter of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, a nonprofit organization.

3. Communicate your LGBTQ+ recruitment efforts clearly

   Make a clear non-discrimination statement that defines the inclusion of all gender identities and sexual orientations in every communication. Receiving honest feedback is also critical for any company. So, ask candidates for their opinions on your company. When reading their feedback, be receptive to fresh ideas, and resolve difficulties on the spot.
   
   Raise LGBTQ+ community awareness among potential applicants via the following methods: 
   
   
   1. Draw attention to your present LGBTQ+ talent. Record their testimonials and post them on social media. 
   2. Leverage the careers website page to highlight your commitment to diversity and inclusion.
   3. Use press releases to inform potential employees about your inclusive policies. 

4. Recognize that LGBTQ+ involves a wide range of people

   Make sure your company understands that LGBTQ+ people are not a monolithic group. Using terminology like ‘gay’ or even ‘queer’ exclusively may exclude members of this community who are trans, asexual, or intersex. 
   
   LGBTQ+ candidates come from various racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Also, they are diverse in terms of sexual orientation and gender identity. 
   
   So, it’s critical to keep your communication neutral. Here are a few ways to do the same:
   
   
   1. Avoid gender-specific words in job postings, job descriptions, and inclusion policies.
   2. Avoid salutations from mail bodies.
   3. Avoid stereotyping LGBTQ+ people in one group. Treat them as individuals. 
      

5. Make the workplace safe for LGBTQ+ employees
   

   Considering LGBTQ+ candidates’ safety in the workplace is a critical concern. According to studies, 20 percent of LGBTQ+ employees have experienced workplace hostility. This number is much higher for trans or LGBTQ+ community members belonging to a racial or ethnic minority. 
   
   So, taking clear steps to prevent prejudice in the workplace is very important. 
   
   Highlight LGBTQ+-inclusive policies and benefits, show how your company collaborates with organizations focused on LGTBQ+ issues, define your employee resource groups, and have team members who identify as LGBTQ+ tell their stories to others. 
   
   Individual team members can show their commitment to diversity on a smaller scale by simply using pronouns in email signatures.
   
   Related post: Engineering Managers, This Is How You Can Judge the Diversity of Your Team

So, how can you make your hiring process be LGBTQ+ friendly this Pride Month?

The aforementioned tactics can be your starting point for hiring LGBTQ+ employees. However, making your hiring process more inclusive of LGBTQ+ talent entails more than just posting a rainbow graphic on your company’s LinkedIn page during Pride Month. 

Actionable improvement begins with increasing workplace equality and inclusion. These developments will improve your ability to engage with other groups and recruit a larger pool of diverse applicants. 

To go even further, be proactive in expressing your support for the LGBTQ+ community, donate to causes and charities that strive to make a positive impact, and ensure you’re always analyzing your process to eliminate bias, just like Turing does. 

Turing uses AI-backed Intelligent Talent Cloud to source, vet, match, and manage the world’s best software developers remotely. And thus, the company’s hiring and vetting process is entirely free from bias. 

Turing.com makes the remote hiring journey easy and rewarding for both companies and developers. With Turing, companies can hire pre-vetted, Silicon Valley-caliber remote software talent across 100+ skills in 3-5 days.

FAQs

1. How do I hire LGBTQ+ employees? 
   Here are six steps to attract more LGBTQ+ employees: 1. Train your existing staff on discrimination policies. 2. Make LGBTQ+ inclusion part of your brand. 3. Communicate your LGBTQ+ recruitment efforts clearly. 4. Recognize that LGBTQ+ involves a wide range of people. 5. Make the workplace safe for everyone. 6. Ensure inclusion outside of human resource. 
   
   
2. Can an employer ask if you are LGBTQ+? 
   Legally an employer cannot ask about a candidate’s gender and sexual orientation. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on sex. However, a candidate can volunteer to provide such information.

3. How can companies demonstrate their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion beyond the hiring process?

   Companies can show their support for LGBTQ+ inclusion by establishing inclusive policies and benefits, such as providing transgender-inclusive healthcare coverage and parental leave for same-sex couples. They can also form LGBTQ+ employee resource groups or affinity networks, organize LGBTQ+ awareness and education programs, and actively participate in LGBTQ+ events and projects.

4. What steps can employers take to ensure inclusivity during the interview process?

   Employers can ensure inclusivity throughout the interview process by providing interviewers with training on LGBTQ+ issues and proper terminology. They should avoid making assumptions about a candidate’s sexual orientation or gender identity by using gender-neutral terminology. Furthermore, making interview locations accessible and allowing candidates to indicate their preferred pronouns can help to a more inclusive experience.

5. What is the LGBTQ inclusion strategy?

   The LGBTQ+ inclusion strategy is a deliberate approach to creating an inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ people. It entails putting in place rules, benefits, and programs that remove discrimination, promote equality, and foster acceptance. Organizations strive to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals feel appreciated and respected in the workplace by offering assistance, resources, and promoting diversity.

6. Why LGBTQ inclusion is important?

   The inclusion of LGBTQ+ people is vital because it promotes equality, diversity, and a sense of belonging. It guarantees that LGBTQ+ people can openly express themselves without fear of prejudice or bigotry. Employee satisfaction, productivity, and innovation rise in inclusive environments. Organizations that embrace LGBTQ+ inclusion create a more equal and inclusive workplace, recruiting and retaining top talent from varied backgrounds.

7. What are LGBT friendly jobs?
   
   While any job can be LGBT-friendly based on the culture and policies of the organization, certain industries and professions tend to have a higher likelihood of being inclusive. LGBT-friendly jobs include those in human rights organizations, LGBT advocacy and support services, social work and counseling, education, media and entertainment, and healthcare. These industries often prioritize inclusivity and support for LGBT individuals, providing affirming work environments.

8. Are there any LGBTQ CEOs?

   Yes, there are LGBTQ+ CEOs who have made significant contributions across various industries. Some notable examples include:

   • Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., publicly came out as gay in 2014.

   • Peter Arvai, CEO and co-founder of Prezi, a presentation software company, who identifies as gay.

   • Martine Rothblatt, CEO of United Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, who is a transgender woman.

   • In 2021, Phyllis Newhouse became the first openly gay Black woman to lead a publicly traded cybersecurity company as CEO of Athena Technology Acquisition Corp.

     These individuals serve as inspiring role models, breaking barriers and demonstrating that LGBTQ+ individuals can achieve leadership positions in the business world.