Top 5 Tips for Tackling Homophobia, Biphobia, Lesbophobia and Transphobia

Everyone deserves a safe, happy and inclusive workplace, no matter who they are. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the reality for LGBTQ+ individuals, many of whom still experience prejudice at work. In the week of IDAHOBLIT (the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Lesbophobia and Transphobia), tech company Florence discuss the top 5 ways to tackle queerphobic attitudes and create a safe workspace for the LGBTQ+ community.

According to a recent Trades Union Congress (TUC) poll, 20% of employers in the UK don’t have any policies in place to support LGBTQ+ staff. Let that sink in for a moment.

It gets even worse: only half of the managers surveyed had basic policies in place to protect LGBTQ+ employees from bullying, harassment and discrimination. And only a quarter of respondents had concrete procedures to support staff undergoing transition.

To put it bluntly, people can’t thrive and grow in their careers if they’re unsupported – or afraid – at work. So it’s vital to create an open, inclusive environment where homophobia, biphobia, lesbophobia, and transphobia don’t flourish.

We take inclusivity seriously at Florence because we believe people do their best when they’re able to be themselves at work. Here are our five top tips to create a positive, collaborative atmosphere and stamp out prejudice at work.

Tip 1. Make inclusivity a priority

Many companies have anti-discrimination policies buried somewhere in their corporate handbooks; fewer organisations make inclusivity a practical daily priority.

If your anti-discrimination policy says, “We will not tolerate any kind of discrimination that creates a hostile and unpleasant environment”, what does that mean in real terms? Can you spot subtle forms of harassment against LGBTQ+ staff, and do you and your management team feel empowered to tackle it quickly and effectively?

One more thing: it’s really important to actively seek input from LGBTQ+ employees whenever and wherever possible to make sure you maintain a considerate, inclusive atmosphere in the office.

Tip 2. Challenge prejudice

When people in your workplace see discrimination happening, do they speak up? Do staff feel empowered to say something when they hear colleagues speaking unfavourably about someone’s sexual orientation or gender?

If not, why not?

One of the best ways to change a company culture for the better (or maintain an inclusive culture) is to challenge prejudice when you see it. And we mean immediately.

Encourage staff to report homophobia, biphobia, lesbophobia and transphobia straight away. Speak with everyone involved in the incident (involving HR if necessary), listen to concerns and openly support your LGBTQ+ employee.

Make sure that managers receive training to help them deal appropriately with reports of prejudice. People teams should have a formal process in place to receive, investigate and act upon reports, too.

Tip 3. Be a genuine ally

Diversity is something to celebrate. Staying up to date with LGBTQ+ issues by following advocates on social media and encouraging employees to state their pronouns in email, Slack or Teams helps create an environment where everyone can feel like they belong.

If you’d like to promote collaboration and diversity at work, one option is to create an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) group and invite as many people as possible to join in.

Our IDEA (Inclusivity, Diversity, Equality and Awareness) Champions group meets twice a month to talk about current issues, upcoming events and ways to make Florence even more inclusive.

Tip 4. Provide training

It’s vital to educate employees about LGBTQ+ issues, including the impact of homophobia, biphobia, lesbophobia, and transphobia in the workplace. myGwork offers CPD-accredited LGBTQ+ awareness training, workshops and other professional events, which you and your staff can take part in.

Regular mandatory training sessions can help people understand how their actions and words impact LGBTQ+ colleagues. Most of us want to support the people we work with, and this type of education can help us be more considerate to others.

Tip 5. Lead by example

Last, but certainly not least, it’s important to lead by example. To change company culture for the better (or maintain a wonderful, inclusive atmosphere), managers at every level should model inclusive behaviour every day.

So, if you’re in a leadership position, make sure your employees feel valued and supported, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. A little advocacy goes a long way, and you could change the atmosphere in the office for the better.

Equality, diversity and inclusion training can help make managers more confident advocates. Check out this CPD-accredited Virtual College course, or this course range from Acas.

Working with myGwork

One of our values here at Florence is “build a positive team”, and with that in mind, we began working with myGwork last year. We want to support everyone in the company, and recruit and develop a workforce that reflects the society we live and work in.

We’re so excited about this partnership and how it’s helping us become a truly inclusive organisation.

Want to make a difference in health and social care? Find out more about working for Florence here, or click here to see current job openings.