Parading beyond awareness and symbolism
(As originally appeared in the Vancouver Sun on July 19, 2009)
If you’ve ever seen it, you won’t soon forget it. Vancouver’s annual Pride parade has become a highly-anticipated event, a visual spectacle, and most importantly, a lively celebration of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities. In 2008, the parade drew approximately half a million people to the city’s West End and downtown core. It draws businesses too, among them the city’s - and our nation’s - largest companies – all demonstrating their support for LGBT British Columbians.
But ever wonder what happens when the parade ends and the crowds and street sweepers go home?
Significant progress has been made in recent years to build awareness and understanding around the challenges that LGBT people and their allies face at work. But more remains to be done. Canada’s LGBT employees continue to face issues and challenges in the office every day. And these challenges are even greater for LGBT women and ethnic and visible minorities, who already feel they’re at a disadvantage in the boardroom.
It’s not enough to celebrate Pride once a year. Canada’s businesses need to integrate inclusiveness into the way we do business with our colleagues and clients every day. A commitment to building this environment — one that fosters respect for the talent everyone brings to the table — can secure a competitive advantage in today’s market and beyond.
Why is now an opportune time to foster inclusiveness?
We can’t let today’s tough times knock inclusiveness off the agenda. It’s not a “soft” issue that can be brushed aside until the recession ends. In fact, companies that are working hard to foster diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace are set to emerge stronger.
Today’s economy demands diversity of thought. We need people with different perspectives and experiences in the boardroom to come up with new ways of tackling old problems and innovative ideas for addressing risk. The only way to foster such collaboration and increase productivity is to create a work environment where our people feel comfortable and confident enough to bring their whole self to work — a place where everyone is encouraged to put forth their best ideas.
The new generation of employees — our future corporate leaders — are expecting such an environment from their prospective employers. An inclusive workplace will help companies attract top talent, keep up with changing client expectations and overcome the economic turmoil.
How can companies embed inclusiveness into their culture?
Efforts to create a more inclusive workplace don’t have to come with a price tag. These challenging times present opportunities for creative approaches.
At Ernst & Young, for example, our Beyond employee resource network gives our LGBT people and their allies a forum in which to communicate and develop ideas for future projects. And there’s no outlay of cash for listening to someone in our firm’s reverse mentoring program, which connects young people with more experienced leaders to bridge the generation gap regarding LGBT issues and challenges. Although it takes time, the return on this investment is high by having more connected people who better understand one another by sharing experiences and insights.
Here are some other ways companies can build a more inclusive environment:
Take a top-down approach. Encourage leadership to communicate with your people through internal campaigns or messages.
Build a network that includes allies. Inclusiveness needs to be about everyone, not just about the group facing the challenge.
Go to your people for insight. Your people are your greatest source. Ask them where you’re falling short and what they need. Then tailor your programs specifically to them.
Look outside. At Ernst & Young, our Thinking Out Loud luncheon series for LGBT women and allies brings people together from different industries and organizations. This generates a myriad of ideas for best practices.
Fostering inclusive workplaces is a constant journey. While businesses should be proud of the great strides we’ve made in promoting LGBT awareness in the workplace, there’s more work to be done. This is a business driver that will secure our competitive edge in today’s market and the future. Inclusiveness for everyone needs to continue as a critical part of a firm’s culture long after the parade ends.
Fred Withers is the managing partner of Ernst & Young’s Western Canadian offices. He is based in Vancouver.
