last word
Is Your Organization Gay-Friendly?
By Marie Y. Philippe, Ph.D.
D
Corporate Vice President, Culture and Organizational Effectiveness
The Lifetime Healthcare Companies
Despite the progress
around inclusion demon-
strated by the increase in
ethnic minority groups be-
ing represented in the higher
echelons of corporate Ameri-
ca in recent years, for many organizations, similar efforts
have been slow to non-existent regarding the inclusion of
openly gay individuals.
While it is commendable for twenty-one states and
the District of Columbia to have adopted laws closer
to the spirit of the proposed federal Employment Non-
Discrimination Act (ENDA) by prohibiting employment
discrimination based solely on sexual orientation, and
twelve states and D.C. also prohibiting discrimination
based on gender identity—organizations in these states
and others may still not embrace equality for all in their
work environment.
Compliance does not always imply embracement.
The business case for inclusion applies for all differences.
From limited recruitment of the best talent, to the loss
of market growth opportunities due to a lack of human
diversity embracement, your company can suffer.
Companies that truly pursue talent from all commu-
nities, including the gay community, have included most
of the following practices.
What do your policies say? Before even considering
working for an organization, potential employees are savvy
enough to search companies’ web sites and ask around.
Does your employment equality statement include
gender identity, for example—a sign that you make an
effort to embrace employees beyond the standard “sexual
orientation?” Does your policies and benefits summary
specify, for example, adoption assistance equally for
same-sex couples as heterosexual ones? Do you have a
policy regarding individuals in gender transition?
How are employees educated about the rights of
72 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal M aY / J u n e 2 0 1 0
the gay community? Do you regularly, and intentionally,
present material to your employees to inform them about
the company’s position on some of the relevant, critical
issues or set up forums to discuss them with employees,
gauging their opinion on gay marriage, for example?
Training about gay equality is no longer limited to “the
right thing to do,” but in truly engaging employees to
think deeply about social justice and what it means in
your work place.
What role does your organization play in the
gay community? While an organization demonstrates
financial accountability by sponsoring fundraising or
educational events supporting the gay community, good
citizenship is epitomized when openly-gay employees,
in positions of corporate power, serve on various boards
of community organizations and can represent your
organization in a different capacity.
Do day-to-day practices ease the comfort of
employees from the gay community? The experience
employees live day-in and day-out in the work
environment plays a significant role in their retention
rate. Employees who feel accepted and free to be who
they are tend to act very similarly, regardless of their
diversity dimensions. Are employees who are members
of same-gender families comfortable displaying photos
of their families at their work stations? Do their partners
attend the Christmas parties and feel free to dance, as do
heterosexual couples?
It takes more than good intentions, training, and
policies to create the work environment that allows gay
employees to blossom as individuals and as contributors
to the success of your company. Take a look around and
ask yourself, are we truly gay-friendly? PDJ
Marie Y. Philippe, Ph.D. is well known for her leader-
ship contribution in corporate culture transformation
through strategic diversity initiatives and organizational
change management. She can be reached at
marie.philippe@lifethc.com.