Recruiting and Retaining Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Employees

Posted February 06, 2019

Equality and diversity in the work force is essential to your organization’s success. By employing individuals of all backgrounds, you are sending a message to the community at large, to prospective employees and to current employees that your organization is fully accepting of all talented individuals. Attracting a wide array of individuals for your organization also establishes a reputation that your organization’s culture supports minorities, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals. In addition, diversity creates an environment of different ideas and concepts that could further your business.insurance, horst insurance, lgbtq, human resources, recruiting, retaining, gay, bisexual, transgender

Recruitment Strategies

Incorporating strategies into your Human Resources efforts to recruit and retain LGBT employees is easy with the following suggestions:

  • Offer health care benefits for opposite and same-sex domestic partners.
  • Offer domestic partner benefits and FMLA leave for same-sex relationships, including adoption and the natural birth of a child.
  • Sponsor an employee resource group for LGBT workers. Provide the group with a budget and access to meeting rooms to congregate. These individuals can assist in policy-making procedures and recruitment efforts while also being provided a comfortable place to meet.
  • Advertise and promote your business in LGBT community events, at organizations and in publications geared toward this audience.
  • Update your HR policies to include protections of sexual orientation and gender identity (even if your state does not legally protect LGBT rights).
  • Provide training on LGBT issues to educate all employees on these lifestyles.
  • Make your tolerance and diversity programs widely known to employees. Make it clear that certain offensive behaviors will not be tolerated.
  • Form partnerships with other organizations that have diverse work forces and have nondiscrimination policies covering race, religion, nationality, social/ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, pregnancy and political affiliation.

Attracting and retaining a diverse work force makes good business sense and is also beneficial to the community at large. For more information on forming relationships with other employers who support LGBT workers, visit the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce at www.nglcc.org.