Pride Month is a reminder for people to be proud of who they are and specifically for amplifying the voice of the LGBTQ+ community. One of the sentiments behind pride encourages us to validate the person we are, whether we share our unique identities with others or not. We spend a lot of time at work, so it’s crucial that our work environment is a place where we can show up and be supported so we can focus on the work, no matter our race, religion, gender, age, ability, etc.
At ConstructConnect, we embrace Pride Month as an action item to continue dialoguing on LGBTQ+ issues and advocating for the diverse needs of our employees. This sentiment to listen and explore our unique voices is inherent in our core values of respect, people first, empowerment, collaboration, and drive. We’re committed to putting these words into action through DE&I programming that considers inclusivity throughout all parts of our business from hiring new employees to customer success interactions.
Some of the things we can do to foster an LGBTQ+ inclusive work environment include increasing management-level understanding of sexual orientation diversity and being intentional about creating an inclusive work environment. The business case for creating a diverse and inclusive team continues to grow and the immediate labor shortage and workforce competitiveness should motivate firms to incorporate and implement DE&I practices. According to HRC in 2019, 182 municipalities required their contractors to have LGBTQ-inclusive employment nondiscrimination policies.
As people gather to march for love, equality, acceptance, and togetherness this Pride Month we encourage everyone to learn more about what it takes to create an inclusive and equitable workplace. A few quick tips you can start applying today:
- Make no assumptions about people and how they may identify with a culture, race, religion, gender, sex, etc.
- Support open communication by asking open-ended questions and moving out of binary terms (avoid yes or no questions).
- Be willing to listen to viewpoints that differ from your own.
- Give employees multiple ways to provide feedback.
- Reevaluate company policies to see if there is any bias or exclusionary language or rules of engagement.
- Celebrate employee differences.
- Educate your leaders—start at the top.
Learn more about construction industry DE&I programs and why companies serving in the construction industry should consider being more inclusive:
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