Research shows teams with a wide spread of diversity perform best. This includes diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and sex characteristics.
Benefits include:
- higher engagement and productivity at work when people feel welcome and supported
- increased profit from having a diverse, collaborative workplace
- becoming an employer of choice and keeping good staff
Ways to be more inclusive:
- show your inclusivity with posters and rainbow lanyards
- use gender neutral and inclusive language in conversations
- hold staff events on key days such as Wear it Purple day
- gender neutral toilets
- set up a pride network for LGBTIQA+ staff and allies
- run an LGBTIQA+ awareness training program or add to existing induction programs
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create an inclusive workplace. Little things can send signals that your organisation is a great place to work.
Everyone wearing rainbow lanyards — it says a lot. Most people are still wearing them and it just feels nice.
Create your own inclusion strategy
Encourage your senior management team to workshop what it wants to achieve before you write your strategy.
- Pick your strategic goals. Are you wanting to focus on LGBTIQA+ inclusion as well as women, multicultural, Aboriginal people and people with a disability?
- What do you want to change? For example, do you want to hire a more diverse workforce and have existing LGBTIQA+ employees feel more welcome?
- What actions will you need to take to achieve your goals and by when? Who will be responsible?
Example plan
The Department of Premier and Cabinet aspires to an inclusive workplace and has an action plan to get there.
Read our 2019-2021 inclusion plan as an example of how your workplace could develop and implement your strategy.
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