As attacks against the LGBTQ+ community intensify, now is the time for employers to distinguish themselves as veritable champions of diversity, inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing by creating a safe, empowering workplace for LGBTQ+ employees. 

Whether in life or at work, the ability to create, innovate, and excel rests on three essential forces: confidence, authenticity, and autonomy. This is the driving mission of Workplace Options (WPO)—to empower individuals to bring their full, authentic selves to work, in part by helping organizations create environments that are safe, inclusive, and genuinely supportive.  

In today’s volatile and culture-driven world, the significance of psychological safety is undeniable. In order to thrive, contribute fully, and grow alongside their organizations, employees must feel secure and encouraged to speak their minds, offer new ideas, share their skills and perspectives, and put their all—their whole selves—into their work. None of this is possible without the safety and freedom to be one’s true self at work. 

For LGBTQ+ individuals, this inviolable right is increasingly under threat amid intensifying culture wars that question their basic humanity, dignity, and right to safely exist and succeed. As self-proclaimed crusaders continue to intrude on their private lives—often under the false pretense that LGBTQ+ people are the ones imposing on them—many are inevitably finding it harder to live and work in peace, and to be their unapologetic, unadulterated selves in public. 

This comes with a cascade of negative consequences for both employees and their organizations. The more time LGBTQ+ individuals spend masking, suppressing who they are, and navigating environments that feel unsafe or hostile, the less energy they can devote toward meaningful, creative, and productive work. This is not only detrimental from a business perspective, but from a moral standpoint, too. 

As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs posits, the pinnacle toward which all human behavior aims is self-actualization: the ability to realize one’s full potential, pursue one’s passions and goals, and find true meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. Without it, individuals falter—suffering from despair, dissatisfaction, and a sense of detachment.  

Employers have a duty to protect employees from harm. This applies especially to psychosocial harm, or the emotional, psychological, or moral damage caused by intangible workplace factors such as: 

• Exclusion 
• Discrimination 
• Poor team dynamics 
• Bullying and harassment 
• Toxic leadership 
• Moral injury 
• Job insecurity 
• And more… 

As the community faces increasing attacks, employers must take bold, proactive steps to support and uplift their LGBTQIA+ employees, creating workplaces that allow for their continued success, growth, and, above all, happiness.  

The path forward won’t be easy. If it were, problems like homophobia and transphobia would’ve been conquered long ago. History tends to repeat itself, but with each cycle comes new opportunities to learn and improve—lessons that can help society move the needle one step closer to genuine equality and lasting unity.  

As today’s emphasis on psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and human-centered workplaces remind leaders, an engaged workforce and thriving workplace depend on everyone’s ability to participate fully in the organization’s mission. This requires the absence of systemic, interpersonal, and environmental barriers that undermine trust, collaboration, belonging, and innovation. The same strategies that build engaged teams also apply to creating safe, supportive, and empowering environments for LGBTQ+ employees. 

With that in mind, the following are five steps leaders can take to create LGBTQ+-inclusive environments in 2025: 

1. Champion open, trust-based communication.

Creating truly inclusive environments—where LGBTQ+ employees feel safe to speak, act, and live authentically—requires thoughtful, trust-based communication. What leaders choose to say—or leave unsaid—deeply influences employees’ sense of belonging and psychological safety. 

Silence is a language all its own, and can be just as potent as speech. When leaders remain quiet on issues of LGBTQ+ rights, inclusion, or equality—especially during times of cultural hostility—it can send a powerful, unintended message: that LGBTQ+ employees are not seen, supported, or valued, even when leaders privately hold inclusive views. 

As author Italo Calvino once observed, “Having had the correct view is nothing meritorious… In times of general silence, conforming to the silence of the majority is certainly wrong.” 

In moments of backlash or uncertainty, refusing to stay silent and instead reaffirming a clear, visible commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion becomes a true show of allyship. As Calvino further wrote, “The important thing is not merely to say what is right, but to say it on the basis of premises and consequences, so that what is said acquires the maximum value.” 

At the same time, inclusive communication also means recognizing when silence is appropriate to convey respect, understanding, and support. When leaders create space for LGBTQ+ voices to be heard—and take a step back to listen with care, intention, and humility—this, too, helps LGBTQ+ employees to feel seen, heard, and genuinely valued and empowered at work. 

That said, in order to establish more inclusive, trust-based communication in the workplace, leaders can: 

• Publicly and consistently voice support for the LGBTQ+ community—regardless of prevailing public sentiment 
• Regularly invite input, thoughts, or stories from LGBTQ+ employees 
• Establish safe, accessible channels for feedback—where LGBTQ+ employees can speak freely, without fear of retaliation 
• Practice active listening in both one-on-one and team settings, making space for diverse voices to shape the conversation 
• Avoid performative allyship by backing words with meaningful action 

2. Move beyond optics to deliver inclusive policies with teeth.

Each June, workplaces and digital platforms are awash in a sea of rainbows—Pride banners and logos on social media, themed graphics and widgets on corporate websites, posters in office hallways, and statements of support shared both internally and externally. 

But beneath this colorful display, many LGBTQ+ professionals remain unconvinced of deeper commitment. In a recent global survey by Coqual, nearly three-quarters of LGBTQ+ employees said their company demonstrates support through marketing and promotional materials—primarily during Pride Month—yet fewer than half reported seeing a sustained, “programmatic commitment” from their employers. 

This, of course, is the “meat and potatoes” of meaningful employer support. LGBTQ+ employees need more than a passive cheerleader—they need an assertive leader. Drafting anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies that are explicit in their coverage of LGBTQ+ employees—denouncing mistreatment of any kind on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression—and making sure that these policies are actually enforced, understood, and backed by clear consequences and effective reporting mechanisms is arguably one of leaders’ chief responsibilities when it comes to creating safe, inclusive, and supportive workplace environment.  

In the past year alone, nearly a quarter of LGBTQ+ professionals experienced some form of discrimination or harassment at work—a figure that more than doubles for transgender and nonbinary employees. At any point over the course of their careers, at least half have faced mistreatment, while more than three-quarters have heard negative comments, slurs, or jokes at work. Unfortunately, while the problem is ubiquitous, employer response remains inconsistent.  

Leaders must take a hard stance against abuse of any kind. This means proactively condemning discriminatory behavior before it surfaces—and responding without waiting for the victim to speak up when it does. By taking swift, decisive, and visible action against perpetrators of abuse, violence, or harassment, leaders send a clear message: that these behaviors will not be tolerated, and that the attitudes that fuel them are not shared. 

3. Establish and empower LGBTQ+ employee resource groups (ERGs). 

What so often chips away at LGBTQ+ employees’ sense of belonging and connection at work is the feeling of being alone in their identity or experience. Research shows that as many as three in five LGBTQ+ professionals hide who they are in order to fit in at work—a decision that no doubt contributes to their elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and other adverse mental health outcomes. 

What LGBTQ+ employees need more than ever—especially as they continue to navigate hostile environments and cultural conflicts—is the space and opportunity to connect with affirming peers: people who can relate to their lived experiences, exchange stories and wisdom, and offer ongoing emotional or interpersonal support. Establishing an employee resource group (ERG) for LGBTQ+ staff is a great way to make this happen. 

Beyond fostering a sense of community and solidarity, LGBTQ+ ERGs can serve as powerful engines of advocacy, visibility, and organizational change—but only when they’re supported effectively. Too often, ERGs are treated as extracurricular, when in reality, they’re deeply strategic. When empowered as trusted thought partners, ERGs can offer a vital pulse on employee wellbeing, help shape more inclusive policies, and inform broader cultural and organizational strategy. 

To realize these benefits, ERGs need far more than lip service. They demand meaningful funding, executive sponsorship, and dedicated time for ERG leaders to do their work—without burning out from the burden of juggling multiple roles and responsibilities. When these groups are truly empowered, belonging deepens, culture shifts, and those who once felt isolated gain a renewed sense of connection, safety, and inclusion. 

4. Create a culture of continuous growth and curiosity. 

For many organizations, training constitutes the centerpiece or sum of corporate DEI strategies. Yet without a sustained commitment to employees’ growth and cultural awareness, these initiatives fail to produce lasting results. 

To ensure educational efforts have meaningful impact, employers must shift toward cultivating a culture of continuous learning and curiosity. This means moving beyond one-off, standardized training and instead implementing ongoing, personalized learning journeys that respond to each team’s unique knowledge gaps and opportunities for growth. It also means structuring development experiences—whether for employees, managers, or senior leaders—around core lifelong learning competencies, such as: 

• Growth Mindset: viewing mistakes and shortcomings as opportunities for improvement 
• Self-Awareness and Reliability: taking accountability for past missteps or misguided beliefs 
• Collaboration and Curiosity: actively seeking out diverse perspectives, ideas, and lived experiences 

With customizable training solutions like The Diversity Movement’s TDM LeaderviewTM, TDM Academy, microlearning tools, and dedicated workshops, employers can equip their teams with relevant, personalized, and scalable support to build their cultural competency and transform learning into sustained behavioral change. In this way, LGBTQ+ education becomes more than a box to check, but a meaningful step toward true inclusion. 

5. Embed inclusion into a winning engagement strategy.

The most successful leaders know: inclusion thrives when it’s embraced as a strategic priority, not a side project. As the WPO Employee Engagement Model shows, inclusion is central to unlocking greater collaboration, productivity, innovation, and, ultimately, engagement. 

When inclusive leadership, relationship building, DEI, and psychological safety are baked into the organization’s daily operations—rather than treated as peripheral initiatives—that’s when employees come to believe that their wellbeing, satisfaction, and presence truly matter to their leaders. It’s not just a gimmick to play along during Pride Month—a pro forma gesture—but a central aim of the organization to include, uplift, and empower every employee.  

Leaders can demonstrate this strategic commitment by: 

• Incorporating inclusive leadership competencies into performance evaluations 
• Integrating inclusion-related questions into engagement surveys and feedback loops 
• Embedding inclusive culture metrics into core business health reporting 

Pride Under Pressure: How to Create a Safe Workplace for LGBTQ+ Employees – A Free Webinar 

In a time of heightened tension and uncertainty, it’s never been more vital for leaders to reflect on how they show up for their LGBTQ+ employees. While external events may be beyond their control, leaders can shape workplace cultures where everyone feels seen, supported, and psychologically safe. 

This Pride Month, join The Diversity Movement (TDM), a Workplace Options Company, for a thoughtful conversation about protecting and promoting workplace wellbeing in a hostile climate. Taking place June 17 at noon EST, this 1-hour free webinar hosted by TDM’s LGBTQ+ inclusion expert, Susie Silver, CDE®, will explore how organizations can provide meaningful support for LGBTQ+ employees, even as external protections are challenged. 

Key topics will include: 

• Responding to current events that affect workplace wellbeing 
• Demonstrating authentic allyship that goes beyond surface-level gestures 
• Meeting the intersectional needs of Gen Z LGBTQ+ employees 
• Leveraging ERGs to build community and resilience 
• Exploring helpful tools and resources to strengthen inclusion efforts 

Discover how fostering psychological safety in the workplace can help organizations engage employees and create high-performing teams. Register now. 

To learn more about how Workplace Options helps organizations empower their people to bring their full, authentic selves to work, visit our consulting page or contact us today.