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June 28 marks the Stonewall riots’ anniversary and has been rightly declared International Pride Day. The riot is an initiative to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community. Many countries that once considered it a mental illness have now come forward and accepted their rights.
Embracing diversity is highly essential for maintaining cordial relationships. This blog talks about how International Pride Day can be celebrated at the workplace to make it a more inclusive space.
Why should organizations embrace diversity and inclusion?
In the diverse environment that we live in, it is imperative to be an equal-opportunity employer. This makes the workplace a respectful and welcoming place for everyone. It also sends a powerful message about your brand’s values.
You can attract and retain the best talent pool by being an inclusive workplace. It sows the seeds of positivity in the minds of your employees.
By practicing inclusion, you also educate and create awareness among others about the importance of embracing diversity. In this blog, we have listed some ways you can celebrate International Pride Day at the workplace.
Ways to celebrate International Pride Day at the workplace
Here are some ways organizations could plan to celebrate International Pride Day at the workplace:
1. Organizing workshops
Educating people about inclusion and diversity is very important. This is especially true in the workplace since employees need to work together as a team to attain the common goals of the organization. Organizing workshops that educate people and inculcate a sense of inclusion is one of the ways to celebrate Pride Day.
This will help reduce prejudice toward the LGBT community in the workplace. Workshops throw light on the importance of inclusion and how to bring about change in the workplace. This will ensure better coordination among the employees of the company and thereby help the business progress.
2. Donations
You can make International Pride Day special by donating to organizations working toward the cause of LGBTQ communities. For this, you can invite contributions from employees of your organization and also share your part.
Businesses also organize fundraising programs to support NGOs fighting for the cause of the LGBTQ community. There are many ways this can be done. You could organize a special event on Pride Day, like a musical night, bake and sell, etc., and donate the proceeds from the same to the organizations in need of help.
3. Host a pride parade
This is an excellent way to break the barriers in the minds of people at work. Organize a Pride parade and encourage people to dress up in rainbow colors. This will make everyone feel included. Organizations are becoming more diverse now, and activities such as these encourage people to be a part of them.
Pride parades motivate people belonging to the LGBTQ community to share their thoughts. It also helps remove inhibitions in the minds of others by supporting them. Making the workplace a happy one on International Pride Day brings in a lot of memories for the employees. This keeps them committed to the organization that has been a source of support for them.
4. Encourage employees to share their orientations
Due to fear of lack of support, many LGBTQ community members do not reveal their identity. Like everyone else, they should be free to express their pronouns/orientations. This would reduce the stress on their minds and help them contribute better to the organization.
Companies encouraging employees to share their orientations carry a message to others that they are diverse and inclusive. This is a welcome move and instils the message in other organizations too. International Pride Day could be the best time to support employees who wish to share their pronouns.
5. Awareness sessions
Many times we see that a lack of awareness among people is the reason for the exclusion of the Pride community. Though there has been a sea of change in several countries, there is still a preconceived notion about the community. This needs to change, and there can be no better place than the workplace to bring in the change in attitude.
Awareness sessions can be organized where consultants speak to employees of your organization about the importance of inclusion. These sessions can improve the confidence of people belonging to the Pride community and also who wish to support them.
6. Decorate the workplace with pride-related props
The rainbow is the color of pride. Decorate your workplace with a rainbow-colored theme. You can invite ideas from the employees and let their creativity fill the workplace to celebrate Pride Day. It is an opportunity for employees to show their support to the Pride community in the workplace.
Along with expressing solidarity, this can be a great fun way to improve bonding in the workplace. People can share ideas and be more open about their thoughts. It restricts the inhibitions in the minds of people and promotes better relationships.
7. Awareness through social media
Show the world that you upport to the Pride community through social media. Social media is highly powerful and is an excellent medium to communicate with the world. You could post your organization’s celebration video and let everyone know you follow an inclusive policy.
Attracting new talent and clients is much easier when you promote these activities through social media. People who have been waiting to identify a diverse work environment will be able to know about your presence easily with your social media posts.
Conclusion
The work area is one space where people spend a major part of the day. It says how important it is to make the place a conducive one. Supporting someone who chooses to be themselves is a good gesture, especially in organizations that are bound by several rules.
Join the world and spread the colors of the rainbow by celebrating International Pride Day at work.
