Companies can advance significant strides in supporting their LGBTQ+ workforce
In the heart of Spain, Our Group Spain is setting a shining example of how companies can create a more inclusive work environment for LGBTQ+ employees. This is evident in the story of Javier Benavides Munoz, the Head of Legal at Our Group Spain, who joined the company at the age of 25.
Before his first day, Javier felt a bit scared, harbouring concerns about how his gay colleague status would be handled. However, any fear he had was quickly dispelled as he found the work environment to be inclusive and welcoming to all employees. Upon joining, Javier was warmly received by the multi-national team at Our Group Spain, who accepted him without reservation.
Javier's experience at Our Group Spain can be contextualized within best practices for creating an inclusive workplace. The company has established and supported an LGBTQ+ employee resource group (ERG), the "Out Professionals and Allies" group, which fosters engagement and visibility. This, along with inclusive policies and workplace adjustments, contributes to a positive, inclusive culture.
Our Group Spain encourages allies to actively support LGBTQ+ colleagues by participating in or leading inclusion efforts. This includes visible signs of inclusion such as encouraging employees to add pronouns and phonetic name spellings in email signatures, signaling respect for identity and creating psychological safety.
Moreover, Our Group Spain provides LGBTQ+-focused education and training to all employees, including leaders, to understand challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, recognize unconscious bias, and become effective allies. This education is crucial to empower leadership to support LGBTQ+ team members’ career growth.
The company also implements inclusive policies and workplace adjustments, such as revising anti-discrimination policies to explicitly include gender identity and sexual orientation, ensuring access to gender-neutral restrooms, respecting preferred names and pronouns confidentially, and offering LGBTQ+-competent counseling through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
Recognition of LGBTQ+ events and culture is another key approach Our Group Spain employs. The company actively celebrates Pride Month and other related initiatives as part of its DEI efforts, contributing to visibility and normalization of LGBTQ+ identities within the workplace, promoting inclusion and solidarity.
Lastly, Our Group Spain proactively recruits LGBTQ+ talent by collaborating with advocacy organizations and sharing job opportunities within those networks, enhancing diversity and signalling its commitment to inclusion.
Javier's experience at Our Group Spain, while not detailed in the search excerpts, reflects how supportive ERGs, inclusive policies, and allyship contribute to a positive, inclusive culture. The emphasis is on tangible actions rather than symbolic gestures, ensuring LGBTQ+ employees feel genuinely seen, safe, and supported.
Such comprehensive initiatives have been recognised through awards like the Equality 100 and Stonewall’s Proud Employers program, underscoring their effectiveness in creating workplaces where LGBTQ+ employees thrive.
In summary, companies emulate this inclusive environment by combining explicit allyship, targeted education, policy inclusion, supportive ERGs, and intentional recruitment, creating a workplace where employees like Javier feel valued and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.
- Science shows that workplaces prioritizing diversity and inclusion, like Our Group Spain, contribute to increased productivity, creativity, and employee well-being in terms of health and wellness.
- Our Group Spain's emphasis on finance extends to investing in strategies that enhance business performance while fostering a supportive and inclusive culture for all employees, including those who identify as LGBTQ+.
- By implementing comprehensive initiatives in areas such as workplace adjustments, education, employee resource group support, and recruitment, Our Group Spain sets an example for businesses seeking to promote a healthier, more diverse, and inclusive finance-driven landscape.
