February is LGBT History Month

North Ayrshire Council is an inclusive employer and support is available. You are not alone.

We understand that how you feel at work not only impacts things like job satisfaction and productivity, but also your overall health.

Everyone has the right to feel respected and valued in an environment that allows them to flourish and bring their ‘whole selves’ into work. In this article we explore some of the steps that can be taken to help cultivate a more inclusive working environment for LGBTQ+ colleagues.

What steps can individuals take?

• Further your understanding – Stigma in the workplace can be caused by a lack of understanding and fear. Carry out your own research into LGBTQ+ history and culture to grow your awareness and understanding. Websites such as Stonewall contain plenty of research and historical information.
• Don’t make assumptions about someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation – Making these types of assumptions is a way of reinforcing outdated stereotypes. Instead, try to catch yourself before making an assumption based on someone’s appearance. For example, instead of assuming a married colleague has a ‘wife’ or ‘husband’, you could instead refer to their other half as ‘partner’.
• Get actively involved – Make the effort to join in with any initiatives that are happening in your workplace. You could also consider setting up your own activity by​​​​​​​ organising a fundraiser to support a LGBTQ+ charity.
• Speak up – If you are being discriminated against or witness it at work try to tell someone such as your manager or HR team. It might not be easy to do this, but it is an important step towards identifying and dealing with this type of unacceptable behaviour.

Stay tuned to our social media channels where we will also be highlighting some of the youth led initiatives happening via our Youth Services team including LGBT History training for Youth Work Modern Apprentices, the Youth Equalities Forum and how to get involved in Purple Friday – LGBT Youth Scotland’s annual awareness raising campaign: read more in the Latest News article.