Pride, Productivity, and Profits: Why Inclusion Pays Off

Welcome to the month of June, where corporate logos get a rainbow makeover. Flags, lunches, team building and snazzy marketing display their support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

But really? Why? Why rainbow up the workplace for one month of the year?

Maybe because they want to demonstrate their company inclusiveness.

But why?

Maybe, because they want their employees to feel heard and wanted.

But why?

Possibly it’s because happy employees are productive employees?

Ahhh, that’s ultimately the crux isn’t it – workplaces showing support and hopping on a trend like Pride Month shows they are inclusive, treat people like people and ultimately that can be a smart thing for business.

Inclusion = Business Success

Making workplaces more inclusive isn’t just nice-it’s smart business. Shing doesn’t think it’s a crazy statement to say that people work way better when they’re happy and feel welcome. It is much easier for employees to produce quality work when they are not dodging discrimination, passive-aggressive comments, or having to suppress their true selves for the comfort of their coworkers. By the numbers, when companies create workplaces that actually welcome LGBTQIA+ employees, a few things happen:

  • Productivity spikes by 3% in inclusive workplaces.
  • Profitability jumps—companies with inclusive practices report higher financial performance.
  • Retention skyrockets—70% of LGBTQIA+ employees stick around when their work feels like a safe place.
 

In short: Happy employees produce better work which creates more success. And yet, some workplaces are still struggling to grasp this concept.

The Tech World: Where Inclusion is Still a Side Quest

Despite all the progress made, the tech industry remains alarmingly behind when it comes to LGBTQIA+ representation. Women in Technology (WIT) found that only 2-3% of the tech workforce identifies as LGBTQIA+. This lack of visibility creates a potential vicious cycle—fewer visibly queer folks in the industry may mean less mentorship, less advocacy, and more reasons for newcomers to feel like the industry does not welcome them.

In addition, just because a company technically hires LGBTQIA+ employees, that doesn’t mean they’re creating an environment where those employees want to stay. Many queer professionals still experience hostility that pushes them out of tech rather than helping them thrive in it, citing feeling mocked, looked down upon, and feeling as though they made their coworkers uncomfortable as some reasons for leaving their workplaces.

Inclusion Doesn’t Have to Be Loud, Just Real

So Pride month is an incredible month with cool rainbows, fun blog posts and hopefully an increase in employees feeling like they belong and are included.

But how do you keep that up beyond Pride month?

Here’s the simplest workplace inclusion strategy: treat people like people. It shouldn’t take a month of rainbow logos to remember that every employee—regardless of sexuality, gender, or identity—deserves respect, opportunity, and support. A world where everyone feels safe enough to be themselves at work is a world where we all get more done and feel good doing it too!

Want to support LGBTQIA+ professionals? Check out these organizations that are doing actual work year-round:

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