How to Make Hiring Practices More LGBTQ+ Friendly Without Seeming Patronizing

 In today’s increasingly diverse and inclusive world, businesses are recognizing the importance of creating hiring practices that are welcoming and equitable for all employees, including LGBTQ+ individuals. However, making hiring practices more LGBTQ+ friendly is a delicate balancing act. While companies aim to foster a sense of inclusion, it's crucial that these efforts do not come across as tokenistic or patronizing. The key to success lies in integrating inclusive practices organically into the overall business strategy, ensuring they are thoughtful, respectful, and aligned with the company’s values.

To help businesses make their hiring practices more LGBTQ+ friendly without appearing patronizing, the following strategies provide a practical guide.

1. Adopt Gender-Neutral Language in Job Listings

One of the most visible ways to create an LGBTQ+ friendly hiring process is by using inclusive, gender-neutral language in job descriptions. The language used in job postings can influence the type of applicants a business attracts. Terms that are overly gendered or based on traditional norms may unintentionally deter LGBTQ+ candidates from applying.

1.1. Avoid Gendered Pronouns

Using gendered pronouns like “he” or “she” can alienate non-binary and gender non-conforming candidates. To create a truly inclusive job listing, replace gendered language with neutral terms like “they,” or eliminate pronouns altogether. For example, instead of saying “He or she should be able to manage a team,” say “The candidate should be able to manage a team.”

1.2. Use Inclusive Job Titles

Ensure that job titles reflect gender neutrality. Titles like "salesperson" or "waitstaff" may be more inclusive than gendered terms like "salesman" or "waitress." This small change can make a big difference in ensuring LGBTQ+ candidates feel welcomed from the start.

1.3. Focus on Skills and Experience

Avoid adding unnecessary qualifications or requirements that could exclude candidates based on gender stereotypes. Focus on skills, competencies, and experiences that are essential for the job, rather than assumptions about what type of person would be best suited for the role.

2. Ensure the Recruitment Process Is Transparent and Equal

LGBTQ+ candidates, like all job applicants, should be evaluated based on their qualifications, experience, and skills. Discriminatory or biased practices can inadvertently harm the hiring process and lead to inequitable hiring decisions.

2.1. Implement Blind Recruitment

Blind recruitment is a process where information such as names, gender, or other personal details are hidden from the recruitment team in order to reduce bias. By removing identifiers that might suggest a candidate’s gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity, businesses can ensure that all applicants are assessed solely on their skills and experiences.

2.2. Create Structured Interviews

Using a structured interview process with the same set of questions for every candidate reduces the chances of bias creeping into the process. Structured interviews can help hiring managers focus on the candidate's ability to perform the job rather than their identity.

2.3. Use Objective Evaluation Criteria

Develop a clear, objective framework for evaluating candidates, ensuring it is aligned with the job requirements. By assessing all candidates according to the same set of standards, businesses avoid creating an environment where LGBTQ+ candidates feel singled out or treated differently.

3. Promote an Authentic Commitment to Inclusion

Incorporating LGBTQ+ inclusivity into hiring practices should not just be about ticking boxes—it should reflect the company’s true commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all employees.

3.1. Communicate Your Values Clearly

Rather than making LGBTQ+ inclusivity seem like an afterthought, businesses should make it clear that diversity and inclusion are core values. This can be communicated through the company’s website, job descriptions, and social media platforms. Including statements like “We are an equal-opportunity employer and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply” helps candidates feel welcome without it seeming like a token gesture.

3.2. Ensure Support from Leadership

Inclusion efforts must be driven from the top down. When leadership actively supports LGBTQ+ inclusivity, it shows that the company’s commitment is genuine and not just for appearance’s sake. Encourage executives to openly express their commitment to diversity through public statements, events, or internal communications.

3.3. Highlight LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

If your business has an LGBTQ+ employee resource group (ERG), make it known. Highlighting such groups during the recruitment process shows prospective employees that the company provides a support network where LGBTQ+ employees can find community and resources. This also signals that the company is serious about creating an inclusive culture.

4. Provide LGBTQ+ Inclusive Benefits

LGBTQ+ individuals often face unique challenges that their heterosexual or cisgender peers do not. Offering inclusive benefits can demonstrate a business’s true commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ employees, ensuring that no one is left behind during their employment journey.

4.1. Comprehensive Health Benefits

Ensure that your health insurance policies are inclusive of the healthcare needs of LGBTQ+ employees. This includes providing coverage for gender-affirming treatments, mental health services, and fertility treatments. Providing inclusive healthcare benefits shows that the company recognizes the specific needs of LGBTQ+ employees without singling them out or treating them as different.

4.2. Parental Leave and Family Benefits

Offer family leave that is inclusive of same-sex couples and employees starting families through adoption or assisted reproductive technology. By offering gender-neutral parental leave and other family benefits, businesses show that they respect diverse family structures and are not catering to only traditional, heteronormative families.

5. Be Transparent About LGBTQ+ Inclusion Efforts

Transparency is critical when discussing LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts. It's important that businesses do not appear to be pandering to LGBTQ+ employees but rather sincerely committed to creating a welcoming environment. This can be done through clear communication and regular updates on diversity and inclusion goals.

5.1. Publicly Share Progress on Inclusion Goals

While some may view inclusion efforts as superficial, the transparency of a business’s diversity and inclusion goals can ensure that they are not perceived as patronizing. Companies should be open about their objectives for LGBTQ+ inclusion, such as ensuring diverse representation at all levels, increasing LGBTQ+ employee satisfaction, and offering LGBTQ+ sensitive benefits.

5.2. Showcase LGBTQ+ Success Stories

When LGBTQ+ employees excel within the company, showcasing their success stories helps demonstrate that the company is genuinely fostering a supportive environment. Highlighting diverse voices and accomplishments in internal communications or on public platforms shows that LGBTQ+ employees are valued for their contributions and are not simply included for appearance’s sake.

6. Avoid Tokenism by Creating a Culture of Inclusion

The goal of making hiring practices LGBTQ+ friendly should be to create a culture of inclusion, not to check off diversity boxes. Tokenism can be damaging and counterproductive, as it often focuses more on appearance than on creating real opportunities for equality and representation.

6.1. Create Opportunities for LGBTQ+ Advancement

It’s not enough to hire LGBTQ+ employees—businesses must also create opportunities for their growth and advancement. Encourage mentorship programs, provide leadership development opportunities, and ensure that LGBTQ+ employees are represented at all levels of the company. This ensures that LGBTQ+ individuals don’t feel as though they are hired only to fulfill a diversity quota but are given the same opportunities for success as their peers.

6.2. Foster an Inclusive Company Culture

Creating an LGBTQ+ inclusive culture extends beyond hiring practices. Encourage inclusive language, celebrate LGBTQ+ cultural events like Pride Month, and educate employees on how to be better allies. A company culture that supports LGBTQ+ employees in everyday interactions is one where inclusion is a natural part of the workplace, not an afterthought.

7. Gather Feedback and Make Improvements

Finally, businesses should continuously seek feedback from LGBTQ+ employees and candidates about their experiences with the hiring process. This feedback helps companies identify areas for improvement and ensures that inclusion efforts do not seem forced or disingenuous.

7.1. Use Employee Surveys to Measure Inclusion

Anonymous employee surveys can offer valuable insights into how well the company is fostering an inclusive culture. Asking LGBTQ+ employees about their experiences with the recruitment process, workplace environment, and company culture can guide future hiring practices and inclusion efforts.

7.2. Evaluate and Adjust Hiring Practices Regularly

Inclusion is not a one-time initiative but an ongoing process. Regularly assess and adjust your recruitment strategies to ensure they are inclusive and effective. In doing so, businesses can ensure they are consistently meeting the needs of all candidates, especially those from underrepresented groups, without appearing patronizing.

Conclusion

Making hiring practices more LGBTQ+ friendly is a positive step toward creating a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. However, businesses must ensure that these efforts are genuine and not perceived as patronizing. By adopting gender-neutral language, offering inclusive benefits, and fostering a culture of inclusion at all levels, businesses can create an environment where LGBTQ+ candidates feel welcome and supported. With careful thought, transparency, and a commitment to equal opportunity, businesses can attract top talent while avoiding tokenism and ensuring that LGBTQ+ inclusivity is an authentic part of the company culture.