June celebrates Pride Month, during which we’re all reminded about the importance of fostering a work environment that supports diversity, equity and inclusion. As an active member of the LGBTQ+ community, I’ve sometimes felt like an outsider and worked harder to be accepted. Cultivating DEI in business is a journey, and my own journey has allowed me to mentor and serve as a role model for others in the corporate world, helping them create positive change for their employees and customers.
Today I focus on introducing and training business leaders in “cultural competency,” which helps them understand, appreciate and interact with people who have different cultural practices and viewpoints. Building lasting relationships with LGBTQ+ associates begins by fostering cultural competency in the workplace.
Below are five simple and effective strategies to authentically connect with LGBTQ+ associates and create an environment that allows employees to honor and embrace their differences.
Cultural competency is fast growing in importance because more businesses large and small are operating on a global level and becoming increasingly attuned to the importance of DEI. From an employee engagement standpoint, fostering cultural competency helps team members feel the inclusivity of their workplace, assists in attracting talent from the Generation Z population who are looking at companies through this lens, and drives employee retention by valuing diverse backgrounds.
Pride Month is the perfect time to bring your team together to embrace diversity among multiple cultures. Consider enhancing your daily DEI initiatives by participating in annual holidays to recognize each other’s traditions, host “Lunch & Learn” sessions led by employees of global backgrounds to demonstrate interest in their heritages and be mindful of communication and etiquette norms to show respect for how individuals of specific cultures prefer to conduct business. The future of DEI is cultural competency — celebrate 365 days a year!
Tim Vesperman is a leader in the hospitality industry with over 40 years of experience. Training and leading people are his passions, and he has a strong ability to “woo” people and remove barriers to learning and success. Tim is an active member of several Chicagoland LGBTQ+ organizations and is an integral part of the Seva Global team, a company that helps businesses of all sizes elevate their cultural confidence through customized workshops and consultations that increase employee engagement, enhance the customer experience and drive bottom-line results.
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