United in Pride: Inclusive Recruitment and Equitable Workplace Strategies

null

We know that true inclusion is more than a policy, it’s a practice. And this Pride Month we have been reflecting on the importance of visibility and support, as well as the tangible actions that employers can take to create truly inclusive workplaces.

At Hays, we know that inclusive recruitment and workplace actions are key to attracting and retaining talent and, in this article, we explore practical steps organisations can take to ensure their hiring processes and workplace culture actively support LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and ensure that everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.

Why inclusive recruitment matters

We know that inclusive recruitment and attraction strategies aren’t just the right thing to do, they are a strategic imperative that enables higher performance. But inclusion doesn’t start at the offer letter. It begins with how we show up in the market, the language we use in our job ads, the accessibility of our hiring processes, and the authenticity of our employer brand.

To ensure inclusive and affirming recruitment practices for LGBTQIA+ talent, employers can:

Use inclusive and gender-neutral language in job ads: Avoid gendered terms like ‘he/she’ and instead use ‘they’ or role-specific language. You can also use a Gender Decoder to analyse your job descriptions and spot gender-biased language, ensuring your advertisements appeal to a diverse range of candidates.
Gender-inclusive application options: Offer gender-inclusive application options to allow candidates to self-identify beyond binary choices and include pronoun fields that are respected throughout the recruitment process.
Adopt a systems-based approach: Conscious and unconscious bias can prevent qualified candidates from progressing, even when they have the right skills, experience, and qualifications. To ensure fairness, we encourage hiring managers to use standardised interview questions and incorporate skills-based assessments. You can also provide hiring managers with hiring rubrics or scoring criteria, so that all applicants are evaluated consistently.
Inclusive statements: Include statements in job postings that explicitly encourage applications from people in the LGBTQIA+ community and other underrepresented groups.
Highlight inclusive benefits: You can also highlight your employee value proposition and share the benefits you offer that will especially appeal to LGBTQIA+ people such as highlighting your Pride employee resource group or inclusive policies such as fertility treatment benefits or gender affirmation policies.

Building an inclusive and equitable work environment

While recruitment strategies are a great place to start, it’s equally important to ensure an inclusive and equitable work environment for all colleagues. Here are some suggestions to consider when developing an employee value proposition that appeals to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Employee resource groups

Employee resource groups (ERGs) also known as employee network groups play a valuable role in fostering inclusion, raising awareness, and building allyship within organisations. These voluntary, employee-led groups bring together individuals with shared identities, interests, or experiences to create a sense of community and belonging in the workplace.

Pride ERGs in particular, support LGBTQIA+ employees by providing a safe and affirming space where individuals can connect, share experiences, and advocate for inclusive policies and practices as well as fostering valuable networks useful for career advancement.

Leadership support

Leaders play a crucial role in ensuring an inclusive and equitable culture. Leaders can support by championing initiatives, securing resources for projects and employee resource groups, and modelling inclusive leadership behaviours, demonstrating to all colleagues that diversity and inclusion are core-organisational priorities – not just the priorities of colleagues in the Pride community or in dedicated roles such as human resources or diversity and inclusion practitioners.

Clint Dal Santo (he/him), General Legal Counsel, APAC and Executive Sponsor Pride ERG, ANZ attests to this: “I’m very proud to be our Pride employee resource group sponsor and contributing to creating a more inclusive culture at Hays. One of the most important things we can do as leaders is to be visible in our support. That means showing up, speaking up, and making sure there are regular opportunities for our teams to engage with inclusion initiatives. Whether it’s through events, conversations, or simply being open about who we are and what we stand for, visibility matters. It sends a message that inclusion isn’t just a policy or a campaign. It’s a value we live by.”

Visible markers of inclusion

Identifiable Pride symbols and imagery can help LGBTQIA+ people feel safe and supported by signalling that a space or person is inclusive, which is especially important in a world where discrimination is common, and inclusion can't be assumed. At Hays, all offices across Hays Australia and New Zealand display ‘Everyone is welcome here’ signage to show LGBTQIA+ inclusion to our colleagues, clients and candidates, and our talent acquisition team recently have organised rainbow lanyards for new starters across ANZ.

Michael Psalios (he/him), Manager Accounting and Finance and Pride Co-Lead shared: “Visible markers of inclusion aren’t just symbolic - they’re deeply personal. Throughout both my working and personal life, I’ve often found it difficult to navigate which spaces or people were truly safe for me to be my whole self. That’s why visible signs of inclusion have always meant so much to me. They represent safety, acceptance, and the freedom to show up authentically. In a world where LGBTQIA+ people still face discrimination, these small but powerful gestures - like rainbow lanyards or inclusive signage -send a clear message: you belong here. It’s why I’m so passionate about driving visibility and inclusion, not just during Pride, but every single day.”

Inclusive parental leave policies and fertility support

Gender-neutral parental leave policies help create a fairer, more inclusive workplace by supporting all employees, regardless of gender or family structure.

Inclusive fertility support is especially important for LGBTQIA+ employees, recognising the diverse paths to parenthood. Employers can play a vital role during this often-challenging journey outside of just paid leave benefits by offering:

Flexible work options
Access to fertility education and resources, and
Recognising surrogacy, fostering and adoption in parental leave policies.

Gender affirmation leave

Employers in Australia and New Zealand could consider offering paid leave and structured guidance for gender affirmation as a key step toward building inclusive, equitable workplaces. Gender affirmation can involve social, medical, and legal processes, all of which require time, support, and financial stability.

Providing paid leave ensures that transgender and gender-diverse employees are not forced to sacrifice income or job security while affirming their identity. Leading organisations such as ANZ and Woolworths have already implemented gender affirmation leave policies, offering between two and eight weeks of paid leave, along with additional unpaid leave options.

Learning and development opportunities

Formal and informal learning opportunities play a vital role in building inclusive workplaces and fostering allyship. At Hays, we recognise that education is key to creating environments where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

Renee Tyndale (pronouns non-disclosed), Business Manager and Pride ERG Co-Lead adds: “Hays provides a safe, supportive environment where I feel truly valued. I’m especially proud of our focus on learning and development, including webinars and regular LGBTQIA+ inclusion training through our partner Pride in Diversity. Our human resource business partners and talent acquisition team have completed formal training, and our Confidential Contacts - LGBTQIA+ colleagues offering peer support - are trained in both LGBTQIA+ awareness and mental health first aid. These initiatives ensure meaningful support and help create a workplace where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered.”

Community engagement

At Hays, we know we have an opportunity to create broader change in the communities we operate in. Our Helping for Your Tomorrow program is a key driver of this commitment and through this initiative, we encourage our colleagues to utilise paid volunteer time to engage in meaningful community work that enhances employability and supports underrepresented groups.

A recent example of this is our CV Writing Workshop held in May in partnership with BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, the peak organisation for Aboriginal lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer + sistergirl and brotherboy (LGBTQ+SB) peoples in NSW. This collaboration provided practical career support and enables us to take real action in supporting LGBTQIA+ and First Nations inclusion through purpose-driven engagement.

As we celebrate Pride this June, we also recognise that inclusion is not confined to a single month it’s a year-round commitment. At Hays, we’re proud to stand with the LGBTQIA+ community not only in celebration, but through continuous, meaningful action. From inclusive policies and visible support to education and community engagement, we remain dedicated to creating a workplace, and a world, where everyone can thrive, every day of the year.

Hays was recognised as a Bronze Tier Employer in the 2024 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards. This milestone reflects the collective efforts of our colleagues and leaders to champion visibility, inclusion, and equity. We encourage applications from members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Apply for a role at Hays today.

About this author

Bernadette (she/her), Senior Manager Diversity Equity and Inclusion ANZ, began working with Hays in 2022 and has over 15 years leadership and human resources experience. Bernadette is passionate about delivering innovative, human-centred and contemporary people strategies that provide an exceptional employee experience and achieve diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces.