LGBTIQ+ inclusive workplaces
Get support as an LGBTIQ+ employee. Help create an inclusive workplace where LGBTIQ+ employees feel safe, valued and supported to bring their whole selves to work.
Read the Queensland Public Sector LGBTIQ+ action plan 2023–2025 for initiatives that promote and support a culture of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces. The action plan addresses important issues as part of the ongoing journey towards equality for LGBTIQ+ employees.
LGBTIQ+ employee network
Join the Queensland Public Sector LGBTIQ+ and Ally employee network. Connect with LGBTIQ+ employees and allies to share information and foster inclusive and supportive workplaces.
Rainbow Liaison Officers
Rainbow Liaison Officers (RLO) can help you with workplace issues or concerns and can refer you to additional support. To find your RLOs, check your intranet or with your HR team.
RLOs are appropriately trained workplace volunteers who champion LGBTIQ+ inclusions. However, they are not counsellors.
The LGBTIQ+ steering committee is extending the RLO network in 2024–2025. If you’re interested in joining, email lgbtiq@psc.qld.gov.au .
Join your organisation’s LGBTIQ+ working group or committee
See a list of agencies with LGBTIQ+ committees or working groups . If your agency isn’t listed, check your intranet, or speak to your HR team.
To add your organisation’s working group or committee to the list, email the LGBTIQ+ steering committee at lgbtiq@psc.qld.gov.au.
Join the Queensland Public Sector LGBTIQ+ steering committee
Register your interest in joining the Queensland Public Sector LGBTIQ+ steering committee. Support the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ employees and ensure Queensland Government policies and practices are inclusive.
Join the critical friends network
Help the Public Sector LGBTIQ+ steering committee lead social change in the Queensland Government. Participate in focus groups, online surveys and questionnaires, or comment on issues when they arise. Participation is voluntary.
Email lgbtiq@psc.qld.gov.au to find out more.
Understand LGBTIQ+ employee experiences
Your organisation’s Working for Queensland survey results may provide insights into the barriers and issues experienced by your organisation’s LGBTIQ+ employees. Use this information to identify ways to improve inclusiveness in your workplace.
Create an organisation action plan
The Queensland Public Sector LGBTIQ+ action plan 2023–2025 details how to create an organisation action plan, as well as how to support initiatives led by the Public Sector Commission and Public Sector LGBTIQ+ steering committee.
Your HR team can assist with resources for your action plan to be developed and approved.
When developing an action plan, keep in mind:
- what you want to achieve and address
- what your employees want in the workplace
- what you need to do to achieve this
- how long it will take to deliver it
- who needs to approve the work.
Review your organisation’s strategic plan and any applicable workforce strategies. Make sure this work aligns.
Your actions might include:
- establishing an LGBTIQ+ and Ally network
- conducting an awareness campaign through training, communication (newsletters, executive messages, lunchbox sessions) and celebration (see the LGBTIQ+ communication toolkit for help)
- reviewing policies and procedures to address accessibility, inclusion and respect.
When you have developed an organisation action plan, you may wish to seek endorsement from the Public Sector LGBTIQ+ steering committee prior to seeking endorsement from your executive champion or sponsor.
Identify an executive champion or sponsor
Your executive champion or sponsor could be your chief human resource officer or someone similar. They can drive change for a more inclusive workplace by:
- gathering support for policy change
- leading or introducing discussions, training, or awareness sessions
- promoting events including days of significance
- supporting the allocation of resources to implement work
- communicating to the organisation through email, newsletters, on your organisation intranet, in fact sheets or other communication channels.
Establish an organisation LGBTIQ+ steering committee
Develop a business case and terms of reference for the establishment of an organisation LGBTIQ+ steering committee. See Queensland Public Sector LGBTIQ+ steering committee as an example, including their terms of reference.
Your steering committee can provide input and advice about specific issues, including identifying priorities and potential risks. Committee members can advocate on behalf of those they represent and foster positive communication outside the committee about progress and activities.
Support your organisation’s LGBTIQ+ community and LGBTIQ+ strategy and action plan.
Establish an LGBTIQ+ and Ally network
Bring together employees who are interested in LGBTIQ+ inclusion and making a difference in the workplace. Consider who can be a member, how they can join and opt out, who is responsible for coordination and how often they’ll meet. Once you know this, seek approval through your executive champion or sponsor.
Establish a Rainbow Liaison Officer program
If your organisation doesn’t have a Rainbow Liaison Officer (RLO) program, consider establishing one.
Email the LGBTIQ+ steering committee at lgbtiq@psc.qld.gov.au for help setting up your RLO program.
Harness your LGBTIQ+ allies
Get your allies to show visible support for the LGBTIQ+ community and LGBTIQ+ strategy and action plan. Encourage them to wear rainbow lanyards, or buttons or specific colours on days of significance (e.g. Wear it Purple Day). See the LGBTIQ+ communication toolkit for help.
Invite your allies to your LGBTIQ+ network meetings. Have them share their stories and promote the work being done to support LGBTIQ+ employees. Ask them to promote your work through their communication channels (e.g. executive message, intranet profile or blog, and e-newsletters).
Encourage your allies to consider learning and development options (e.g. Pride in Diversity trainer program).
Consider a Pride in Diversity membership
A Pride in Diversity membership gives your organisation access to support, resources, networking opportunities, training, consulting and advice about LGBTIQ+ inclusion
Pride in Diversity are a not-for-profit LGBTIQ+ inclusion and awareness supporter and advisor. They host the Australian Workplace Equality Index and are Australia's first and only national not-for-profit employer support program for all aspects of LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion.
Complete the Australian Workplace Equality Index
Complete Pride and Diversity’s annual Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) to assess your organisation’s progress and impact on workplace LGBTIQ+ initiatives. The index drives best practice in Australia and sets a comparative benchmark for employers across all sectors.
The AWEI has 10 content sections to complete. Consider splitting them up between a few of you. Read the evidence and scoring guideline to help target your efforts.
Ask your Pride in Diversity relationship manager to review your submission. If your organisation is not a Pride in Diversity member you will need to pay a fee for the review. The review typically takes 1–2 hours. Book your review early as it often identifies additional actions you need to complete.
When you complete the AWEI submission, ensure you:
- provide evidence for each question. If there is no evidence the assessment team will not mark the question.
- make your evidence accessible. Links to intranets can't be accessed externally. Include a screenshot or a document.
- label your documents and files. If the assessment team can't find the evidence, they will not mark it.
- attach your organisation’s policy (if the question is about your policy
- use short and succinct responses to questions. Lengthy responses don't translate into higher points).
- make your nominated contact for the submission aware and provide the necessary information, for example senior executive KPIs.
- proofread your submission and double-check that your evidence is easily attributable to the appropriate question.
- provide a hardcopy or file transfer submission before the due date. Pride in Diversity do not accept email submissions.
Register for the AWEI mailing list to receive notifications, tips and reminders.
Some of the key successes of previous sector initiatives include:
- greater awareness of the LGBTIQ+ experience through participation in events, such as Wear it Purple Day
- greater workplace inclusion, connection and support, with individual agencies implementing their own LGBTIQ+ steering committees or working groups
- visible LGBTIQ+ allyship demonstrated by employees wearing rainbow lanyards or socks and widespread use of preferred pronouns in email signature blocks
- increased sector-wide education and awareness opportunities, through steering committee sponsorship of Queensland Human Rights Commission’s diversity awareness training for smaller agencies
- increased awareness of LGBTIQ+ matters through the steering committee’s monthly e-newsletter
- greater agency support for employee participation in the Brisbane Pride Festival, with more LGBTIQ+ employees marching under their own agency banner.
To find out more, read the LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy 2017–2022 evaluation summary .
