On August 16, Ingalls Shipbuilding hosted the first annual Gulf Coast Diversity Conference. Participants included representatives from Ingalls, Chevron Refinery, Beau Rivage Resort and Casino, Mississippi Power and many others. For its first ever event, Ingalls invited the Human Rights Campaign to participate in this important gathering.
During the day-long meeting, I was honored to present HRC’s the Cost of the Closet and the Rewards of Inclusion. This presentation includes recent data regarding the workplace experiences of LGBTQ people while also offering tools and best practices for creating an inclusive atmosphere for LGBTQ employees.
“We want to make sure that our employees bring their authentic selves to work each day,” remarked one representative present from Chevron.
This was especially important to hear since survey data indicates that despite recent gains in acceptance, more than half of LGBTQ employees nationwide hide who they are at work.
It’s clear from our research that the workplace environment matters. Creating inclusive work spaces is not only good for LGBTQ employees, but it’s good for employers as productivity is higher among employees who are able to be themselves. It also helps when recruiting top talent and retaining top talent.
I’m grateful to Ingalls Shipbuilding and their commitment to providing a safe work environment for all of their workers, and I’m grateful to each company present who share that same commitment.
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