Beyond Pride Month: A Year-Round Roadmap for LGBTQ+ Inclusion at Work

Each June, organizations across the globe celebrate Pride Month, raising flags, hosting events, and showing public support for the LGBTQ+ community. While these efforts are important, they’re only part of the story. Real inclusion is not a seasonal initiative. It’s a long-term commitment embedded into daily operations, policies, and culture.

At Day & Zimmermann (D&Z) we believe Pride should spark momentum, not serve as the finish line. As the rainbow banners come down and events wrap up, we ask: What’s next? Here’s how D&Z, and organizations like us, can continue showing up for LGBTQ+ employees every month of the year.

Why Continued Support Matters

While Pride Month brings visibility, LGBTQ+ employees live their identities every day, and need support beyond symbolic gestures. When inclusion efforts are limited to one month, it can feel performative. On the other hand, year-round efforts build trust, safety, and a sense of true belonging. Studies consistently show that inclusive workplaces benefit from higher employee engagement, retention, and innovation. But this only happens when support is sustained and systemic.

What’s Next? A Roadmap for Year-Round LGBTQ+ Inclusion

Whether your organization is just starting or looking to level up its inclusion practices, here’s a practical roadmap to help move from one-off celebration to ongoing commitment:

• Policy & Benefits
  • Review and update company benefits to ensure they meet the needs of LGBTQ+ employees (e.g., inclusive healthcare, parental leave, and gender-affirming care).
  • Ensure non-discrimination policies explicitly protect sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression.
  • Make policies visible, accessible, and easy to navigate.
    
  
  
• Representation & Visibility
  • Share LGBTQ+ employee stories and spotlight leaders across internal and external channels year-round.
  • Include LGBTQ+ voices in communications, campaigns, panels, and leadership development programs.
  • Audit marketing and branding to ensure it reflects diverse identities authentically.
  
  
• Ongoing Education & Training
  • Provide recurring DEI training that includes LGBTQ+ topics, intersectionality, and allyship.
  • Offer guidance on inclusive language, pronoun usage, and respectful workplace practices.
  • Create learning opportunities for all levels, from front-line employees to executives.
  
  
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) & Safe Spaces
  • Actively and appropriately support and fund LGBTQ+ ERGs.
  • Empower these groups to lead programming, offer feedback on policies, and build community.
  • Host safe spaces for dialogue, especially around key moments like Trans Day of Visibility or National Coming Out Day.
  
  
• Leadership & Accountability
  • Set measurable inclusion goals and hold leadership accountable for progress.
  • Include LGBTQ+ inclusion metrics in broader DEI scorecards and performance evaluations.
  • Encourage leaders to model allyship visibly through participation, sponsorship, and active engagement.
  
  

What D&Z Is Doing

At D&Z, Pride Month is just one part of our ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. The below outlines just a few of the things D&Z has done:

• Shared employee spotlights and personal stories across our intranet (Accelerate.)
• Reviewed our benefits offerings to ensure inclusivity.
• Released statements to our employees on our intranet (Accelerate) outlining how D&Z is closely monitoring and addressing statements made by the Presidential Administration as it pertains to DEI initiatives.
• Supported our LGBTQ+ ERG (True Colors) in hosting multiple events, both independently as well as in collaboration with other ERGs, which were open to all D&Z employees.

But we know the work doesn’t stop in June. That’s why we’re setting long-term goals, building allyship training into onboarding, and inviting all employees to be part of this journey.

For Employers Just Getting Started

If you're unsure where to begin, start small and build momentum. Here are three things you can do today:

1. Assess your current policies and benefits for gaps in LGBTQ+ support.
2. Engage LGBTQ+ employees or ERG leaders in listening sessions.
3. Commit to one long-term goal, like inclusive training or leadership sponsorship, and build from there.

Conclusion: Keep the Momentum Alive

Pride Month may come once a year, but LGBTQ+ employees deserve support every day. Inclusion isn’t a project, it’s a practice. By embedding equity and belonging into our operations, policies, and culture, we show that our commitment is more than colorful logos and one-time events. At D&Z, we’re asking: What’s next? We hope other organizations will, too.