Recap | Inclusive Workplace Culture is Good for Business
The ShanghaiPRIDE Workplace D&I Forums held at Bridge+ on June 13 brought together corporate executives and employees who shared their insights and experience with workplace diversity and inclusion.
Workplace Forum 1
How Supporting LGBTQ Benefits Companies Overall
Kicking off the day-long event, we were honored to have executive managers from Nielsen China, SAP China, and Laiba. All three guests used real-life cases to emphasize that, regardless of the size of the company, supporting the LGBTQ community and promoting Diversity & Inclusion is truly beneficial. Attracting more diverse talents, strengthening employee’s loyalty, and consumer-oriented marketing are among the numerous advantages brought to the table.
Additionally, they also mentioned that, while practicing Diversity & Inclusion measures, corporates should not consider it as a KPI to be marked as complete, but rather a genuine gesture to include and care for every employee.
Workplace Forum 2
How to Create Inclusive Employee Best Practices and Workspace
In this forum, the panelists respectively discussed the means of promoting Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace through the lens of legal, executive leadership, and HR.
Our guest lawyer shared ways for companies to create friendly workspaces and appropriate approaches employees could use to preserve their well-being. The executive from Microsoft brought to us several case studies from her workplace experience. With immersive summer programs, Microsoft encourages more women to participate in previously male-dominanted projects. The panelist from IBM’s HR/D&I team shared tangible examples how their efforts have made an impact through their focus on diversity and inclusion.
These effective real-life cases brought the audience important knowledge, which would provide companies more ways to create a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Workplace Forum 3
Introduction to National LGBTQ Workplace Inclusion Research
Following the lunch break, Beijing LGBT Center led a presentation on the upcoming research on national LGBTQ workplace inclusion and held in-depth discussion about the significance of Diversity & Inclusion Research to corporates.
The guests highlighted why UNDP and ShanghaiPRIDE are supporting and promoting this data. This data can help promote LGBTQ equality in the workplace and contribute greatly to the cause of anti-discrimination by uniting international organizations, various platforms, the community, and the general public.
Workplace Forum 4
Ally, the Friendship and Value in the Workplace
In the afternoon, we invited our consulate partners from Canada and the Netherlands, and a speaker who lived abroad for many years for an insightful conversation. The three guests shared their thoughts on the definition, importance, and cultural significane of “being an ally to the LGBTQ community.”
Through interactions with the host, the guests articulated their opinons on subjects such as “how to define the word ally”, “have you ever experienced or witnessed discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in the workplace”, and “how employees should progress while persisting in their own values”. The forum had sufficient time for audience to interact with the guests, allowing everyone to exchange ideas freely.
Workplace Forum 5
Setting Up and Managing an Employee Resource Group (ERG)
Wrapping up this insightful day, our guests from Ford Motor Company, Nielsen China, Allegis Global Solutions, and The Walt Disney Company brought us an incredible session.
Each panelist shared their journey of starting their own Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) from scratch, and actively answered questions regarding the difference between ERGs and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Towards the end of the forum, participants who are also corporate executives raised inquiries from their working experience, such as the responsibility divided among ERGs and ways to organize events under limited budget. Our guests offered their advice and best pratices, suggesting ways to communicate with their management and HR departments. It is every ERG manager’s sincere wish and goal to turn ideas into actions which will enhance the sense of belonging for all employees. Just as the famous slogan goes “Just do it”, ERG deserves your dedication.
ShanghaiPRIDE would like to thank our partners, sponsors, the LGBTQ communities, and everyone who participated in the Workplace D&I Forums this year, including UNDP Being LGBTI in Asia, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Shanghai, Beijing LGBT Center, and Microsoft!
