Pride Month: 3 Ways You Can Honor Pride and Increase Diversity and Retention in the Workplace

This is #IncreaseDiversity, a weekly newsletter series + Increase Diversity Toolbox sharing best practices for employers who want to learn how to… well, increase diversity. To see previous editions, visit JenniferTardy.com. | IG: @IncreaseDiversity | Increase Diversity - YouTube

Pride Month kicked off with an uprising. On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village. Instead of quietly submitting to harassment (as had been the norm), patrons fought back. That night sparked six days of protests and, ultimately, ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in America.

Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two transgender women of color, stood at the forefront of these riots. Their courage transformed what began as yet another police raid into a watershed moment for queer liberation. The following year, activists commemorated the anniversary with the first Pride march—then called “Christopher Street Liberation Day”—setting the stage for what would eventually become a global celebration.

Fast forward to 2025, and Pride Month has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon of parades, festivals, and commemorations held annually in June. What started as a protest has become a powerful expression of identity, community, and the ongoing fight for equality. Pride celebrations now bring together millions of people across the globe, creating visibility and fostering understanding for the LGBTQ+ community.

So how can your organization meaningfully honor Pride Month while building retention? Let's dive into 3 proven strategies that increase diversity and retention.

Best Practice #1: Create Psychological Safety Through Visible Allyship

Don't just say you support LGBTQ+ employees—show it. Visible allyship creates psychological safety, the foundation for increasing diversity and retention.

Start by examining your policies. Do they explicitly protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity? Next, empower leadership to model inclusive behavior. When executives openly identify as allies—using inclusive language, displaying Pride symbols, and sharing personal commitments to equality—it signals to everyone that LGBTQ+ inclusion is a company value, not just HR jargon.

Visibility matters year-round too. Establish an active LGBTQ+ employee resource group (ERG) with executive sponsorship and meaningful budget. Companies with well-funded ERGs and visible allyship reported up to 70% retention of LGBTQ+ talent, according to Deloitte's 2022 workplace inclusion study.

Best Practice #2: Audit and Reform Your Systems for Inclusive Excellence

Look beyond the rainbow logo to examine how your systems either support or undermine inclusion.

Start with recruitment. Review job descriptions for gendered language and showcase diversity in your employer branding. Then scrutinize your benefits package. Do your health benefits cover transition-related care? Are your parental leave policies inclusive of all family structures?

Next, examine advancement opportunities. Implement structured mentoring programs specifically designed to provide LGBTQ+ employees with equal access to career development.

Use Pride Month as the launchpad for a comprehensive equity audit of these systems. Announce the audit during Pride, share transparent baseline metrics, and commit to specific reforms with measurable outcomes. This approach transforms symbolic support into structural change that endures long after the rainbow decorations come down.

Best Practice #3: Connect Your Business to the Broader LGBTQ+ Community

Extend your impact beyond your own walls by connecting meaningfully with the LGBTQ+ community.

Leverage your business expertise for community needs. If you're a tech company, donate technical services to LGBTQ+ nonprofits. If you're in healthcare, fund specialized services for underserved LGBTQ+ populations.

During Pride Month, consider launching a specific initiative that connects your business directly to community needs. Salesforce’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group, Outforce, offers a strong example of corporate engagement. While Salesforce partners with organizations like Out & Equal to advance LGBTQ+ workplace equality, they have also integrated inclusive policies and gender-affirming features into their products.

From Celebration to Transformation

Pride Month offers the perfect opportunity to celebrate progress while committing to deeper change. The strategies outlined above do more than honor a heritage of resistance—they transform workplaces into engines of belonging where all talent can thrive.

As you implement these practices, remember that Pride began as an uprising against injustice—a moment when people from marginalized communities demanded their basic humanity be recognized. Today's most successful organizations honor that legacy not just through celebration, but through concrete actions that create workplaces where everyone belongs, contributes, and stays.

When we build truly inclusive companies, we don't just retain great talent—we attract top talent and increase diversity. And that's something worth taking pride in, this month and every month.