Beyond the Rainbow: Going Beyond the Pride Month Cheer for Diversity & Inclusion

Over the last five years, the need for Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) has pushed more and more businesses around the world toward promoting equal representation and opportunities in the workplace. 

And particularly this Pride Month, brands are executing various initiatives to banner their support for D&I. But not everything leaves a mark; some campaigns are often temporary, only to capture a new market or for relevance. Much thought needs to be given to this practice as it does not necessarily create long-term benefits for employees, companies, and the wider society. 

Advocating for D&I must begin in an organization’s culture to make a sustainable impact. Companies that welcome people from diverse backgrounds and encourage employees to be their true selves are able to build happier teams. This enables people to be more engaged at work, which contributes to a company’s collective success. 

McKinsey’s 2018 report shows that public companies in the top quartile for gender diversity and ethnic and racial diversity in management were respectively 21% and 33% more likely to have returns above the industry mean. In terms of productivity, inclusive decision-making leads to better business decisions 87% of the time. 

As a global organization expanding its footprint, TaskUs continuously works toward understanding different cultures and interests, and establishing programs that inspire employees to produce ridiculously good innovation for the company and its customers. 

Respect helps employees thrive

Genuine respect is the jump-off point for fostering Diversity & Inclusion in an organization. For TaskUs, it means treating all teammates as human beings and creating a safe and empowering environment for people to thrive. 

Margaux Romero, an Engagement Officer at TaskUs Philippines, is a proud trans woman. She’s been with the company for almost four years and is happy where she is now—but this wasn’t the case prior to joining TaskUs. “My college was accepting of trans women like me, but it was only in my first job where I truly learned about and experienced discrimination,” she recalled. 

“Whether you’ve identified as a woman all your life, but your birth certificate states otherwise, you were not allowed to enter the women’s bathroom or sleeping quarters. To me, it was a safety concern, and the worst part is that people like me never had our voices heard in my previous company,” said Romero.

But with TaskUs, Romero felt more secure because of the gender-inclusive bathrooms and sleeping quarters in TaskUs’s sites in the Philippines. She also feels more inspired at work. In a span of six months, she has had two promotions. 

“TaskUs gave me an opportunity to grow as a person. I truly feel that I belong. I am welcomed in the company and like everyone else, I deserve to be,” she added. Learn more about her story here.

Meanwhile, Ash Arnonobal, a Business Insight Analyst at TaskUs, identifies as a non-binary bisexual. She doesn’t conform to society’s standards of what a female or male should be. And this is why she’s thankful to be a part of TaskUs because people like her often struggle to be understood and accepted, most especially in the professional setting.

Working in the Engineering field, Arnonobal has encountered traditional and conservative colleagues, whose beliefs often clashed with hers. Although a challenge, she tried to understand their disposition as they grew up in a time and an industry where the concept of SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression) wasn’t widely talked about. However, she said that she is hopeful that, as the times evolve, so will people’s views. 

“Being at TaskUs gives me a sense of validation. Someone’s always there to listen. It comforts me to know that there are other people who see the world the way I do, and these are people who really care,” said Ash.

TaskUs recognizes that the LGBTQIA+ community is essential to every organization and industry. It has anti-discrimination regulations and employee programs across its different locations dedicated to supporting and empowering members of the LGBTQIA+. It also launched a self-identification initiative that allows teammates to voluntarily share their SOGIE and their preferred pronouns. 

Marching together 

Building a legacy and taking it to the next frontier is no difficult feat when a company has a solid D&I foundation. For TaskUs, this means taking a stand on social issues and fostering a safe space for feedback, conversation, and education. This is the rationale behind TaskUs’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). 

Employee Resource Groups are voluntary, employee-led organizations that exist to provide a safe space for minority or underserved identity groups and ally supporters. They are dedicated to the professional development of its members, driving positive change inside the workplace through education and awareness, and contributing to the communities where our employees live and work.

Apart from a group for LGBTQIA+ people and allies, TaskUs has ERGs globally for US Army Veterans, people of color, women in the workplace, and more. 

With over 27,500 unique individuals to celebrate, TaskUs is one of the organizations driving the change. The company’s long-standing commitment to D&I has contributed to its industry-leading Employee Net Promoter Score and several “Best Places to Work'' recognitions including CampaignAsia’s Women Leading Change Diverse-Inclusive Workplace of the Year, and Comparably’s list of Best Companies for Women, Best Companies for Diversity, and Best CEOs for Women. 

This only proves that when employees feel fulfilled and valued, business success follows. And it shouldn’t just happen during a certain time of the year. More importantly, companies need to bring the cause further—beyond Pride Month, beyond waving rainbow flags.