From early career talent up to the CEO, and all 11,000 employees in between, Lincoln Financial fosters a workplace environment and culture where women can succeed. Today, women comprise 64% of Lincoln&rsquo;s workforce, hold 52% of all management positions and represent 42% of the company&rsquo;s officer-level population (which includes Assistant Vice Presidents and above).
To help build this inclusive workplace, Lincoln prioritizes pay equity, executive development opportunities for women, and women-specific resource groups for employees and the financial professionals in its network. 
<h3>Leadership with a Laser-Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion </h3>
&nbsp;In 2022, Ellen Cooper became Lincoln&rsquo;s first woman president and CEO after 10 years as a Lincoln executive. Ellen and her leadership team set the tone for the organization&rsquo;s inclusive culture &ndash; in fact, diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of the company&rsquo;s leadership expectations &ndash; core traits Lincoln uses to hire and develop talent. Recently, Ellen was named one of <a href="http://womeninc.com/reach-back-move-forward1/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">WomenInc.&rsquo;s</a> &lsquo;Most Influential&rsquo; Executives of 2022 &ndash; in an article, Ellen wrote for the publication, she discusses the meaningful impact of mentorship and sponsorship, particularly for women and people of color.
<h4><a href="https://www.gettinghired.com/company/118247/lincoln-financial-group" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/PVXmjXJ6RTu4V6vgfynD" width="299" height="418"></a> </h4>
<h3> Women-Specific Resource Groups</h3>
 To support its diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, Lincoln enlists the help of its seven different employee-led Business Resource Groups (BRGs). BRGs identify opportunities to enhance workplace engagement and community outreach along diverse demographics. Lincoln&rsquo;s Women&rsquo;s BRG is one of its largest, with around 900 members. The Women&rsquo;s BRG impacts Lincoln and its surrounding communities through initiatives including financial literacy series, professional networking and leadership development events, and partnership with local philanthropic organizations.
 To better support the unique needs of the company&rsquo;s women financial advisors and clients, The WISE Group (Women Inspiring, Supporting, and Educating) was established 10 years ago at Lincoln. Based on the successes and learnings from the WISE group, in recent years Lincoln launched its Women in Sales Network (WISN) to create a community for women in the company&rsquo;s Distribution organization. Additionally, Lincoln&rsquo;s Women in Investing Network (WIN), provides a forum for networking and professional development for women involved in all aspects of financial services. 
One of Lincoln&rsquo;s primary areas of focus is growing the number of officer-level women through deliberate and focused career development programs such as the Women&rsquo;s Leadership Summit. These programs showcase the accomplishments and contributions of Lincoln&rsquo;s women leadership, both internally and within the industry, and provide opportunities to learn more about new business opportunities within the company. Officers are empowered to seek their highest level of personal and professional potential to make an even larger impact within the organization, marketplaces, and communities Lincoln serves. 
<h3>Awards Celebrating the Commitment to Gender Equality</h3>
 Lincoln has been recognized for the outstanding contributions of every Lincoln employee in building an inclusive culture. In 2022, Lincoln was named to the <a href="https://newsroom.lfg.com/lincoln-financial-group-named-to-forbes-list-best-employers-for-women.htm#%3A%7E%3Atext%3DRADNOR%2C%20Pa.%2C%20July%2027%2Cportal%20and%20industry%20ranking%20provider" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Forbes List of Best Employers for Women,</a> in addition to other awards like the <a href="https://newsroom.lfg.com/lincoln-financial-group-included-in-2023-bloomberg-gender-equality-index.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index,</a> the <a href="https://newsroom.lfg.com/lincoln-financial-group-earns-top-score-in-human-rights-campaign-foundations-2022-corporate-equality-index.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Corporate Equality Index,</a> and a perfect score on the <a href="https://newsroom.lfg.com/lincoln-financial-group-earns-seventh-consecutive-100-score-on-disability-equality-index.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Disability Equality Index.</a>
 Lincoln looks forward to continuing the advancement of women in the financial services industry. 
 Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.careercircle.com/companies/lincoln-national-corp-29edbce8-184b-4aa4-a743-71f5578340a0" rel="follow">here </a>to learn more about Lincoln Financial Group and apply for available roles today!&nbsp; <a href="https://www.gettinghired.com/advancing-women" rel="noopener" target="_blank"></a>

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Advancing Women at Every Career Level with Lincoln Financial Group | Getting Hired

Advancing Women at Every Career Level with Lincoln Financial Group

For many people with disabilities, identifying themselves as such in the workplace evokes fear of discrimination and stigma. Self-Identification campaigns &ndash; typically referred to as Self-ID campaigns &ndash; are a great way for employers to prompt disability disclosure among their employees and continue to foster a culture of inclusion in the workplace.&nbsp;
Organizations planning to host a Self-ID campaign should provide multiple methods for collecting information from employees with disabilities. This can include allowing employees to self-identify anonymously, perhaps by sending out a general employee survey that includes the question, &ldquo;Do you have a disability?&rdquo; Some may use the U.S. Department of Labor&rsquo;s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs&rsquo; formal <a href="https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/sec503/self_id_forms/selfidforms.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form</a>, while others may have more public opportunities for employees to share personal stories about their disability-related experiences. Regardless of which method an employer uses, Self-ID campaigns have numerous benefits for both employees and employers. Here are our top 5:&nbsp; 
<ol>
<li>They can help employers measure their success in disability hiring.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/section-503" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Section 503</a> of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment against individuals with disabilities and requires employers to take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain these individuals. To continue to improve employment outcomes, employers must be able to measure their success in disability hiring, which means employees with disabilities must self-identify. However, it is always important to remember that compliance with regulations is only one reason to create an equitable workplace!&nbsp; 
<ol start="2">
<li> They push back against stigma.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
There is a long history of the stigma that comes with having a disability. This can manifest as a fear of disability, the mindset of seeing disability as undesirable, or, most insidiously, as ableism&ndash; discrimination in favor of non-disabled people. By hosting and participating in a Self-ID campaign, employers and employees both seize the opportunity to show that disability is simply another form of diversity, much like gender and sexual orientation. A diverse workplace is a dynamic workplace.&nbsp; 
<ol start="3">
<li> It&rsquo;s good for business.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
According to the <a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_NES_DEI4.0_Toolkit_2020.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">World Economic Forum&rsquo;s 2020 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 4.0</a> toolkit, teams that have a diverse makeup are up to 36% more likely to outperform on profitability and have up to 20% higher rates of innovation. The bottom line is that diversity, which includes disability, outperforms homogeneity. Furthermore, it can be enormously beneficial for an organization&rsquo;s makeup to reflect the population they seek to market to.&nbsp; 
<ol start="4">
<li> They calm fears of disability discrimination at work.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
One of the most common reasons employees choose not to disclose their disability is because they fear negative consequences in the workplace, such as discrimination. By taking a &ldquo;loud and proud&rdquo; stance on disability visibility, employers and employees alike show that they value disability and would not take negative action against a team member with a disability. Self-ID campaigns can take a variety of forms, ranging from anonymous surveys to putting a &ldquo;face&rdquo; to disability and featuring selected employees who self-identify as disabled.&nbsp; 
<ol start="5">
<li> They can be a catalyst for the creation of a vibrant Employee Resource Group (ERG).</li>
</ol>
People are naturally attracted to those they share similar experiences&ndash; the workplace is no exception. Learning about other team members' experiences and disabilities through a Self-ID campaign can be the catalyst for creating a disability-specific Employee Resource Group (ERG).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
There are numerous reasons to host a disability Self-ID campaign. While it&rsquo;s important to know the number of employees with disabilities an organization has, fostering more inclusive workplaces and creating better experiences for all employees is arguably more important.&nbsp;
 
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Five Ways Disability Self-ID Campaigns Benefit Workplace Culture | Getting Hired

Five Ways Disability Self-ID Campaigns Benefit Workplace Culture

Many companies may hire someone without any real plan for how they will keep this person with them long-term.&nbsp; As a result, if the employee leaves with all of their talents and skills, they will create a hole in the team&rsquo;s workflow and impact productivity. It also costs a significant amount of money to replace an employee, not to mention how time-consuming it is to onboard and train new workers. <a href="https://gympass.com/en-us/blog/talent-acquisition-and-retention/benefits-of-employee-retention/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Employee retention matters in every workplace</a>. Workers are more loyal when a company cares about keeping them long-term. They become highly-skilled, more productive, and better able to care for customers. Company culture and morale improve too. It&rsquo;s proven difficult for many businesses to retain LGBTQIA+ workers, in particular, because of the barriers they face in the workplace. According to a 2021 UCLA School of Law survey, over 45% of LGBTQ workers experienced unfair treatment at work, including being fired, harassed, or being passed over for employment opportunities due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. These barriers are causing companies to miss out on all that LGBTQIA+ employees bring to the workplace. But yours doesn&rsquo;t have to. Retain and nurture LGBTQIA+ talent in your workplace by creating a welcoming, safe, supportive environment. You can start by establishing inclusive workplace policies. LGBTQIA+ individuals will be more likely to stay in your workplace if they feel like it&rsquo;s accepting of who they are. 
<h2>Establish Inclusive Policies </h2>
Inclusive policies ensure your employees are protected, treated fairly, and can fully be themselves without fear of losing their jobs or being treated differently. 
Your inclusive workplace policies can include:
<ul>
<li>Flexible working policies;</li>
<li>Offering gender-neutral restrooms;</li>
<li>Treating others with respect and dignity;</li>
<li>An open dress code that allows employees to express themselves so long as they maintain a professional look.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Aside from the policies above, a zero-tolerance harassment policy is also essential. 
<h2>No Tolerance for Harassment in the Workplace </h2>
LGBTQIA+ workers can&rsquo;t stay in workplaces that perpetuate this harassment and bullying for too long. And they shouldn&rsquo;t have to. Make it a point to set expectations around bullying and harassment of anyone in the workplace. Create a clear policy that condemns this behavior and lets employees know the consequences if they are to engage in it. 
<h2>Understand the Unique Mental Health Needs of LGBTQIA+ Individuals </h2>
The American Psychiatric Association revealed that <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/diversity/education/lgbtq-patients" rel="noopener" target="_blank">LGBTQIA+ people are twice as likely to experience a mental health disorder</a> in their lifetime than heterosexual people. They are also more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. Where these mental health issues stem from varies, but they&rsquo;re likely connected to <a href="https://businessdegrees.uab.edu/blog/conflict-work-life-balance/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">challenges with life outside of work and family obligations</a>. Situational conflicts that are unique to the individual, such as housing discrimination, perpetuate work-life balance challenges.
&nbsp;
According to a Center for American Progress survey, <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/discrimination-and-barriers-to-well-being-the-state-of-the-lgbtqi-community-in-2022/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">13% of LGBTQIA+ U.S. adults experience high levels of discrimination in housing</a> &mdash; and they may have to move because of it. Also, many LGBTQIA+ individuals deal with others having a negative attitude about who they are. 28% of LGBTQIA+ respondents in the survey reported experiences of discrimination in public spaces. The same survey also revealed that LGBTQIA+ people were three times more likely to say they postponed or avoided medical care because of disrespect or discrimination from a healthcare provider they experienced in the prior year. 
&nbsp;
Keep in mind that many LGBTQIA+ individuals have families. <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/325083/same-sex-couples-in-the-us-by-children-in-the-household/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">14.3% of same-sex couples</a> had children in their households in 2022. Many are single parents as well, making the obligation to provide financially and emotionally solely theirs. Not being able to meet family needs, get adequate medical care, and navigate the often negative public perception of the LGBTQIA+ community can wreak havoc on these workers' mental health, causing employees to leave your company because they can&rsquo;t cope and leading to higher turnover rates.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
Understanding the unique family and life-based conflicts LGBTQIA+ employees face and how these things affect their mental health will help you provide better support and resources for these challenges. Offering this level of support for LGBTQIA+ employees&rsquo; mental health can help them feel supported both in and out of the workplace. 
<h2>Provide Inclusive Healthcare Benefits and Wellness Perks</h2>
Your efforts to create an inclusive, supportive workplace environment for LGBTQIA+ employees would be incomplete without a focus on providing inclusive healthcare benefits and wellness perks. 
&nbsp;
Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.acponline.org/advocacy/state-health-policy/attacks-on-gender-affirming-and-transgender-health-care" rel="noopener" target="_blank">the attack on LGBTQIA+ rights</a> when it comes to health insurance and accessing quality care is well-documented. Whether it&rsquo;s because they can&rsquo;t get coverage, can&rsquo;t afford services, or because they&rsquo;re being discriminated against in healthcare facilities, many LGBTQIA+ people don&rsquo;t get the care they need. You can show your support for your LGBTQIA+ employees by providing inclusive healthcare benefits and wellness perks. 
&nbsp;
Make sure that the insurance you offer covers gender-affirming care and accepts domestic partnerships. Do your research on the healthcare facilities in the area and compile a list of the ones known to give great care to all individuals. Create parental leave policies that extend to all types of parents.&nbsp; Also, offer wellness perks, like memberships to accessible gyms and access to employee resource groups tailored to LGBTQIA+ workers that provide <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/lgbt-employee-retention-professional-development-programs" rel="noopener" target="_blank">inclusive professional development opportunities</a>. 
&nbsp;
If you want your LGBTQIA+ employees to feel welcome and empowered in your workplace, take good care of them. Understand and accommodate their needs and protect them in the workplace for the best chance at them <a href="https://www.gettinghired.com/blog/4501/employee-retention-tips-for-2023-or-getting-hired" rel="noopener" style="color: #34495e;" target="_blank">staying long-term</a>. 
&nbsp; 
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interested in partnering with us? &nbsp;To learn more about CareerCircle, contact us at gettinghired@careercircle.com. </h4>
 
<hr>
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Content Contributor:
Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a good book. 
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Discover effective strategies for fostering inclusivity and support in the workplace to attract and retain LGBTQ+ talent.

Retaining LGBTQ+ Talent in the Workplace | Getting Hired

Retaining LGBTQ+ Talent in the Workplace

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Advancing Women at Every Career Level with Lincoln Financial Group

Five Ways Disability Self-ID Campaigns Benefit Workplace Culture

Retaining LGBTQ+ Talent in the Workplace

Advancing Women at Every Career Level with Lincoln Financial Group

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