The constant flood of emails, coupled with the expectation of instant responses, can leave us feeling tethered to our inboxes, jeopardising our ability to focus on important tasks. Moira Dunne provides strategies to strike a balance between responsiveness and productivity Email is an essential business tool that can dominate our workdays. The volume of email seems higher than ever and there is an increasing expectation of instant response. We feel we need to be in touch all the time, which plays havoc with plans to get other work done resulting in more time being spent on other people’s priorities. And time is not the only issue when it comes to email. Email notifications on our screens are compelling and very difficult to ignore. High email volumes result in an interrupted work environment. Studies show that this impacts the quality of our work, our ability to make decisions and to think things through. Once distracted by an email alert, it can take up to 23 minutes to get the same level of focus back. So, how can we reduce this impact on our time and performance? Manage your response time We have become very responsive, often answering emails immediately, even when we don’t need to. To start to win back time, look for the opportunity to manage this better. First, think about your email statistics: How many emails do you get each day? How many interruptions is that? How important are those emails? Do they all require an instant response? Second, consider all your stakeholders. What is the agreed response time? What is their expectation when it comes to email responses? Once you have answered the questions about your emails and consider your stakeholder needs, you are able to go to all concerned parties (manager, colleagues, stakeholders) to discuss and agree on an acceptable response time that allows you to work productively but also manage other’s expectations. Spend less time on email To start to spend less time on email, there are two ways you can proceed: checking and processing. Checking email When checking your email, do a quick scan to check what emails have arrived and respond to anything urgent. You can do this as many times as you need to throughout the day. Processing email When processing emails, flag messages that require a response and then sort your inbox by the flag so that these emails stay at the top of your inbox until processed and unflagged. Because you have flagged the emails needing a reply, and they sit at the top of your inbox for your attention, you can schedule productive email processing/response time blocks in your diary. However, between those time blocks, you must mute or close out of email to give yourself time for other work, free of email alerts and distractions. You are still responsive to email but in a controlled way. Email time blocking is an increasingly common work practice that people are using to boost their productivity. Breaking the ‘always on’ habit It can be hard to step away from work when you need to. Start small by figuring out what checking frequency you need to stay in touch with your clients. Pick a day when your email volume is usually lower (perhaps on a Friday). Take a morning and try to alternate between checking and processing, using a time block. When you figure out which method works for you, build it into your schedule/email habits day by day until you have learned to manage your email productively. Moira Dunne is Founder of beproductive.ie Moira is providing a free monthly webinar series on the last day of each month. Her next webinar is on Friday, 25 August on how to reset after summer

 Employee well-being is vital for business success. Moira Grassick explores the biggest people risks, from stress to diversity, and outlines how you can strengthen your organisation’s resilience A business is only as successful as its employees. People are both the most important asset a business has and, on the other hand, a source of risk if they’re not properly managed. After a stressful number of years in which health and well-being were primary concerns for everyone, the workplace has changed irreversibly, and it’s up to business owners to adapt to ensure their people stay happy and, in turn, deliver business growth. Some business risks are outside the control of Irish employers. Global geopolitical tensions and interest rates continue to impact the cost of doing business, but it’s different when it comes to your people. Employee risks are within your control. Here are some risks your organisation can minimise, ensuring happier and more productive employees. Stress and burnout After a challenging number of years, your employees may be suffering from anxiety, stress or burnout symptoms. These psychosocial issues can have a direct impact on productivity and potentially on the reputation of your business. Employees are more focused than ever on work-life balance and well-being. Taking steps to help employees achieve their goals in these areas helps reduce errors, minimise staff turnover and avoid dips in productivity. Remote Health & Safety  A remote worker’s home workstation is an extension of the workplace, and employers need to consider their Health & Safety obligations in this regard. The main responsibility for Health & Safety at work rests with the employer regardless of whether an employee works remotely or onsite. A risk assessment of the employee’s home workspace should be carried out. Work-related injuries (both physical and psychosocial), whether they happen onsite or in a remote location, could lead to penalties, brand damage and a deterioration in employee relations. Recruitment and retention Although the labour market shows signs of turning back in favour of employers, it’s crucial for business owners to figure out what will help staff build long-term careers with them. High staff turnover is bad for business, so engaging with employees and responding to their feedback on what could help them build a long-term future with you will pay dividends. Workplace culture Serious misconduct like bullying and harassment or theft and fraud can derail a business. It’s vital to manage these risks through the effective operation of appropriate policies and procedures. Staff should be aware of the values they are expected to uphold. Likewise, if employers don’t deal with grievances in the correct manner, they risk demoralising staff who won’t want to work within an uncaring culture. Preventing grievances in the first place should be the aim, but failing to manage employee grievances properly will distract your management team from their main tasks, demotivate staff who think colleagues have not received fair treatment and ultimately hurt your business. Diversity, equity and inclusion As the Irish population continues to diversify, it’s important to develop an inclusive and diverse working environment. Failing to address this area will limit your access to the broadest possible talent pool and potentially have reputational consequences that hurt relationships with employees, customers and other stakeholders. Legal and compliance As well as the challenge of managing the transition away from pandemic-related work practices, employers also have a wide range of new employment laws to consider. The statutory sick pay scheme came into force in January and affects all employers. The transparent and predictable working conditions regulations impact probation periods, employment contracts and documentation. Most recently, employers will need to act upon various new work-life balance rights, including the right to request remote work. It’s a major challenge for employers and employment law practitioners to keep pace with the volume of recent employment regulations. The cost of ineffective management The costs associated with these risks are multiple. Management spends too much time firefighting, employees take their talents elsewhere, and the bottom line suffers. With the right approach, however, business owners can turn all these risks into strengths that will make their business more resilient to setbacks and more productive when trade is brisk. Moira Grassick is Chief Operating Officer at Peninsula Ireland

Edel Walsh explains how to transform negative self-talk into empowering, positive prompts to help you on your path to qualification Do you find your internal self-talk is overly negative?  Now, ask yourself a question: would you speak to a friend or a family member so negatively?  The answer is nearly always no. If you wouldn’t speak to others so negatively, then why is it OK to talk to yourself like this?  It’s time we turn negative self-talk into positive prompts. Mindset Mindset is a powerful belief you have about yourself.  There are two types of mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.  In a fixed mindset you believe you are good at something or you are bad at something. There is no in-between. You believe there is no room to grow or to get better at things.  In a growth mindset, on the other hand, you believe your skills and intelligence can be improved with intentional practice and effort.  Fixed mindset When we are studying, we sometimes feel the pull of the fixed mindset. We fall into thinking traps, and negative self-talk takes over.  For example, if you feel out of control about passing your exams, you might hear yourself say, “I never get anything right. I am never going to be able to pass these exams.”  When you believe you don’t have the confidence to ask for help with your studies, you might hear yourself say, “I am worried about what other people will think if I ask for help."  If you think you don’t have the competence or the intelligence to pass your exams, you might hear yourself say, “My colleagues are better than me”, “I am not good enough”, or “I fail more than I succeed." The human brain is a sophisticated organ. However, if you keep telling your brain you can’t do something, it has no option but to believe you. Our brains cannot distinguish between perception and reality.  Unfortunately, when you tell yourself you can’t do something, this often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Growth mindset and positive prompts The opposite is also true. The growth mindset starts in the brain. The key is to catch the negative thinking traps and re-frame these thoughts into positive thinking prompts.  Positive thinking prompts are positive messages or self-talk that help you stay motivated and inspired.  Positive prompts help you to take progressive action by seeing things from a different perspective. They also serve as positive reminders to motivate yourself. By changing how you think and re-framing your self-talk, you can move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.  Here are some positive prompts: “This topic is difficult for me, but I know when I study effectively, I will improve.” “Sometimes, the way I study does not give me the results I want. I can change my study strategy to get better results.” “Failure is not the end of the world. I can learn a lesson to improve in the future.” These positive prompts are about appreciating that challenges occur and are stepping-stones towards something better.  Mistakes are OK When we make mistakes in our studies, the volume of negative self-talk can get louder.  For example: “If I was any good, I wouldn’t keep making mistakes.” What we need to remember is that learning is messy and filled with mistakes and setbacks. Without mistakes, there would be no learning.  The important thing is what you learn from making the mistake.  Tone down the negative self-talk and re-frame it into a positive prompt, such as “Mistakes are valuable learning opportunities.”  Not knowing vs not knowing YET The word 'yet' is magical. This little three-letter word packs a big punch.  The use of 'yet' is particularly useful when encouraging learning. Let’s consider these two statements: I don’t understand double-entry bookkeeping; vs  I don’t understand double-entry bookkeeping yet! The difference in meaning between the two statements is significant.  The first statement suggests you have no understanding of double-entry book-keeping. While the  second statement says the same thing, the word “yet” implies that you will get there. You may not understand double-entry book-keeping at this moment, but you     will understand it at some point  soon.  A simple way to start changing to a growth mindset is by using the word 'yet'. Here are some more examples: I can’t do this…yet. I don’t know…yet. It doesn’t make sense…. yet. I am not good at this…yet. I don’t get this…yet. Catching negative thoughts and turning them into positive prompts takes time and effort but the results will have an overall positive impact on your mental and emotional well-being.  Edel Walsh is a student and exam coach. Her website is www.edelwalsh.ie

Is the thought of having to revise for your next exam or a resit getting you down?  It may be because you’re yet to get into revision mode or it could be that you’ve always struggled when it comes to revising. Whatever your situation, there are plenty of practical methods you can follow to make your revision more manageable.  One of the best places to start is with your mindset. Because if you don’t feel motivated to revise because you see it as a negative thing, it won’t encourage you to get stuck into it.  Ideally, you need to approach your revision with a positive mindset. At the end of the day, it’s something you’ve got to do and will benefit your career, so why not reframe your thinking?   Dos and don’ts for feeling more positive about revision:  do focus on the present - don’t fall into the trap of worrying about the future and that you may not pass. Turn your attention to the here and now; the fact you need to revise for your exam and you’re doing all you can to pass it.  don't be secretive about your revision - tell people you are doing it. Saying it out loud reinforces your revision commitment. It also makes you more accountable for getting it done, especially if people ask you how you’re getting on with it.  do be calm - if you intend to get some revision done at the end of a hectic day, give yourself chance to detach from that experience and put yourself in a calm and more focused mindset. Starting your revision sessions with one minute of deep breathing will help put you in the right frame of mind.  don't dwell on failure - as easy as it can be to focus on past exam failures, don’t let them hold you back. Turn them into successes by focusing on what you did well. For example, how you calmed your nerves, how much sleep you got, how you planned out your revision. do reflect on past exams - how did you perform on the day? Which areas did you excel in and which topics do you need to really brush up on? Did you run out of time? All of these learnings are key for perfecting your future exam performance.  don't forget to back yourself - tell yourself you can sit the exam and you are going to do well. When you’re revising, say that you are looking forward to learning and praise yourself at the end of each session. Control your voice to be cheerleader not a critique. Exams are a stepping stone to your future success - what will they unlock for you?  do create a vision board - vision boards are a great tactic for motivating yourself to revise and picture what’s beyond it. They enable you to visualise what success looks like and what you will achieve as a result of taking this exam stepping stone. don't overlook your rewards - every time you do your revision, reward yourself. It’ll help you feel more positive about it overall too. For instance, you could treat yourself to a long, hot soak in the bath or your favourite chocolate bar. It doesn’t have to be anything too elaborate, but must be something you will look forward to enjoying once you’ve hit your revision milestone.  do put your blinkers on - it’s so easy to compare yourself to others. But it can be really counterproductive when it comes to making progress with your revision. You may have heard that your colleagues did all of their revision in the space of a weekend or that they’re already all prepped for the exam when you’re not. Try not to get distracted by their tactics and progress; try to just focus on you and your revision schedule because that’s what matters.  don’t neglect yourself - it can be easy to neglect yourself when you’ve got lots of studying to do. However, it’s important you don’t push yourself too hard, overlook your needs or skip the basics - such as, eating healthy, regular meals, getting plenty of sleep and exercising (which is one of the best stress relievers there is).   do plan and prepare - effective revision is based on having a dedicated plan in place. You may want to draw up a study timetable to help you stay on track - learn how by reading ‘Study smart: your plan to get the most out of revising.’ Alternatively, you may want to create weekly or daily schedules, where you can break up long hours of study into smaller, more manageable sessions. As the late, great Benjamin Franklin famously said: ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.’ Don’t let it happen to you.  don’t get in a revision rut - unfortunately, feeling motivated about revising isn’t something people can pass on to you. It has to come from within because you are in control of your brain and how you feel about revising. However, if you’ve managed to follow the advice above, we hope you’ll be feeling far more motivated about revising now!   Feeling positive about revision may initially seem like somewhat of an impossible challenge, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t feel that way. There are plenty of things you can do to change your mindset from negative to positive and tackle your revision in a whole new light.  Article reproduced with the kind permission of CABA, the organisation providing lifelong support to ICAEW members, ACA students and their close family around the world.

Jean Evans explores how the language women use at work can adversely affect their career prospects and how they can change it The way women use language can sometimes be perceived as undermining their confidence. It’s something women have been conditioned to do and it’s a part of how they communicate. No matter how expert, qualified or senior a woman is in the workplace, the consequences are the same. They are often unaware of the negative impact using self-defeating language can have on their career progression and professional life. Confidence and how women (and men) are perceived is often subliminal and imperceptible. Confident people get promotions, access to projects, support, financing and so much more. So, what happens when a woman is not confident at work? What happens when she undermines herself consistently without even realising it? What happens when her choice of words expresses a lack of self-belief or imposter complex? The result is that she may be turned down for a new job, passed over for a promotion, not given access to projects, or financial support ... the list goes on. Several factors can contribute to this perception: Hedging: Women tend to use more hedging language or qualifiers in their speech, such as “I think”, “maybe” or “sort of” to soften their statements or appear less assertive. This can create an impression of uncertainty or lack of confidence along with a need for validation from others. Apologising: Women often apologise more frequently than men, even when it may not be necessary. Apologising unnecessarily can give the impression that a woman lacks confidence in her opinions or actions. Politeness: Women are often socialised to be more polite and accommodating in their speech. While politeness is generally valued, it can sometimes be perceived as a lack of assertiveness or confidence. Upward inflection: Women sometimes use upward inflection, or ‘uptalk’, at the end of their sentences, making statements sound like questions. This can make them seem as if they are doubting themselves and seeking outward validation. Minimising achievements: Women often downplay their accomplishments or use self-deprecating humour to avoid appearing boastful. While this may be a way to navigate social norms, it can also inadvertently undermine their perceived confidence in their achievements. Minimising the intrusion: This often shows up as “I’m just ...” The word ‘just’ is heavily tied to point 2 in this list – apologising for intruding on someone by email, phone, etc. It’s important to note that these linguistic behaviours are not inherently indicative of a lack of confidence. No matter how expert she may be in her field, any woman may still fall into these linguistics patterns. They can be influenced by societal expectations and unconscious bias. But the fact is that every time this undermining language is used, women lose out. What’s the antidote? Firstly, it’s about women becoming aware of how they speak and write. My advice is that, if you can engage a coach or have a trusted bestie, mention this to them and ask them to highlight any linguistic tendencies that may not be serving you. After a few goes, you will become aware of when you’re doing it and then you can start redefining your speaking habits to back up just how confident and able you actually are. I had a coaching client recently who used the word ‘just’ a lot. I asked her to reread her emails before sending them and to catch herself whenever this word popped up. She texted me back the very next day to say her confidence had shot up exponentially because of this seemingly minor change. She hadn’t even noticed until then how she had been apologising for almost everything! And that was her first step towards a really positive change. Jean Evans is Networking Architect at NetworkMe

As Pride celebrations kick off all over the world this month, Dee France, wellbeing lead at Thrive spoke to Accountancy Ireland on overcoming prejudice and fear and the importance of allyship in the workplace. Also featured are six members of BALANCE, the Institute’s LGBTQ+ Allies network group, who share their experiences and what employers can do to support true equality.  Dee France Thrive Wellbeing Hub Despite the great strides we have made in fostering more inclusive workplaces in recent years, many in the LGBTQ+ community continue to experience prejudice and fear, writes Dee France. One of the main realities we see among our younger members is that they find themselves forced back into the closet once they leave college and start working. When they do come out in the workplace, some have reported being subjected to unconscious bias characterised by microaggressions and subtle discriminations. Some report living in fear of being ridiculed or bullied while others report being sidelined from promotions or excluded from social events. Not feeling psychologically safe to express your authentic self in the workplace can create untold challenges for many in the LGBTQ+ community. Unsurprisingly, these challenges increase stress levels and anxiety, and impact greatly on self-esteem, productivity levels and engagement with working life. One of our recent Thrive Wellbeing cases who reached out for support, disclosed that they were “living a half-life” because they had to hide their true identity in the workplace. Allyship is the single most impactful active support both organisations and individuals can offer LGBTQ+ colleagues. Demonstrating and modelling inclusive behaviours from the top-down drives change and promotes increased tolerance. Visible leadership action around allyship can start with recognising Pride in the month of June. However, it is important to remember that allyship needs to be a day-to-day activity if you want to build trust among your employees. This will send a clear message to all that LGBTQ+ employees are seen, valued, and supported in the organisation all-year round. Or those in the LGBTQ+ community who are experiencing discriminations and difficulties at work, you are not alone. If you feel victimised, or discriminated against, you can share your experience with others. Reach out to your organisation’s HR team for guidance and support. If you are concerned about confidentiality, you can reach out to the Thrive Wellbeing Hub. Our expert team can offer listening support and can also refer you to a third-party counsellor if required. All our services are free and completely confidential.  Eimer Proctor Senior Manager When I first came out, Pride felt like a celebration and a safe space to be myself. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate that this is not always possible, but I respect the path that has been forged by others to get us where we are today. During Pride 2023, I will remember those who lost their lives and stand in solidarity with my LGBTQ+ community around the world who still face persecution and continue to fight for their right to be who they are. It’s eight years since Ireland achieved marriage equality, and yet it was only in January 2020 that the law in Northern Ireland finally caught up. Given our current political situation in Northern Ireland, it’s unlikely that we will see any further advancements in LGBTQ+ rights and equality in the near future.  I find this very concerning given the rise in hate crimes, conversion therapy and anti-trans rhetoric in the media. It is up to everyone to help end discrimination for the LGBTQ+ community and promote equality.  There has been some great progress in recent years concerning diversity and inclusion in the workplace, but there is still work to be done to protect LGBTQ+ employees and at the heart of this is education.  Employers can introduce diversity and inclusion policies and practices, for example appoint diversity champions and work with employees to help them understand the appropriate language they should use in the workspace. Liaising with employees in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies is vital to understanding the obstacles the members of this community face every day. This, in turn, facilitates a greater understanding of how and why diversity and inclusion policies can directly impact business.  Those employees will, in time, become more comfortable to be themselves within their workplace, as they navigate the corporate world with the full support of their employer. Having these policies in place will also help to attract talented candidates, who will be carefully considering organisations with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.  Conor Hudson Finance Director It’s a general perception that Pride means ‘celebration’ and ‘party’. And, yes, this is a part of Pride – a platform to be yourself and express yourself, but still people are also joining Pride to ‘protest’ and it is important to remember that Pride started as a protest. Equality for LGBTQ+ colleagues in the workplace isn’t about sticking up a rainbow flag at the start of June.  Last year, in my organisation, a colleague and I launched an LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG) with the intention of discussing Pride. While the initial reaction was positive, one response we received was, “We support LGBTQ+ rights; why do we still need to talk about Pride?” This remark justified why we needed an ERG – to increase visibility and offer a safe space to LGBTQ+ colleagues and colleagues with LGBTQ+ family. It is important for employees to feel part of an open and inclusive workplace from day one and allyship helps support this.  One of the actions we have taken to demonstrate visible allyship is to create MS Teams backgrounds and badges to highlight that this person identifies as an ally. We have found these a useful tool during recruitment and first introductions.  Allyship and open workplaces not only positively impact LGBTQ+ colleagues but can also support colleagues with LGBTQ+ friends and family.  Creating safe spaces for allies is equally important. They can’t be expected to know all the answers and they should be able to ask genuine questions without being judged. This culture not only creates open environments for LGBTQ+ colleagues, but also for other intersectional aspects of diversity. Hugo Slevin Head of Function Pride is a great day for us as an LGBTQ+ community, along with our allies, to come together and show unity, and strengthen through open visibility. It is always around this time of year that we start hearing the same question, “Why do we still have Pride?”, but I think it remains such an important day as shown by events over the past 12 months. First, we continue to witness attacks against our community members in ever-increasing numbers. Attacks across Europe are currently at a 10-year high and recent media coverage in Ireland has again brought this sharply into focus.  As a community, we should be able to feel safe in expressing and being who we are. Pride is very much our time to come together and have a platform to vocalise and display these concerns. We have also witnessed attempts to control the narrative on gay rights across the globe. Of significant concern has been what appears to be a regressing of rights in parts of the US, where this downward trend seems set to continue.  Even in Ireland, we have seen attacks on libraries and the cancelling of drag events in the last 12 months. Pride is the time of year during which our voices can be heard, and we stand against deliberate attempts to silence our community. Finally, Pride is fun! The streets of Dublin come alive – there is a real sense of occasion and happiness in the air. We get to walk the streets, dance and celebrate with our family, friends and co-workers. Jonathan Totterdell Major Programmes, Financial Services Pride in 2023 means a day of visibility and courage for both the progress we have made and the long path ahead for LGBTQ+ people around the world.  Recent events such as anti-LGBTQ+ Bills being passed in Florida and – closer to home, the rise of the far right and their anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric – remind us that progress can be rolled back quickly, and it is imperative that those who live in relative safety can make some noise for those who can’t, without fear of repercussions. Over the past decade, I think we have seen some huge successes with gay marriage, a more open culture and a focus by corporates among Ireland to bring diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) to the C-suite. The financial services sector has been making really impressive strides. While there is a business case for DE&I, and many studies have shown that it leads to improved return on investment, I would like to see corporates in Ireland mature on this front, continue to grow their social consciousness, and see DE&I as a positive without the need to prove its financial return. Employers are expected to be ‘all in’ on DE&I in 2023, having the uncomfortable conversations that sometimes come with this topic, appointing champions and including DE&I as part of their leadership ethos. Inclusion is key on the DE&I agenda. You can have a diverse workforce, but without active inclusion, you will be missing a vital ingredient.  One thing I practice is to try to make sure everyone gets a chance to speak up at meetings and contribute ideas and viewpoints to decision-making. When people feel comfortable, they will be able to communicate their ideas more effectively.  Padraig Kilkenny Finance Manager For me, Pride is first and foremost a celebration. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the struggles for equality, not only in our own country, but for LGBTQ+ people across the world.  There is no doubt that Ireland has made considerable progress in terms of LGBTQ+ rights and fostering greater equality in recent years. Landmark victories such as the 2015 Marriage Equality Referendum and gender recognition legislation have increased visibility and acceptance across Irish society.  The Ireland of today reflects a society that embraces diversity and supports LGBTQ+ rights. This has never been more evident than at Chartered Accountants Ireland with initiatives such as the BALANCE network and, more generally, with its support for diversity and inclusivity initiatives. Personally, I am fortunate that I have never felt discriminated against in the workplace, but this is not to say that discrimination does not exist. What I have found helpful in my career is having LGBTQ+ representation at senior levels of the organisation and feeling that I have support from my colleagues and leadership.  I think this support can come in many forms from the highest levels where diversity and inclusion form part of the organisation’s strategy, values and by extension its culture, to more practical efforts, such as establishing and enforcing inclusive policies that protect LGBTQ+ employees from discrimination in areas like recruitment, promotion and benefits. Effective allyship is more than just having policies and strategies in place. It is about supporting and advocating for the rights, well-being and inclusion of LGBTQ+ employees.  Everyone should understand and challenge their own biases through education and listen to LGBTQ+ colleagues, valuing their experiences, and amplifying their voices and perspectives in discussions and decision-making processes.  Pride is a great marker in the calendar for employers to stop and reflect where they are on this journey to foster and support real equality across the board. Áine Crotty Audit and Outsourcing Manager As a leader of a team in my workplace, I believe in the power of people and the true potential that is inside each and every one of my colleagues regardless of their gender, age, sexual orientation, etc.  Therefore, being an ally to my LGBTQ+ colleagues is important to me because it supports them in reaching their full potential.  Non-LGBTQ+ professionals need to be aware of their actions and any potential bias they might have – without the awareness, there cannot be any action or change.  I would recommend attending events such as those organised by BALANCE so you can become aware of the issues your LGBTQ+ colleagues are facing.  There are also some fantastic resources and training out there about unconscious bias that will enable you to change the language you use or how you perceive and treat your colleagues.  After awareness comes accountability. As a non-LGBTQ+ professional, hold yourself accountable to making your work environment a more inclusive place for your colleagues. Make a commitment to yourself and others to change how you act with your LGBTQ+ colleagues for the better. Become an ally and be open and proud of that fact. Letting your colleagues know that you are an ally, and that you fully support them, can make them feel more comfortable in the workplace and allow them to speak more freely about any issues or discrimination they might be facing. It is widely known and accepted that culture comes from the tone at the top. Leaders, whether it be partners or senior executive management team members, need to bring DE&I to the forefront of their agenda. They need to live and breathe what they believe in and what they are trying to achieve for their employees. They need to lead by example and visibly demonstrate their belief in equality for all.