Rainbow inclusion as the ongoing work of queering: rainbow employees’ positive perceptions of workplace climate in New Zealand

Purpose This study aims to explore Rainbow employees’ positive perceptions of workplace climate in New Zealand organisations to understand how Rainbow inclusion is conceptualised and enacted in practice, addressing the gap in existing scholarship that predominantly focuses on negative workplace experiences. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on qualitative data from an employee perspective survey conducted across 19 Rainbow Tick–accredited organisations representing diverse sectors in New Zealand, this study uses reflexive thematic analysis informed by queer theory to examine positive survey comments from Rainbow employees. The analysis focuses on the practices that create and sustain Rainbow-inclusive workplaces. Findings Four interconnected themes are identified as central to Rainbow employees’ positive perceptions: institutionalising support through policy and management; facilitating queer visibility through organisational practices; enacting Rainbow-inclusive interpersonal relations; and sustaining commitment to queering the organisation. These themes, expressed as ongoing actions rather than static states, demonstrate that Rainbow inclusion requires continuous, intentional effort rather than representing a fixed achievement. Practical implications Findings demonstrate that a Rainbow inclusive workplace climate operates across structural, cultural and interpersonal levels. Organisations must show sustained commitment by maintaining continuous visibility and reaffirming their support, especially amid political backlash. Originality/value This study deliberately shifts focus towards affirmative workplace experiences, contributing balance to existing literature. It reconceptualises Rainbow inclusion not as a static organisational attribute but as an ongoing process of queering – a continual normalisation of queerness and disruption of dominant cis heteronormativity. This reframing emphasises Rainbow inclusion as dynamic practice requiring sustained commitment.