For many, this Pride month has been extra celebratory, timed with the reopening of our communities as more and more people become vaccinated. After a year of global dialogue around social justice that has shone a light on the experiences of marginalized communities — including LGBTQ+ people — there is a sense of momentum and progress towards combatting inequity.
At the same time, we know we are only at the beginning of the journey towards social justice. This is no more apparent than in the workplace. A recent study by our United Minds team of employee perceptions of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts helped to identify what is contributing to — and standing in the way of — the experience of LGBTQ+ employees.
These top five insights should be considered by all employers as they seek to acknowledge and take action to create a better work environment not only for their LGBTQ+ team members, but for their organization as a whole.
1. Being a Part of a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Organization is Important to LGBTQ+ Employees. LGBTQ+ employees are more likely to agree that having a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization improves reputation with customers, ability to attract high-quality talent, and ultimately the company’s bottom line. In addition, LGBTQ+ employees are 34% more likely than the benchmark to report that it is important that they work for a company that values diversity.
2. LGBTQ+ Employees Have Lower Perceptions of Their Work Environment. One in four LGBTQ+ employees do not agree that people in their organization treat each other with respect and one in three do not agree that their organization offers fair treatment, access, compensation, opportunity and advancement for all employees. Less than half of LGBTQ+ employees believe strongly that their organization has the capacity to attract, grow and retain diverse talent. These perceptions are at or more than 50% lower than the benchmark. In addition, the top thing LGBTQ+ employees want to improve about their company is its culture — 2X higher than benchmark.
3. LGBTQ+ Employees Are Far Likelier to Have Experienced Unfair Treatment at Work. More than four in 10 LGBTQ+ employees report experiencing unfair treatment, including microaggressions, discrimination, and harassment while at work. A third of LGBTQ+ employees have experienced a microaggression, while nearly one in three has experienced discrimination or harassment. LGBTQ+ employees who have experienced unfair treatment are 4X more likely to attribute the cause to their sexual orientation. An LGBTQ+ employee is also far likelier to have experienced multiple types of unfair treatment than the benchmark.
4. Confidence in Human Resources is Much Lower Amongst LGBTQ+ Employees. One in three LGBTQ+ employees does not feel comfortable going to human resources with complaints about discrimination, harassment or incivility. Half of LGBTQ+ employees do not believe that human resources will swiftly and competently address these experiences — a 33% increase over the benchmark.
5. LGBTQ+ Employees Are at Greater Risk of Leaving Their Workplace. Perhaps unsurprisingly given their lower perceptions of work environment, more frequent experience of unfair treatment, and higher levels of disillusion with the institutions put in place to protect them, only half of LGBTQ+ employees are very satisfied with their current job. Nearly a quarter more LGBTQ+ employees are also considering leaving their organization in the next year than the benchmark.
Seen together, the data paint a bleak picture for LGBTQ+ employees and the companies that want to retain them. But there are also opportunities to make significant progress in reversing these troubling trends. For example, our study shows that LGBTQ+ employees are more likely to value the environment at their current workplace and to appreciate the flexibility offered than the benchmark. When it comes to areas for improvement, beyond improving culture, LGBTQ+ employees report wanting to see more commitment from their organization around DE&I, as well as improvements to communications and collaboration.
And the time is now. While Pride month is drawing to a close, the work needs to be ongoing. As companies seek to bring people back into the office — and faced with the Great Resignation — there is more urgency and opportunity to redefine workplace culture and employee experience. By taking immediate action and planning for a long-term commitment to advancing DE&I, employers can foster a more inclusive environment where LGBTQ+ — and all — employees can thrive. In doing so, they will position themselves for success in attracting and retaining top talent and engage better with their customers and communities.
