Originally published here.

Work is not always inclusive for LGBT+employees The CIPD believes the primary driver for more inclusive workplaces should be a belief in social justice, with workplaces built on the principles of fairness, transparency and equality of opportunity. An individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity should not affect whether they get a job, benefit from training or receive a promotion. Everyone deserves the opportunity to develop their skills, be fairly rewarded and use their voice in a safe and inclusive working environment. However, we know this is not always the case. It’s important that we understand what job quality looks like for LGBT+ employees. At the CIPD, we have identified seven aspects of job quality and our Good Work Index provides an annual picture of UK job quality, including wellbeing and relationships at work. Previous TUC research1 showed LGBT+ people’s working relationships are a cause for concern.

In fact, nearly seven in ten LGBT+ workers have been sexually harassed or assaulted at work. Many have not told their employer, in some cases due to fear of being outed at work. Our research in 20202 found that, of those who had experienced harassment at work, 13% reported it related to sexual orientation and 4% to gender reassignment.3 In addition, other research4 found that more than one in five respondents (21.5%) had experienced a negative or mixed reaction from others because of being LGBT+, and over three-quarters who had experienced a ‘serious’ workplace incident related to their sexuality said they didn’t report it because they thought nothing would happen or change. Creating LGBT+ inclusive workplaces On the flip side, research shows that when LGBT+ employees perceive their co-workers and line manager as supportive and concerned with their wellbeing, they are more likely to be satisfied, both with their work and their life in general (Huffman et al 20085 ).

This immediate support leads to more positive feelings towards the workplace climate more widely, which functions as a powerful signal to LGBT+ workers to be open about their identity (Webster et al 20186 ). Embedding a range of supportive policies and practices, such as diversity training, antidiscrimination policies and same-sex partner benefits, is positively linked to increased productivity and performance of employees, according to Pichler et al (20187 ). This also increases the ease with which LGBT+ workers can disclose their identity, allowing them to be authentic at work (Fletcher and Everly, in press).8 Moreover, following their research9 involving more than 100,000 LGBT+ people in the UK, the Government Equalities Office (GEO) committed to taking several key steps10 to ensure the fair treatment of LGBT+ employees, notably through training, taking action on sexual harassment and gaining a greater understanding of LGBT+ staff in different sectors.

Creating staff networks, or employee resource groups, is one way to provide LGBT+ people with opportunities for voice and participation, while allowing employees to meet others across the organisation, share experiences, support each other and build a platform for positive change (PwC 201811). While widely used within the private sector, they are less prevalent across all types of organisations and industries. Indeed, some LGBT+ employees fail to engage with them because they worry this could lead to mistreatment or simply question the impact of such groups (McFadden and Crowley-Henry 201812). However, evidence suggests they can help facilitate social support and strengthen job and career satisfaction (Trau 201513). People professionals have a key role to play in creating workplaces that are fair and inclusive towards LGBT+ employees to prevent such discrimination from occurring. This includes determining behavioural expectations of the workforce and the organisation’s stakeholders through policies that are brought alive by the actions of everyone in the organisation, ensuring workplace cultures facilitate a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and create a safe space for all staff.

You can read the complete report here.