We are in the midst of Pride Month, a monthlong commemoration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQI+) community that is “part celebration and part protest,” Brooke Sopelsa and Isabela Espadas Barros Leal recently wrote for NBC News.
Noting the “massive parades and parties” often associated with Pride Month, “the rallies, marches and political actions can be just as important to draw attention to the issues still facing the [LGBTQI+] community,” they wrote.
New data from Randstad finds that those issues certainly still exist in the workplace.
The HR consulting firm recently surveyed more than 2,000 members of the LGBTQI+ community in seven countries, in an effort to evaluate how much has changed for LGBTQI+ employees in the past five years, both positive and negative. The results show “a mixed picture, with pockets of progress,” according to a statement from Randstad.
Indeed, the survey findings suggest that equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives and policies “have gone some way to enabling LGBTQI+ workers to be themselves at work,” according to Randstad.
For example, just over half (51%) of respondents said they feel their employers have taken meaningful action to create an equitable workplace for LGBTQI+ employees.
On the other hand, 41% of LGBTQI+ workers surveyed said they have faced discrimination or prejudice at work throughout their career. The same number said they face less discrimination than they did five years ago, while 28% indicated that discrimination had actually worsened in the past five years.
In addition, one in three respondents (32%) reported feeling more isolated in the workplace than they did five years ago. That sense of isolation deepens among younger generations of LGBTQI+ employees. More than a third of both Gen Z and Millennial workers said they feel more isolated at work than they did five years ago, compared to 27% of Gen Xers and 27% of Baby Boomers saying the same.
This type of discomfort is affecting LGBTQI+ workers’ performance on the job, and is leading some LGBTQI+ talent to pursue other career opportunities. For example, 36% of respondents feel that not being able to be themselves at work impacts their motivation and productivity.
Meanwhile, around one in three survey participants said they have quit a job due to feeling uncomfortable at work. One-third of respondents believe their sexuality or gender identity has negatively affected their career, with 40% feeling that worries about discrimination has impacted their career progression.
Such findings underscore “a clear need for greater support and inclusivity in workplaces,” according to Randstad, “to benefit not only LGBTQI+ individuals, but also the organizations themselves, especially when labor markets are experiencing talent scarcity.”
10 June 2024
Category
HR News Article