Workplace barriers for LGBT employees limit advancement
According to Catalyst’s newest report, ‘Building LGBT-Inclusive Workplaces: Engaging Organizations and Individuals in Change’, LGBT employees face workplace barriers that limit career advancement and, therefore, restrict potential contributions to organizational success. The study finds that a lack of awareness, which may cause other employees to rely on stereotypes, can lead to a hostile work environment for LGBT employees including discriminatory behaviours such as inappropriate humour or derogatory language; exclusion from important relationships and advancement opportunities; and a lack of role models.
The study suggests that since some LGBT employees are “invisible” and choose not to disclose or come out, organizations may not fully understand the benefits, needs, and challenges of these employees. It also points out that when LGBT employees spend less effort managing disclosure and can focus on their work, both organizations and employees benefit. The study reports that LGBT employees working in organizations with effective and inclusive diversity practices indicated better workplace relationships and greater organizational commitment and career satisfaction (linked to greater productivity) than LGBT employees at organizations without them. “Companies that rely on utilising all their talent and potential to the fullest should leverage the wealth of experience in this area,” says Perry Rose Hwang of European Diversity Research & Consulting, pointing to dozens of corporate good practices and research into diversity & sexual orientation. For more information on this the Catalyst report, visit here. For information on best practices research, contact Ms Perry Hwang at office@european-diversity.com
