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Standard Engagement Surveys Fail to Capture LGBT Experience Standard survey questions used by Fortune 1000 companies to measure employee attitudes toward workplace environment may not accurately capture LGBT perceptions and effects of climate or even consider sexual orientation and gender identity at all. Prior to any questions about sexual orientation or gender identity, our national survey included two attitudinal questions common to employee engagement surveys. Survey participants were asked how much they agreed or disagreed with the following statements: “We have a work environment that is open and accepts individual differences.” “This organization values differences in age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and race or ethnicity.” Most LGBT employees (88 percent) agree that their work environment is open and accepting of individual differences. A similar proportion (84 percent) agrees that their organization values differences in age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and race or ethnicity. However, further analysis suggests that these broad attitudinal measures may neither fully nor accurately assess climate as it relates to LGBT employees or their own perception of climate. Neither of these measures strongly correlates with specific experiences related to climate for LGBT employees nor the negative outcomes of climate (on productivity, retention and relationships). For example, LGBT respondents who strongly agreed with the initial statement that their environment is open and accepting of individual differences (36 percent) nonetheless report negative effects from working in an environment not always accepting of LGBT people.
LGBT Agreement with Standard Employee Engagement Questions Thinking about your workplace and employer, do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
ENVIRONMENT IS OPEN AND ACCEPTING OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
36%
36%
15%
12%
OF THE 36% WHO STRONGLY AGREED LIE ABOUT PERSONAL LIFE AT LEAST ONCE IN THE LAST YEAR
46% 40%
FELT UNHAPPY OR DEPRESSED 31%
AVOIDED A SOCIAL EVENT AVOIDED CERTAIN PEOPLE
29%
FELT DISTRACTED
29%
STRONGLY AGREED AGREED
26%
FELT EXHAUSTED
SLIGHTLY AGREED DISAGREED
11%
STAYED HOME FROM WORK
00
20
40
60
80
100