LGBTQ Workplace Diversity Inclusion—A Matter of PRIDE

Although substantial strides have been made in recognizing LGBTQ issues, more than 53 percent of LGBT workers hide their identity at the workplace. This identity struggle has detrimental impacts on their health, happiness, and productivity, as well as business talent retention and leadership development.

Workplace diversity has been in vogue for some time, but many companies are still struggling to define what it means for their organization, why it is important, and how to include it in their talent management strategy.

LGBT in the Workplace

Seventy-four countries prohibit discrimination in employment because of sexual orientation, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., there is no federal law protecting employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and there is no state-level protection for sexual orientation or gender identity in 29 of the 50 U.S. states. This means employees can be fired for being LGBTQ (LGBTQ is the acronym used to address the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender and queer/questioning community). As of 2018, 93 percent of Fortune 500 companies had in place non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. Some 85 percent had non-discrimination policies that include gender identity. Many companies also provide other benefits (49 percent include domestic partner benefits and 62 percent include transgender-inclusive benefits).

by Dr. Dexter Morse