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Furthering LGBTQ+ Inclusion at Work

Paradigm is a strategy firm that partners with innovative companies to build stronger, more inclusive organizations. Paradigm believes that with the benefit of diverse perspectives, our clients will design better products, deliver better services, and build a better world.

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Every June, LGBTQ+ Pride is commemorated in countries around the world. It’s a month to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and honor its history, as well as continue to fight for the rights of and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual people. 

In 2023 in the United States, that fight for equal rights remains critical. In the first five months of this year alone, there’s been an abhorrent rise in legislation seeking to criminalize basic human rights for LGBTQ+ people. According to the Human Rights Campaign:

  • More than 540 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures (more than each of the previous five years);
  • More than 220 bills target transgender and non-binary people — a record; and
  • 45 anti-LGBTQ laws have been enacted so far this year.

In May 2023, alone, we saw Florida and Texas pass bills that seek to criminalize everything from trans people accessing restrooms to Pride events to healthcare. The NAACP and the Human Rights Campaign have both issued travel advisories for Florida, saying the State is increasingly hostile to the LGBTQ+ community. 

In the face of this discrimination and threats to LGBTQ+ people’s rights, safety, and sense of inclusion in the U.S., one would hope work could be a refuge. Sadly, when we look at aggregated data from our employee inclusion surveys, which represent 30,000+ people across industries, we found that LGBTQ+ employees have a less favorable experience than heterosexual employees across all themes of inclusion. 

In particular, LGBTQ+ employees felt less favorably than heterosexual employees when it came to perceptions of fairness, commitment to diversity, and belonging: 

  • There was a -14 percentage point gap between LGBTQ+ and heterosexual employees around the question “To what extent do people from all backgrounds have equal opportunities to succeed at your company?” 
  • There was a -10 percentage point gap between LGBTQ+ and heterosexual employees around the question “To what extent does your company value diversity?”
  • There was an -8 percentage point gap between LGBTQ+ and heterosexual employees around the question  “To what extent can you be your authentic self at work?”

With that in mind, this Pride, organizations should focus on how they can create environments where LGBTQ+ employees feel included and supported. A few things to consider:

May 31, 2023

For help fostering inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees in your organization, contact us today!