Your Company Policies Can Better Support LGBTQIA+ Employees
As June comes to a close and we see many companies switch their rainbow themed logos out, we thought we’d share some specific insights into why LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace needs to be a priority all year long. As part of our work measuring inclusion in the workplace, we’ve collected thousands of anonymous experiences of exclusion, looking to get deeper insight into where and how exclusion occurs within organizations of all sizes.
When we look specifically at the experiences submitted by individuals that self-identified as non-heterosexual, it is clear that when compared to their heterosexual peers, they report a higher level of exclusion across almost all of our Categories of Inclusion. In fact, non-heterosexual employees report a level of exclusion that is 16% higher than heterosexual employees. Common types of experiences include having to speak up for and defend their identity and community, navigating spaces where everyone is assumed to be heterosexual, hostility, microaggressions and more. All this said, there are two particular insights that we want to highlight.
First, the most dramatic difference in experience between non-heterosexual and heterosexual employees when it comes to inclusion has to do with Work-Life Balance. 1 out of 4 non-heterosexual folks on our platform reported an experience of exclusion tied to Work-Life Balance, while 15% of heterosexual employees did the same. This means that according to our data, non-heterosexual individuals are over 50% more likely to report an experience of inclusion tied to Work-Life Balance. Based on the specific experiences shared, companies have a clear opportunity to drive greater inclusion by recognizing and supporting the needs of all family structures. As an example, there is a need for equitable family leave policies and a more fair workload distribution for those without children.
Looking at the experiences shared, we also found a particularly illuminating insight in the sources of exclusion for LGBTQIA+ individuals at work. We have shared in other articles that across the board our data shows that it’s mostly people, rather than policies, that lead to experiences of exclusion. And when it comes to differences in people’s sexual orientation, this still holds true. However, when we compare the impact of policy on marginalized groups across other identity traits including gender identity, disability status, race/ethnicity and more, policy plays a bigger role along differences in sexual orientation. 25% of non-heterosexual users on our platform cited Policy as a source of exclusion. In addition to the inequitable family leave policies noted above, some users also shared instances where they were denied a raise due to not having family members to support.
While managers and leaders may think they’re doing the right thing by making decisions on pay increases based on the number of children an employee has, this can actually be counterproductive. Policies around pay, promotion, flexible working, leave and really any work policy should be built in an equitable way that considers people of all backgrounds, identities and life stages. Making assumptions around people’s caregiving needs, responsibilities and more can lead to a sense of unfairness and discrimination. And in the case described above, it certainly is.
As we look to continue to support LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace, take a hard look at your policies and ask yourself if they are equitable. Better yet, ask your people what they think. Are certain policies unfairly supporting one group over others? Are some folks unsure of how to leverage a benefit that you offer? Getting insight into how these policies and processes are being implemented and understood is essential to identify the gaps and make the adjustments necessary for a more inclusive organization.
If you’re not sure how or where to get started, reach out to our team.
This article was put together in collaboration with Chibin Zhang, Aleria’s Data Analyst.
