In a labor market in which employers are struggling to attract and retain talent with the right skills, experience and knowledge, those employers can’t afford to do anything to alienate current or potential employees. And yet, that’s exactly what many employers across the country are doing when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community.
Diversity Efforts Stalling—or Declining
That’s according to Vivian Ho in an article for BBC Worklife. Ho reports that more than eight million LGBTQ+ employees in the US workforce alone have experienced discomfort or conflict in the workplace. These experiences might be explicit, or based on subtler microaggressions, she says.
“Half of LGBTQ+ and ‘sexual and gender diverse’ people surveyed by the Center for American Progress (Cap) in 2022 reported experiencing some form of workplace discrimination or harassment in the past year because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Ho writes. “The number jumped to 70% for transgender respondents”
Are Your LGBTQ+ Employees a Retention Risk?
LGBTQ+ workers are often at risk of simply leaving a job instead of waiting and hoping for the culture to change. Ho points to a 2021 Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy study indicating that more than one-third of LGBTQ+ employees have left a job based on how they were treated because of their sexual or gender identity.
Clearly, discrimination of any kind can take a toll on employees—that includes LGBTQ+ employees.
The challenges faced by LGBTQ+ employees in the workplace are not just a matter of personal struggle; they reflect a broader issue that impacts employers and the labor market as a whole. The experiences of discomfort, discrimination, and microaggressions endured by LGBTQ+ workers have real consequences, leading many to leave their jobs in search of more inclusive environments.
This turnover not only affects the individuals involved but also poses a significant challenge for employers in retaining skilled and diverse talent.
Fortunately, there is a silver lining as more resources become available and job-seeking behaviors evolve, indicating a shift toward genuinely supporting and embracing the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace. For employers, this underscores the importance of fostering an inclusive and respectful work culture, not only as a moral imperative but also as a strategic necessity in today’s competitive labor market.
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.
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