Is your workplace LGBTQ-inclusive? You may want to ask your employees

LGBTQ employees are perfectly comfortable with who they are, but when it comes to work, there’s still a lot of room to grow. 

Diversity and inclusion has never been more top of mind as it is now, but according to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 46% of LGBTQ employees have not yet come out to their colleagues and friends at work. 

As employers stress the importance of employees bringing their full selves to work, the LGBTQ community still feels left out, says James Lopata, vice president of coaching supervision at leadership development firm AceUp, and board president for the Massachusetts LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.  

“A lot of times there's a sense of ‘we’re fine,’” Lopata says. “But people are still hiding and don't even know how much different their lives could be and how much different the corporation could be if people were able to show up more.”

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The Human Rights Campaign Foundation found that in 2018, 17% of employees reported feeling exhausted from hiding their sexual orientation, and another 37% said that they feel unhappy or depressed at work as a result. And despite the uptick in DEI initiatives over the last several years, the sentiment remains the same for much of the present-day queer workforce.

Lopata says he worked with an employee who worked for a global organization that seemed progressive and planned annual Pride celebrations. Yet this employee only recently felt comfortable enough to come out to coworkers. His change in attitude and perspective was eye-opening.  

“[This employee] had been with this company for about seven years, but didn't come out to his fellow employees until a few months ago,” Lopata says. “And although he didn’t register being depressed or exhausted, he said that since coming out, it's been amazing and it's enabled him to feel more comfortable at work.” 

Even when companies show support with  “open door” policies and Pride celebrations, the work doesn’t stop there — employers need to talk to their LGBTQ staff and ask questions in order to continuously evolve, even if it’s uncomfortable. 

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“Stop saying and start asking,” Lopata says. “Begin with questions like ‘What's going well and what can we improve around here? What are the obstacles keeping you from doing your best work here? What am I doing well to support you and what can I do better?’” 

Opening pathways and putting the power back in the hands of the disenfranchised is the only way to really start making meaningful change, according to Lopata.

“Bosses don't have all the answers,” he says. “And unleashing the ideas and thoughts from employees can be scary for bosses, but it’ll give people the ability to bring their full selves to work, and employers will begin to have access to some really great ideas.”