There’s a pay gap too (Picture: Getty)
Most LGBTQ+ employees believe they face barrier in reaching senior roles, new research shows.
One common reason for this is that 42% surveyed by INvolve say a lack of senior LGBTQ+ role models in their industry stops progression.
A third believe senior management are more likely to promote non-LGBTQ+ employees who have more in common with them.
On top of this, over a quarter say they have been actively discriminated against by senior leaders when deciding promotions – as many as 19% say they have been prevented from meeting clients due to company concerns about reactions to their sexual identity.
This results in ‘code-switching’, which employees affected feel their need to ‘tone down’ their identity and ‘act straight’ in order to progress in their career.
‘I had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t’: The reality of LGBTQ workplace discrimination
We hear from those who have faced discrimination at work (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
As the harsh summer sun slowly faded into dusk, Dan Byrne was having a laugh at work drinks with his Nando’s colleagues back in August 2019.
That is however, until he overheard his newly hired manager call him a f****t.
Suddenly tuned into the conversation, the now 23-year-old froze as he listened to his boss warn other male colleagues of his sexuality.
‘He was telling them to be careful around me, in case I came onto them because I’m gay,’ remembers Dan, who had worked at the Surrey restaurant for five years. ‘As soon as I heard it I went home. I was so embarrassed… it really upset me.’
From then on Dan began to ‘act more straight’ at work by toning down any natural flamboyant mannerisms, and flew under the radar to avoid further hurtful comments. ‘I was trying to be a completely different person to who I actually am,’ he admits.
However, despite his efforts, Dan says that his manager was ‘cold and hostile’ towards him, and although he only had a few weeks left working at the restaurant before returning to Bristol for university, he felt the need to tell a senior member of staff about what happened.
‘My manager received a warning, and once I left I got an apology from him on Facebook. Although he said he didn’t remember saying it and blamed the alcohol.’
Sadly, Dan’s experience of LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination isn’t unique.
This tragic reality is more common for transsexual individuals, and for people in finance and construction industries.
Research finds there is a pay gap too, as half of those surveyed believe more needs to be done to balance out this concern.
The company behind the research are keen to spotlight more workers from this community through initiatives such as an Outstanding LGBT+ Future Leaders List.
Travis Torrance, who features, said: ‘Sharing the success stories of LGBTQ+ business leaders has never been more important.
‘I firmly believe that “you can’t be what you can’t see”. In other words, visibility matters and provides a roadmap for the next generation of leaders.
‘We must do everything we can to affirm the identities of LGBTQ+ professionals, celebrate our unique voices, and kickstart important societal and commercial conversations.’
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A third believe senior management are more likely to promote non-LGBTQ+ employees who have more in common with them.
