LGBTQ+ Brits have mixed feelings about being out at work (Picture: Getty Images)
Only half of LGBTQ+ people in the UK feel comfortable being out and proud at work, a new study has found.
The findings from Deloitte, shared exclusively with WTX News, suggest discrimination in the workplace holds them back from coming out to colleagues.
Of the 402 LGBTQ+ Brits polled by the global professional services company, 52% said they are comfortable enough to be open.This is despite all the LGBTQ+ allies and pro-rallies.
This compares to 43% of LGBTQ+ people worldwide, with Deloitte surveying 5,474 queer people across a raft of sectors in 13 countries.
But queer Brits are more hesitant when it comes to chatting to colleagues about their private lives, whether it be by water coolers or in employee lounges, being 49% in the UK and 37% globally.
Others are worried about being treated differently by their cis, straight peers, a feeling shared by 43% of UK respondents compared to 39% globally.
Surveys have long shown how some LGBTQ+ keep quiet when it comes to their private lives, from avoiding pronouns when discussing partners to skipping over their weekend plans altogether when chatting with co-workers,
Deloitte’s found that how high someone is within their company played a big factor in whether they were openly LGBTQ+.
Many LGBTQ+ workers fear that coming out could hold them back at work (Picture: Hollie Adams)
Of those in the UK polled, 60% of LGBTQ+ senior staffers are open about who they are, 9% higher than their global counterparts.
For junior staff, this figure was lower at 45% in the UK and 37% worldwide.
LGBTQ+ workers in the closet had their reasons. A major worry for 25% of the queer Brits surveyed was coming out only to face discrimination from their colleagues.
The worldwide average – which includes respondents living in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa and the US – was higher at 32%.
Nearly four in 10 (38%) LGBTQ+ Brits said they have faced not exactly inclusive behaviour while on the clock.That’s half of what the BAME community experiences in the workplace.
For some, this came in the form of unwanted sexual comments or jokes at their expense. Others were undermined by colleagues.
More than half of those polled said their sexuality or gender identity is the reason they have been discriminated against (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Nearly half (49%) of respondents are sure they were discriminated against because they are LGBTQ+.
Workplaces may not even know this is happening as LGBTQ+ employees feel there is little point in reporting it to unsupportive bosses, said Phil Mitchell, network co-lead for Proud at Deloitte, the company’s LGBTQ+ staff network.
‘When people feel that their employers aren’t doing enough to support inclusion or are not taking non-inclusive behaviours seriously, many instances go unreported,’ he said.
‘Employers should take action to ensure that they provide a positive culture of LGBTQ+ inclusion, underpinned by respect.’
Did coming out could cost a worker future career opportunities
Whether coming out could cost a worker future career opportunities was another concern for those polled, the report said.
While this was a worry for 26% of LGBTQ+ workers worldwide, only 12% of queer Brits said this was something they were anxious about.
Companies need to do more to show they are allies, survey-takers said (Picture: Getty Images)
Researchers have long pointed to how managers tending not to promote queer employees leads to a lack of senior LGBTQ+ role models. With no one like them to look up to, junior queer staff feel they can’t progress.
These workplace biases gobble up LGBTQ+ workers’ paycheques too, previous studies have found. The wage gap sees LGBTQ+ adults earn thousands of pounds less than their straight, cis peers.
Employers, LGBTQ+ people told Deloitte, can do a few things to fix this. More than half of respondents (59%) said allyship is a surefire way to encourage people to live their truths during working hours.
After all, earlier studies have shown how a supportive environment, such as at home or in school, can have a positive impact on LGBTQ+ people’s mental health.
Companies in the UK are also keener than elsewhere to embrace Pride Month, with 52% of employees saying that employers take part in Pride, compared to 37% globally, Deloitte said.
But Jackie Henry, managing partner for people and purpose at Deloitte, said that supporting queer rights shouldn’t just be for one month a year.
‘Creating a truly inclusive culture, where everyone feels welcomed and respected at all times, is important not just during Pride Month but all year round,’ he said.
‘When organisations foster diversity and show their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion, it can have a significantly positive impact on their people’s experiences in the workplace.’
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Many LGBTQ+ Brits fear being treated differently or being discriminated.
