“This is an office. Being gay has nothing to do with our work.”
And yet, without realising it, most people talk about their sexual orientation and gender identity at work on a daily basis.
It might be a family picture, a wedding ring, a call from one’s spouse, or conversations about one’s weekend or partner.
Our last survey of more than 50,000 people showed that one in four LGBT people aren’t out at all at work.
That’s a significant proportion of people who feel they need to hide their identity at work on a daily basis in order to avoid judgment and discrimination.
These employees have to consider constantly how peers, clients or managers might respond to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Living a lie inevitably hinders people’s performance, and Stonewall’s research demonstrates that people perform better when they can be themselves.
People who are not out at work are six times more likely to be dissatisfied with their sense of achievement, as well as three times more likely to be dissatisfied with their sense of job security.
Valuing diversity is not only the right thing to do, but it makes business sense.
EY has conducted research showing that, on a global basis, staff working in fully inclusive environments bring to the organisation $125,000 (£79,000) per head annually more than employees working in non-diverse teams. In a challenging economy with more competition – for customers and in recruitment – these are lessons that no employer can afford to ignore.
This is why Stonewall is encouraged to see the property sector showcasing a number of remarkable LGBT role models who are making great contributions in the industry.
Their visibility across the profession is helping change the face of an industry not renowned for its diversity credentials.
By simply being visible in an organisation, LGBT role models can help to illuminate career paths for more junior gay, bi and trans people who may not feel confident about how to progress in their career.
Being able to look up to LGBT individuals within one’s organisation allows employees to feel valued and represented. It allows people to gain the confidence to be themselves at work.
In such a competitive market, employers can’t afford to not attract, retain and develop their best people.
The best role models are those who understand the impact and influence that their presence has in the workplace and use it to make a positive change.
On the other hand, the best employers are those who acknowledge that they have to generate a workplace culture that naturally allows role models to emerge.
Stonewall works with organisations such as Knight Frank, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, DTZ, Gerald Eve, JLL and Savills through our Diversity Champions programme.
We’re advising them on how they can create workplaces supportive of all staff at all levels, and we’ve already seen encouraging progress.
This year we hope we will continue to see an increase in the number of LGBT role models and organisations who are working with us, and who pro-actively engage in the work of professional networks such as Freehold, and the Changing the Face of Property initiative, which Stonewall actively
supports.
Matteo Lissana, LGBT rights charity Stonewall
