Two-Thirds of LGBTQ+ Gen Z Would Leave Their Job If They Can’t Be Out at Work, Reveals New Research
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New research carried out by myGwork has revealed that over two-thirds (66%) of LGBTQ+ Gen Z (university students and graduates in the UK and US) would leave their job if they couldn’t be out at work.
The findings clearly show that being out at work is important for the majority of Generation Z (72%), with more than half saying indicating it’s highly/extremely important for them to be working with pride. Additionally, around 9 out of 10 students/graduates would be more inclined to be out at work from day one if they knew their employer was truly committed to inclusion. However, 7 out 10 graduates/students would return to the closet if their colleagues were not allies or supportive of them being out at work, despite the fact that 83% have been out at university, and had intentions of #WorkingWithPride.
Another surprising finding was that 22% of LGBTQ+ Gen Z identify as asexual, the same number as those who identify as bisexual. Additionally, 21% identified as gay men, 17% as lesbian/gay woman, and 6% pansexual, with 4% still questioning their sexuality. More than half described themselves as cisgender male or cisgender female, 13% queer/gender nonconforming, 8% trans (5% trans woman and 3% trans man), and 2.5% nonbinary.
The research also highlighted that discrimination is still rife in the workplace. Around 6 out of 10 of Gen Z said they have been discriminated against in their place of work/study. It’s no wonder the majority of LGBTQ+ students and graduates (93%) wished they knew more about whether an employer was LGBTQ+ inclusive or not.
One way that LGBTQ+ professionals and graduates can land their dream role where they can be their authentic selves and work with pride is by applying for jobs with inclusive companies. Around three-quarters said they knew how to find out how LGBTQ+-inclusive an organization is. The top sources of finding out more about a company’s LGBTQ+ credentials include myGwork (27%) and the company’s website (23%), followed by LinkedIn (21%) and Google (20%).
So what sign posts are Gen Z looking for to see how LGBTQ+-friendly an organization is? Top signs that demonstrate how inclusive a company is for today’s LGBTQ+ Gen Z include:
- Inclusive policies (e.g. trans-inclusive health insurance): 26%
- Visible role models: 22%
- Marking diversity days/periods (e.g. Pride Month, Stonewall Anniversary, etc.): 21%
- Visibility in offices year-round (e.g. pronouns in emails, rainbow lanyards): 16%
- Employee resource groups: 12%
“The results of this survey indicate that discrimination is sadly still rife in the workplace. We believe no student should have to return to the closet for fear of discrimination at work, which is why we set up myGwork, along with events like #WorkPride and #WorkFair,” stated myGwork’s founders Adrien and Pierre Gaubert. “With so many companies being called out for performative allyship or rainbow washing lately, it can still be really difficult to ascertain which companies are truly progressive and inclusive, and actually live up to their diversity and inclusion statements.”
In short, companies need to work much harder at making their workplaces more inclusive if they are serious about holding onto invaluable diverse talent. Education and the right training are key to this. Finding out what diverse groups, like the LGBTQ+ communities, need at work means having those difficult, emotive, yet very necessary conversations. For example, most people at work want to be better allies, prevent discrimination/micro-aggressions, and ensure they are being inclusive through their everyday actions and words. Part of this requires helping leaders, managers and employees across the organisation develop a better understanding and awareness of marginalised communities and their needs.
The new training from the myGwork Academy can help to achieve that. The Academy’s launch course, LGBTQ+ Allyship in the Workplace, helps by focusing on building an understanding of what it means to be LGBTQ+, the importance of allyship in the workplace and how this can be reflected in day-to-day actions.
For more information about the myGwork Academy and training modules, check out the website here. For a full copy of myGwork’s 2022 LGBTQ+ Gen Z Survey, contact [email protected].
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