Half Of LGBT+ Ethnic Minorities Are Actively Looking Move To A More Inclusive Employer

Over half of all LGBT+ ethnic minorities are actively seeking a new role at a more inclusive employer, according to new research by Deloitte Global.

The LGBT+ Inclusion at Work report

The Deloitte Global 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion at Work report explored the experiences of LGBT+ people in work worldwide through the lens of sexual orientation and gender identity.

“The data from the survey shows how far there still is to go when it comes to embedding LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace,” said Emma Codd, Deloitte Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer.

“Employers should take action to ensure that they provide an LGBT+ inclusive workplace – underpinned at all times by respect.”

The global survey included 5,474 non-Deloitte LGBT+ people who worked in various sectors and took place between January and February of this year.

The report found that more than four in ten LGBT+ employees across 13 countries, including the United States, United Kingston, and Australia, said their employers fail to demonstrate a commitment to LGBT+ inclusion internally or externally.

Additionally, one in three respondents are actively looking to change employers to find a more inclusive organization, as they want to see a diverse workforce and opportunities to get involved in inclusion initiatives.  

LGBT+ Ethnic Minorities Value Workforce Diversity 

The survey found that attitudes and experiences vary depending on generational groups and ethnicity.

Over half of LGBT+ ethnic minority respondents said they are looking for new roles as they rank having a diverse workforce as the highest in a job, with nearly seven in 10 seeing it as the deciding factor. 

“The survey findings reinforce that when organizations foster diversity and demonstrate commitment to LGBT+ inclusion, it can positively impact the lives and experiences in the workplace,” said Elizabeth Faber, Deloitte Global Chief People and Purpose Officer, in a press release.

Survey respondents reported experiencing several non-inclusive behaviors. For example, 39% of respondents reported receiving comments or jokes of a sexual nature, and 15% were subjected to repeated disparaging and belittling remarks about their race and ethnicity.

How can employers attract and retain diverse talent? 

Deloitte put together several recommendations on what LGBT+ employees look for in an employer and what employers can do to meet these expectations. 

These included a demonstration of commitment to LGBT+ inclusion, which involves external responsibilities aligning with internal actions.

Also, with nearly seven in 10 respondents citing workforce diversity as a deciding factor when looking for a new job, employers should be able to provide opportunities for them to get involved in inclusion.

Deloitte writes, “They should also understand that prospective employees want to see diversity when they look at the organization – both about its staffing and other workplace aspects.”

The high results and experiences of non-inclusive behaviors urged Deloitte to remind employers they should have work to do to help ensure these behaviors don’t happen, and if they do, to help enable all LGBT+ employees to report without concern.