Now more than ever, employers must do all they can to support LBGTQ+ employees, break down career barriers and fight discrimination, writes John McNamara
Spoiler alert…there is a call to action for all members in this article.
I was shocked to read in a new report launched in February that 2022 was the most violent year for LGBTQ+ people in Europe in a decade.
The report from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe), a leading equality organisation, stated that there had not just been a stark rise in violence, but also in the severity of this violence, much of it fuelled by an ongoing rise in hate speech, often related to trans people.
ILGA-Europe noted that the translation of hate speech into real-world, physical violence is occurring “not only in countries where hate speech is rife, but also in countries where it is widely believed that LGBTQ+ people are progressively accepted”.
According to the report, a dozen far-right groups targeting people due to their sexual orientation and gender identity, have been identified in Ireland.
The outlook in Ireland
There may be a sense in Ireland that the LGBTQ+ agenda is complete following the 2015 marriage equality referendum. The reality is different.
Just two weeks after the ILGA Report was released, new research published here by Belong to Youth Services revealed that 87 percent of young LGBTQ+ people had seen or experienced anti-LGBTQ+ hate and harassment on social media in the previous year.
This followed earlier research, carried out in October 2022, which found that 76 percent of LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe at school, 69 percent had heard homophobic remarks from other students, and 58 percent had heard homophobic remarks from school staff.
The reality remains that many LGBTQ+ people still choose not to disclose their sexuality at work, while many senior executives have not come out at the office.
Fear of homophobia, judgement, exclusion and being passed over for promotion, are still very real for many LGBTQ+ employees.
The power of positive action
So, what can businesses do to break down these career barriers, reduce workplace discrimination and better support LBGTQ+ employees in the workplace?
Positively, every one of us can take action within our own businesses, by providing leadership and tangible support.
Numerous studies over many years have demonstrated that companies that truly support diversity and inclusion as part of their culture thrive in areas such as:
- Increased employee satisfaction, engagement and retention;
- Increased productivity and team collaboration;
- Improved employee mental health; and
- Improved innovation, customer engagement, financial performance and shareholder value.
What you can do
Only through tangible and meaningful support can employers reap the benefits outlined above, however. Refreshing a company logo during Pride Month, or making a big social media splash, won’t cut it.
At best, it’s a good first step but businesses need to back up these symbols of solidarity with meaningful support.
Here are five ways we can make a real difference through our actions in the workplace.
1. Lead by example from the top
Put aside feeling awkward or the fear of using the wrong words. Instead, those in leadership roles should take the time to learn and understand the relevant issues.
Consider setting up an employee resource group or a focus group or ask HR to work on specific topics. Have a senior leader take the lead on LGBTQ+ employee inclusion. This person may not be LGBTQ+ themselves, but they can still be an ally.
LGBTQ+ employees feel more engaged and invested in a workplace that is a safe place, that is accepting and that allows them to be themselves, and more so if they have a boss who is sympathetic to their own struggles.
2. Develop a supportive LGBTQ+ inclusive policy framework and live it
LGBTQ+ inclusion should be a core part of your Equality and Diversity policy. As a first step, make sure these policies explicitly mention how you as an employer support LGBTQ+ people within your organisation.
Test any employee surveys for inclusive language. Make your benefits inclusive for all employees by being conscious of the words you use in communications and favouring gender-neutral terms.
Make clear your support for LGBGT+ inclusion in your recruitment practices and back this up in employee induction programmes.
Your workplace policies should establish a strong sense of anti-discrimination so that all employees know what is not tolerated, whether from employees or customers.
Create a communication plan to be sure all employees know what is not tolerated and be clear on the consequences.
3. Support your local LGBTQ+ community
Use your position of influence to show your support for your local LGBTQ+ community. Provide information about local events and groups, invite speakers to share their lived experiences, consider sponsoring local resource or sports groups, or encourage staff volunteering at LGBTQ+ events.
These are small but tangible first steps in developing a year-round programme of authentic support and allyship, and not just for Pride month.
4. Support transgender employees
All the available research shows that transgender people face a unique set of experiences and challenges, and in an increasingly toxic external environment.
Education and learning can be vital first steps. Request HR support to be clear on what steps to take after an employee comes out as transgender to create a supportive and encouraging environment.
There is a lot of easily available information that can help to support greater understanding of trans issues. Explicit statements of support are crucial.
Back this up with practical support. If you offer health benefits, seek to make them trans-inclusive, develop supportive leave policies, use gender-neutral wording and try to provide the ability to allow changes to company records.
5. Talk, listen, act
Above all, speak regularly and openly with all staff and your customers about what LGBTQ+ inclusion looks like in your business, how you should address it and how staff can help support it.
We all know that staff who are better understood will be happier and more productive.
We develop plans all the time for most aspects of our business and speaking to an agreed plan on these issues often provides a framework for that ongoing dialogue.
At the same time pro-actively look out for signs of problems or issues - identifying signs that staff are under stress, feel unable to be their true selves or are not happy at work, can help you deal with problems at an early stage before they become more difficult to resolve or manage.
About BALANCE
Chartered Accountants Ireland needs to lead by example too. BALANCE is the LGBTQ+ Allies network group established in 2022 with three events taking place over the course of the year.
Simply put, BALANCE exists to promote awareness of LGBTQ+ inclusion and highlight issues of relevance. We want to be a profession of choice for new students.
We want to encourage visibility and to ensure students and members can be their authentic selves, both during their studies and at work. We want to build and strengthen relationships with our LGBTQ+ allies who work to ensure that the LGBTQ+ perspective is represented at all tiers.
This year will see a partnership event in May with KPMG on issues related to digital world engagement, a regional event, profiling of member experiences and further work to highlight issues of importance.
I encourage you to look at our web pages to find out more about BALANCE, access links to resources you may find helpful and we actively welcome new committee members.
Please do get in touch if you have any questions or suggestions at BALANCE@charteredaccountants.ie or check out
charteredaccountants.ie/diversity-and-inclusion/balance-lgbtq-network-group
John McNamara is Chair of BALANCE and Executive Director and CFO at AIB life
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