More LGBTQ+ Employees Comfortable Expressing Sexuality, Gender at Work

There have been significant strides in LGBTQ diversity and inclusion in the workplace nationally and globally.

For example, according to the Human Rights Campaign report, A Workplace Divided: Understanding the Climate for LGBTQ Workers Nationwide, 46% of LGBTQ workers say they are closeted at work, compared to 50% in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2008 Degrees of Equality report.

ADP (No. 4 on the Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 list), a leading global technology company providing human capital management (HCM) solutions, earned a 100% rating in the 2020 Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRCF) Corporate Equality Index (CEI).

ADP was designated as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality — for the 11th consecutive year. ADP was also on Fair360, formerly DiversityInc’s Top Companies for LGBT Employees list in 2019.

“Creating a better world of work where everyone feels engaged and empowered to achieve their full potential is core to our purpose at ADP,” Aisha Thomas-Petit, chief diversity, inclusion and corporate social responsibility officer of ADP said.  “We believe an engaged, inclusive and diverse workforce attracts top talent, galvanizes our creativity, drives innovation and leads to better products and services.  We are extremely proud to see that our efforts have earned a perfect score on the 2020 CEI.”

Related Article: Accenture Technology Vision 2020: From Tech-Clash to Trust, the Focus Must Be on People

ADP was also included in the 2020 Gender Equality Index (GEI) by Bloomberg. ADP was one of 325 companies across 42 countries and regions included in the list.

Despite changes for the better in the workplace for LGBTQ employees, “1-in-5 LGBTQ workers reported to the HRCF having been told or had coworkers imply that they should dress in a more feminine or masculine manner,” according to the report.

The study also found that 53% of LGBTQ workers report hearing jokes about lesbian or gay people and 31% of LGBTQ workers say they have felt unhappy or depressed at work, while the main reason that LGBTQ employees don’t report harassment or negative comments about their identity because they don’t think company leadership will do anything about it and they want to preserve a good working relationship with the other employees.

But the HRCF’s reports have been having a positive impact on the companies that participate.

“The impact of the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index over its 18-year history is profound.  In this time, the corporate community has worked with us to adopt LGBTQ-inclusive policies, practices and benefits, establishing the Corporate Equality Index as a primary driving force for LGBTQ workplace inclusion in America and across the globe,”  HRC President Alphonso David said.

“These companies know that protecting their LGBTQ employees and customers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do — it is also the best business decision. In addition, many of these leaders are also advocating for the LGBTQ community and equality under the law in the public square.  From supporting LGBTQ civil rights protections in the U.S. through HRC’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act, to featuring transgender and non-binary people in an ad in Argentina, to advocating for marriage equality in Taiwan — businesses understand their LGBTQ employees and customers deserve to be seen, valued and respected not only at work, but in every aspect of daily life.”

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