Discrimination affects 40% of LGBTQI+ workers; 25% say it’s getting worse

Despite companies' and organizations' efforts to make workplaces more inclusive, more work needs to be done, said staffing agency Randstad based on global research into the workplace experiences of LHGBTQ+ communities. Over a quarter of those asked believe workplace discrimination has worsened in the last five years. A third of the respondents think that their sexual orientation or gender identity has had a negative influence on their career.

The research was carried out in anticipation of Pride month, which started this weekend. According to Randstad, who spoke to 2,300 people from the LHGBTQ+ community in Australia, Germany, France, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, a third of the people surveyed felt lonelier in their workplace than five years ago. This has mainly been the case for the younger generations than the older ones.

More than a third of the LHGBTQ+ workers have said they are less motivated or less productive if they feel they cannot be themselves. These people quit their jobs or pursue alternate career paths when there are worries about discrimination in the workplace.

Over 40 percent of the people surveyed from the LHGBTQ+ community said that they have had to deal with discrimination or prejudices during their careers. The people surveyed have seen improvements in the last few years.

Two out of five LHGBTQ+ employees have said they experience less discrimination than in 2019. More than half of the respondents said the employer has taken "meaningful action" to create a pleasant working environment.

"A concerning proportion of LGBTQI+ workers are still facing discrimination and experience consequences on their career progression due to just being themselves," said Randstad CEO Sander van 't Noordende, who is also a member of the LHGBTQ+ community.