- While there's been some progress with LGBTQ+ support at work, there's still a long way to go.
- There are many ways to stand up for LGBTQ+ employees and take action against hate and ignorance in the workplace.
- Explore resources for LGBTQ+ employees and allies who are looking for a workplace that fosters inclusion and support.
Many companies will change their logos to rainbows for Pride this month, but looks aren’t always as they seem. For LGBTQ+ job seekers, real inclusivity and support for employees can be easily muddied with performative actions like companies sharing their support only with profile pics that fade after June. New research provides a stark reminder that the guise of rainbow logos doesn’t always translate into the real workplace experiences of LGBTQ+ employees.
A recent Glassdoor survey conducted by The Harris Poll* points to foundational hurdles that prevent LGBTQ+ employees from experiencing truly inclusive workspaces. Here are some of the findings:
- Nearly half (45%) of employed LGBTQ+ Americans say they believe being “out” at work could hurt their careers (e.g., losing a job, not getting a promotion, not being selected for a project).
- This is down slightly from 47% of employed LGBTQ+ Americans polled by Glassdoor in 2019.
- Over half (55%) of LGBTQ+ employees report they have experienced or witnessed anti-LGBTQ+ comments by co-workers.
- This is up from 53% of employed LGBTQ+ Americans polled by Glassdoor in 2019.
These stats provide a peek into some of the pervasive, day-to-day challenges for LGBTQ+ employees at work, but there are many tools and resources to help lessen them. Let’s walk through some of the ways employees can pinpoint which companies are walking the talk.
Find your inclusive workplace
Knowing where to look can help take some guesswork out of deciphering which employers are inclusive. Here are some of the ways Glassdoor can help get you started.
See company ratings by LGBTQ+ employees
When researching companies, click on the reviews tab and scroll down to find the Ratings by Demographics section. There, you can see employee ratings broken out by Sexual Orientation, Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and more.
For example, at Glassdoor, we can see that LGBTQ+ employees rate the company 4.7** on average, notably higher than heterosexual employees (4.3). A few other companies where LGBTQ+ employees rate their company highly include Box, United Airlines and Sprout Social.
Search for companies highly rated by LGBTQ+ employees
Go even further by actually searching for companies based on your values, including companies rated highly by various employee demographic groups.
That means that if someone searched for U.S. companies where LGBTQ+ employees rated the company 4.0 and higher on average, employers like Discover, Hubspot, and Johnson & Johnson appear. Keep in mind that this tool surfaces companies that meet the custom search criteria and also have a high number of open jobs currently.
Seek advice from Fishbowl
Fishbowl is a valuable tool for engaging in real-time conversations with working professionals, with your name attached or anonymously. For LGBTQ+ professionals, this is a great way to get advice and network, plus there are several communities like the LGBTQIA+ bowl and LGBTQ in NYC that might be especially useful to join.
Take the steps to drive change
The survey data shows that the employee experience for LGBTQ+ workers is still far from perfect. Creating LGBTQ+ employee resource groups, educational programming, and sharing preferred pronouns are just a few ways inclusive companies support their LGBTQ+ workers.
Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, you can take action by being an active bystander against hateful or ignorant comments from coworkers. Embrace LGBTQ+ company-sponsored events and educational programming, and listen to your LGBTQ+ coworkers throughout the year to create safe spaces at work.
Leverage the resources above in your job search to find a workplace that fosters inclusive and supportive working environments where you can be yourself.
*Methodology: The 2023 survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Glassdoor from May 2 - 4, 2023, May 4 - 8, 2023 & May 9 - 11, 2023 among 6,179 employed U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 1.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.
**On-site data is current as of May 17, 2023 and may fluctuate as more employees review their employers and/or voluntarily provide their demographic information.