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Why should we talk about LGBT+ persons in the workplace? Employee networks that help support diversity in business
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Why should we talk about LGBT+ persons in the workplace? Employee networks that help support diversity in business

Almost 2/3 of LGBT+ persons in Poland do not talk about their orientation and identity in the workplace[i]. The reason for this is a sense of danger, fear and stress. The discussion on creating a safe work environment - a place where the well-being of every employee is taken care of - opens with the recently released report "Safe Havens. Why Should We Talk About LGBT+ Persons in the Workplace?”

 

For several years, we have seen a significant increase in the interest of business in diversity, equality and inclusion. Originally focused on background and gender, today it encompasses increasingly broader areas that also include worldview, fitness level as well as sexual orientation and gender identity. The vital importance of diversity for business is emphasized at the World Economic Forum - one of the key meeting platforms for representatives of various sectors from around the globe. Also in our part of the world, this subject gains traction. As EU Commissioner for Equality, Helen Dalli, points out, "managing diversity in the workplace must be one of the top human resources priorities for every employer in Europe." Such support is manifested in the care of LGBT+ employees. This is the focus of the report, titled “Safe havens. Why should we talk about LGBT+ persons in the workplace?”, released by the Miłość Nie Wyklucza Association [Love Does Not Exlude] in cooperation with the Skanska commercial development business unit in CEE.

Need for safety at work

In ILGA-Europe's annual ranking, which measures the level of equality for LGBT+ persons in European countries, Poland is almost at the bottom of the entire list. The road to changing this position is long. The social organizations highlight the need for transformation in such areas as marriage, gender reconciliation, security, equal treatment, health and education, each with several demands for legal changes. Among these issues, there is also diversity management in the workplace. One aspect of this management - good practices in hiring LGBT+ persons - is pointed out by the Miłość Nie Wyklucza Association.

As integral parts of the personality, sexual orientation and gender identity have a huge impact on the quality of our social relationships and, as a result, our entire life - including our professional life.Hubert Sobecki, co-chairman of the Association, emphasizes the element of ensuring a sense of security at work for employees from rainbow communities.The prejudice still present in Polish society and the resulting exclusions combined with systemic unequal treatment by the state mean that it is employers who are increasingly recognizing the need to take care of LGBT+ persons in the workplace, says Hubert Sobecki. Such actions, procedures and work philosophy are still something new in Polish business. Therefore, discussion about it, sharing good practices, and cooperation between companies and external entities - including social organizations (NGOs) - are the key to success. Together, we can be very effective.

As much as 60% of LGBT+ persons in Poland do not talk about their orientation and identity at work – according to the report by the University of Warsaw's Center for Research on Pre­ju­dice and the Kampania Przeciw Homofobii [Campaign Against Homophobia]. A study at the University of Sheffield [ii] indicates that 27% of non-heterosexual and transgender Poles living in the UK directly stated the problems they faced in Poland as persons from the LGBT+ community were the main or one of the main reasons for leaving the country. Creating an open, supportive space strongly influences employees' motivation and commitment, as well as their desire to stay with the employer - which in the end simply pays off for the business, Hubert Sobecki explains.

LGBT+ employee networks

For several years, more initiatives, groups and employee networks have been emerging in Poland to address the issue of LGBT+ persons in the workplace. This is related, on the one hand, to the need of employees for their identity to be treated as a normal thing, not a taboo. On the other hand – and this is a crucial aspect - it results from the private sector's increasing awareness of the importance of caring for the well-being of every employee, nurturing respect and acceptance, and breaking down stereotypes. These initiatives, very often created bottom-up by employees, sometimes even single persons, are an important part of building an atmosphere in which employees representing different groups feel safe as they are, which translates into their productivity and development.

The role of the leader, responsible for the well-being of employees in the organization, is to monitor their situation on an ongoing basis. This is because what the employees experience in the workplace has a significant impact on their overall mental health. These experiences are built by words, gestures and decisions that can both hurt and give security and motivation to work, says Karolina Radziszewska, vice president of the human resources department at Skanska commercial development business unit in CEE. Compensatory actions targeting the LGBTQ+ employee community are not only within the scope of the employer’s activities but are also simply right, worth of attention, time and energy, Karolina Radziszewska adds.

The “Safe Havens. Why Should We Talk About LGBT+ Persons in the Workplace?” report contains more than a dozen examples of actions taken by employee networks operating in multinational corporations in Poland. Many of these actions are carried out with the support of NGOs. Their knowledge and experience are very helpful for networks.

 

The most common initiatives are training courses, workshops, and webinars on the LGBT+ community (e.g. 3M, Accenture, Dentons, Intel, Nokia, PwC, QIAGEN, Skanska). The net­works organize meetings of members, including those in managerial positions, who share their experience (e.g. Delloite, Standard Chartered). Special spaces are being created to talk about diversity and inclusivity (e.g. JLL). Employees collect money for local LGBT+ orga­nizations (e.g. BlaBlaCar, Google). On the initiative of people from Google and NatWest, the LGBTQ+ Network of Networks was founded - a group bringing together LGBT+ employee networks from various companies in Warsaw. NatWest's activist network is involved in organizing the annual LGBT+ Diamonds Awards, the only awards in Poland for individuals and initiatives supporting the LGBT+ community in the private sector. The network operating in the Skanska commercial development business unit, together with Miłość Nie Wyklucza Association, launched the Business Does Not Exclude campaign, which involves marking the entrances to LGBTQ+-friendly workplaces with special stickers. One of the results of the network's activity is the "Safe Havens" report. It was created by the employees of 14 corporations, united by a common goal: to educate and inspire.

 

These activities prove that dialogue, mutual learning, and a space where everyone can feel taken care of, are possible with the willingness and support of both sides: employees and the employer.

Third Sector supports businesses in being open to the LBGT+ community

An important activity that helps counteract discrimination against LGBT+ persons in business and fosters its openness to diversity is cross-sector cooperation. Companies may benefit from the experience of NGOs focused on diversity, equality and inclusion. This cooperation allows the organizations themselves to raise funds for their operations, so it is a win-win situation. In Poland, there are more and more organizations and groups working for the LGBT+ community. They offer a wide range of services for business: from consulting and audits, workshops and training courses, to support in developing anti-discrimination policies. Examples of such organizations, tested and recommended by companies that have already cooperated with them, can be found in the “Safe Havens” report. It is available in Polish and English at https://biznesniewyklucza.pl/ 

 

[i] The social situation of LGBTA persons in Poland. Report for 2019–2020. Ed. dr Mikołaj Winiewski, Magdalena Świder, Kampania Przeciw Homofobii, Lambda Association. Warsaw.  Warszawa, 2021.

[ii] Queer #PolesinUK. Identity, Migration and Social Media. dr Lukasz Szulc, The University of Sheffield, Department of Sociological Studies. Sheffield, 2019, p. 17.