At Stonewall, we stand for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere. We imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be themselves and we can live our lives to the full.
Over the last 30 years, we have helped create transformative change in the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the UK. We all know the feeling of not being able to be yourself. It’s uncomfortable to hide who you are from others, even for a short period of time. In the care sector we need to think about this from both the perspective of those who receive care, and those who work as carers. Imagine how painful and demoralising not being your full self must be when you’re receiving care, or when you experience poor treatment because carers do not understand or support you as an LGBTQ+ person.
Imagine what it’s like to work in a field as intense as care, when you are LGBTQ+, and feel like you can’t really open up with your colleagues and truly get the support you need.
Sadly, research shows that more than a third of LGBTQ+ staff (35%) have hidden that they are LGBTQ+ at work for fear of discrimination, and one in eight trans people (12%) have been physically attacked by colleagues in the last year. These alarming statistics highlight just how vital being in a welcoming and inclusive workplace is for LGBTQ+ staff, and why an LGBTQ+ inclusive culture is vital to supporting everyone in the care sector.
The care sector and LGBTQ+ equality
Carers play a unique role in people’s lives and a core part of their work is understanding those that they work with on an individual level. The sad truth is that many LGBTQ+ people in care have historically been let down and marginalised by society – facing high levels of discrimination, abuse and harassment throughout their life. Carers who can better understand and empathise with those stories, struggles and experiences – both good and bad – can make an immense difference to people’s lives by building a stronger connection with those they are supporting.
But the issues that LGBTQ+ communities face in care are also systemic. A report by the NHS found that LGBTQ+ people experienced poorer health outcomes than the general population, often due to anxiety and stigma around their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and the lack of supportive staff. Pride in Care – a group that provides training for services to better support older LGBTQ+ people – also found that less than half (43%) of survey respondents thought the health service they used was inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. The Care Quality Commission also found that there was little evidence that services proactively engaged with the LGBTQ+ people they were looking after and often failed to meet their specific needs. These findings indicate that many in healthcare lack an understanding of how to support LGBTQ+ people.
Opening Doors, a national charity providing information and support services to LGBTQ+ people, summarises the importance of promoting inclusion in care. Emma Underwood, Training Officer at Opening Doors, said, ‘The specific needs of older LGBTQ+ people are so often overlooked that even the slightest accommodations can make a world of difference. With homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia on the rise, we must do everything possible to ensure that older LGBTQ+ people entering care are shielded from this. We know that people are at their happiest when they are able to live their truest lives, and older LGBTQ+ people are no exception.’
For care services to better support LGBTQ+ people, it’s vital that LGBTQ+ equality is a core part of their ethos and mission. This starts with ensuring that workplaces foster inclusivity – helping LGBTQ+ staff to thrive and ensuring that everyone feels safe and free to be themselves.
Supporting LGBTQ+ staff in the care sector
There’s an old saying that your boss probably has a bigger impact on your health than your doctor. This is likely true for many LGBTQ+ people who often don’t receive the same opportunities simply because of who they are. One in 10 LGBTQ+ employees (10%) said they didn’t get a promotion they were up for at work in the past year because they’re LGBTQ+, a number that is significantly higher for trans people.
All employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are protected from discrimination at work. However, Stonewall’s research found that almost one in five LGBTQ+ people (18%) have been the target of bullying from colleagues and nearly two in five bi people (38%) aren’t out to anyone at work. These figures paint a troubling picture and show why it’s so important for employers to strive for an inclusive workplace – where everyone can thrive.
Being an LGBTQ+-inclusive employer will look different for everyone and to do it properly, it can’t be treated as a tick-box exercise with a one-size-fits-all approach. All care sector organisations should adapt their approach depending on the needs of their LGBTQ+ staff. This should be a collaborative process that allows staff to articulate the difficulties they face at work and what would make them feel supported. It’s important to not put the burden of coming up with solutions all on LGBTQ+ staff so senior management should collaborate with LGBTQ+ colleagues to develop a plan that works for staff and, importantly, take action to implement it.
One of the fundamental pillars of workplace inclusion is getting your policies right – including a zero-tolerance approach to homophobic, biphobic and transphobic behaviour. But it also means ensuring that LGBTQ+ staff know that they are valued colleagues and reflecting that in your policies. This could mean having parental leave policies that clearly include LGBTQ+ relationships, or ensuring you have a policy that guides trans colleagues through the process of transitioning at work. Inclusive HR policies give peace of mind to all employees, who know they can enjoy equitable benefits to those of their colleagues – and create a base on which you can build throughout your inclusion journey.
LGBTQ+ network groups are another important way employers can create an environment where LGBTQ+ staff feel comfortable and supported to be themselves and have a sense of community at work. Supporting LGBTQ+ employees to set up network groups can help employees discuss the challenges they face at work and escalate any concerns to senior management, as well as being an outlet for staff to support one another. It’s important that employers then take on board feedback and implement the changes necessary to create a better work environment for LGBTQ+ staff.
Allies – in this case, non-LGBTQ+ colleagues – play a crucial role in ensuring that their lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer colleagues feel welcome and included. Initiatives like providing diversity and inclusion training to all staff can also help colleagues better empathise with their LGBTQ+ colleagues and challenge bias and prejudice. Allies can also to show their support with visible symbols of support for their LGBTQ+ colleagues. Whether it’s supporting a team member who wants to come out to others, attending events like Pride or challenging anti-LGBTQ+ behaviour or ‘banter’, there are so many ways that all of us can show LGBTQ+ staff that we stand with them.
LGBTQ+ inclusion makes the workplace safer and happier for everyone – allowing people to feel more able to contribute fully to their workplace and harbouring more caring environments for all. This allows an entire organisation – whatever its size – to grow and innovate, and better support its staff and those who use its services.
Changing lives through inclusion
Inclusive work environments mean that LGBTQ+ employees can talk openly about their lives and experiences without fear and, ultimately, get the support they need to prosper. Organisations that have a clear focus on inclusion will also attract more diverse employees to help further build a more understanding culture – ensuring everyone has the chance to shine.
Of course, inclusive workplaces aren’t achieved overnight. It takes a lot of determination and continual effort from senior leaders and individual employees to truly embed inclusivity into your organisation. But we know that care sector organisations that prioritise inclusion, in all aspects of their work, truly support everyone to thrive as themselves.
Reflecting on his work to promote inclusion in the workplace, Adam Jarvis, Finance Development Manager and LGBTQ+ Network Chair at Tesco, said, ‘Being LGBTQ+ is a very personal identity and many queer people know the feeling of constantly having to come out whenever you meet someone new. ‘It’s therefore so important that workplaces build inclusive environments so that LGBTQ+ colleagues feel that they can be themselves, however openly they want to be, and bring their full selves to work, rather than having to hide such a key part of who they are. It takes so much energy to put up a barrier and hide who you are, and when we work in environments where we don’t have to do that, we can bring more of ourselves to our team, build better relationships and have a better experience of the world of work. I got involved with running our LGBTQ+ colleague network because I really want to make sure that there is a place where any LGBTQ+ colleague can go and get support and know there are other people like us in the business.
‘Our LGBTQ+ network has been amazing for me. It’s given me the opportunity to work with people I would never have met otherwise, and work on a range of diverse initiatives for a cause I’m so passionate about. It’s a place where anyone can come along – whether that is an LGBTQ+ person looking for a community, someone who wants to make a difference, or an ally trying to learn about our community and what they can do to support.’
It sounds clichéd but showing you care does make a difference. Workplace inclusion is ultimately about championing and changing the lives of LGBTQ+ people – for both staff and the people they support. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march in the UK, that’s something we should all be striving for.
Katie Budd is Head of Quality, Standards and Indices at Stonewall (she/her). Twitter: @stonewalluk