According to new research, three-quarters of Generation Z jobseekers who are LGBTQ+ say they are reluctant to join companies where they can’t be out at work.
The international study of 2,000 students and recent graduates, by myGwork in association with Highered, found that today’s young LGBTQ+ jobseekers wanted to work in “open and accepting working environments”, with three-quarters of respondents expressing reluctance to join organisations where they couldn’t be their authentic selves, fearing being discriminated against, facing bias and being given limited opportunities for training or development required to progress.
One third of the respondents said they identified as LGBTQ+.
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myGwork, a business community for LGBTQ+ professionals, graduates and inclusive employers, said the research highlighted the importance for young people of seeing visible LGBTQ+ role models in senior roles.
Without this, many young LGBTQ+ professionals were unlikely to feel they would be able to get ahead at those companies, with eight out of 10 LGBTQ+ students and graduates saying this would make it more challenging for them to reach senior leadership positions.
Where there were LGBTQ+ workers in senior positions, 80% said this would influence their decision to accept a job offer.
The research revealed that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity remains common both in the workplace, universities and business schools. Almost half (48%) of all LGBTQ+ students/graduates said they had witnessed discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity at their place of study or work, compared with just 32% of non-LGBTQ+ students and graduates. Additionally, 36% of all responding LGBTQ+ students/graduates said they had personally experienced discrimination, such as homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, at their place of study or work.
The study put forward the view that employers needed to think carefully about the impact that withdrawing their support for the LGBTQ+ community could have on their recruitment and retention initiatives, with research suggesting they immediately became less attractive to the majority of Gen Z candidates.
The research also sheds light on key factors that influence the employment choices of young LGBTQ+ professionals entering the workforce, revealing what credentials they use to assess how inclusive an employer is before even considering applying for a job there.
In a statement, myGwork’s co-founders Adrien and Pierre Gaubert, said: “In an era where inclusion and belonging are critical to progressive workplaces, myGwork’s research serves as an indispensable guide for organisations aiming to create fair and inclusive environments to attract the valuable talent they need to succeed.”
Generation Z is broadly defined as people born between 1997 and 2012.
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