How ‘allyship’ can make LGBT+ staff feel less excluded in the work place

More than 40% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people experience conflict – such as being undermined, humiliated or discriminated against – at work, according to a recent report. This figure rises to 55% for transgender and non-binary staff, compared with 29% for their heterosexual colleagues.

The report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), suggests that these issues are often left unresolved and more needs to be done to protect and support LGBT+ people within the workplace. And, while some progress has been made, there remains a particular and significant lag in the inclusion of trans workers and understanding of the specific challenges connected with gender identity.

There is compelling evidence that workplaces can be challenging environments for trans people, where their voices often remain the least heard. Even for organisations which seek to be inclusive, many lack the necessary expertise.

This is reflected in the CIPD report, in which most trans workers said their organisation did not have sufficient supportive policies in place – despite evidence that they have a positive effect.

The report also highlights how some trans workers feel isolated from colleagues, find it difficult to maintain work-life balance, and experience difficulties in expressing or transitioning their gender identity.

Many trans workers said they didn’t feel they had the active support of their work colleagues, which may help to explain why up to half reported not being open about their gender identity at work.

It seems then, that concrete steps are needed to build a more inclusive workplace culture. One way of doing this is to engage in a concept known as “allyship”.

Allyship refers to everyday acts which challenge behavioural norms and support members of marginalised groups through an awareness of the issues being faced by others.

As a concept, allyship can be applied to anyone within the LGBT+ spectrum as well as other marginalised groups, including people of colour. Women can also benefit. For trans people, allyship focuses on increasing knowledge about identities and experiences, and gaining the personal skills required to be trans-inclusive.

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