A new report from the William Institute looks at an aspect of work life that may seem obvious to a lot of us, but is still a lesson needed to be learned by many. The report looked at 36 studies about how showing support for LGBT workers impacted the bottom line.
These types of policies lead to less discrimination in the workplace and make employees feel more open about their sexuality. In addition, the report cites studies that have shown that LGBT employees who work for companies that support employees and have nondiscriminatory policies in place are less likely to suffer from psychological issues. These employees are also more likely to go above and beyond, doing things that are outside of their job descriptions.
“As increased [health insurance] coverage can yield improvements in the health of an LGBT employee or their same-sex partner, LGBT employees may show more engagement in the workplace and higher levels of productivity,” the report reads.
Williams Institute also looked at how customers and potential customers react to organizations supportive of LGBT workers. A study conducted in 2005 found that both gay and straight consumers reacted positively to companies with nondiscrimination policies.
It is important to note that much more, well-rounded research is needed to get a better idea of the benefits of these kinds of policies. However, respecting employees and expecting employees to respect each other are simple factors that add to the bigger picture of every workplace.
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