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Changing times for gays and lesbians
As recently as 1993 a survey of lesbians and gay men showed that over 40% had been harassed or even dismissed because of their sexuality. Many said they had avoided certain jobs or employers because of fear of being discriminated against and most said they concealed their sexuality at work.
New Employment Equality Regulations in December 2003 made it illegal to discriminate against people on the grounds of their sexual orientation but there are more pressing reasons that have persuaded many employers to reconsider their policies towards diversity.
Attracting and keeping the very best staff is a key part in staying competitive and leading companies are increasingly recognising this. For big financial companies, nurturing gay employees makes sense when key staff can make millions of pounds for the company during their careers. Big names like JP Morgan and Eversheds are establishing gay groups within their companies with a view to improving their image and meeting the needs of their homosexual employees.
Statistics show that the traditional city worker – the young, straight, white male - forms an ever decreasing percentage of the workforce. Companies with an eye on the future will see the new Equality Regulations as an opportunity rather than a challenge.
But what of the public sector? Less than a decade ago gay staff were likely to be moved from civil service posts where their sexuality might be considered a security risk and most gays and lesbians felt it was in their best interests to keep their sexuality hidden from colleagues. Now there are gay ambassadors in high profile postings and even MI5, the ‘secret service’ is inviting its staff to join a gay and lesbian support network.
Similarly, both the health service and the police service are beginning to monitor the sexual orientation of their staff – a move that recognises that public servants are representative of the people they serve.
There are also potential financial benefits for government from this policy. If gay people feel more comfortable about going to their doctor they may get earlier treatment which in turn could reduce treatment costs. Similarly, there may be a greater demand for some types of health care in areas with a large gay community and planning for this fact can reduce costs in the long term.
Both private and public sector are increasingly coming to realise that recognising diversity need not be about ‘political correctness’ but about making the most out of your human resources and achieving what’s best for everyone.
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