LGBT+ employees working in federal workplaces report more negative job experiences than their colleagues, according to a new study from the University of Michigan. The research, conducted by Erin Cech, finds this inequity in job experience may lead LGBT+ employees to leave their jobs at higher rates.
LGBT+ federal employees report their work is supported and respected less by supervisors. The research also shows that LGBT+ women and people of color consistently experience additional negative consequences – including reporting receiving less respect and lower job satisfaction – than do men and white LGBT+ employees.
Employers can take active measures to lessen this discrepancy in job experience by implementing LGBT-specific resources and training programs. But the primary foundational change needed must come at the national level, Cech says. As nearly half of U.S. states still lack nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBT+ employees, this fundamental change would lead to profound benefits for LGBT+ workers.
Read more at Medical Xpress.