cover feature
press time, Bill C-16, which would amend
the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender
identity and gender expression to the
list of prohibited grounds of discrimination,
is on its second reading in the Senate.
Inclusion is not simply the absence of
discrimination, however. Colin Druhan,
executive director of Pride at Work
Canada, points out more than half of
Canadian LGBT workers aren’t out to everyone
they work with.
“That’s half of an entire community
not talking about their families at work,
not making meaningful connections with
their coworkers,” said Druhan. “Being out
at work is as simple as people knowing
the name of your spouse or who the other
parent to your kids are, whether or not
you have kids, what kind of organizations
you volunteer with, or just who you are as
a person. These are details a lot of people
don’t have to think twice about sharing at
work, but many people from the LGBT
community feel they have to hide even
these simple parts of their lives.”
This presents an obvious obstacle to
teamwork and engagement, and casts
a shadow over an employee’s relationship
with their employer. Research by
Great Place to Work indicates even at the
best-rated workplaces, there are gaps between
how different groups of employees
rate the organization. For example, senior
managers might give an organization a high
ranking, but entry level workers – who feel
less included and less valued – might have
a different experience and give it a lower
mark. The research shows that while
disconnect between diversity and inclusion
is experienced by women, Aboriginal
people and ethnic minorities, it’s most pronounced
for the LGBT community.
For organizations wanting to do the
right thing and develop a competitive edge,
that’s an opportunity in waiting. Research
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