Out Now Global, a consulting company, founded in Australia in 1992 that specializes in understanding the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) market, is about to release what is being dubbed as the world’s largest ever study of the workplace climate for LGBT employees. Called Out Now Global LGBT2020 Study, it is surveying over 25 countries this year and next to assess the global workplace climate for the LGBT community.
To date, more than 50,000 people have responded to the survey. Some preliminary findings have been released from US respondents which reveal some progress. However, it also points to just how far we have to go. For example:
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- 40% of respondents reported being verbally abused. (It is not clear from the question, though, if this abuse all occurred at work.)
- 38% feel safe being out at work, a number which is lower than the last time Out Now asked this question.
- 16% of respondents have been harassed at work.
- 12% report being harassed by a neighbor.
- 9% have been refused goods and services in the past year because they were perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
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A key aspect of The Inclusion Solution is to have good data and we know that it has been difficult to quantify the size of the LGBT workforce and market due to the reluctance on the part of this community to be out. So kudos to Out Now Global for this important research!
Out Now will be presenting key findings from this new report at the 16th Out & Equal Workplace Summit in San Francisco this week.
