A Glassdoor report revealed that LGBTQ+ employees are less satisfied at work compared to non-LGBTQ+ colleagues and often unhappy with leadership.
The Glassdoor team analyzed employee reviews from users who anonymously shared their sexual orientation on Glassdoor and submitted a 1-to-5 star rating.
The results revealed that LGBTQ+ employees rated their companies an overall 3.27 out of 5, which falls below the average rating for non-LGBTQ+ employees standing at 3.47.
Further data showed that LGBTQ+ workers are unhappy with the company’s leadership, rating it a 2.88.
Career opportunities were rated a 3.03 and compensation and benefits received a rating of 3.13.
Jose Nacif-Drah, vice-president of global IT at Centerra Gold has experienced discrimination based on his sexuality in the workplace before.
During a virtual panel at ITWC’s LGBTQ2S+ Voices in IT event, he recalled a time at an old job where he was pulled into a meeting and told that there had been anonymous calls from his colleagues to the company asking for Nacif-Drah to be terminated because he was gay.
According to Nacif-Drah, the company suggested that he talks less about his family and does not bring up the fact that he is gay.
“The problem with that was that obviously, I knew everybody else’s spouse’s names, and their kids and what they’re doing on the weekends. So the ask didn’t really feel right. I was being asked not to be myself,” Nacif-Drah said.
Which company tops the list?
When it comes to how LGBTQ+ employees view large corporations, Apple received the highest rating on Glassdoor’s report with a 4.14 out of 5.
Starbucks followed with a rating of 3.56 out of 5.
The company on the list with the lowest rating by LGBTQ+ employees was Amazon with a 2.85 out of 5. This rating does not come as a surprise after the many recent reports against Amazon for their poor working conditions and discrimination.
Sandeep Nair, manager of business operations at Pride at Work Canada, said while there is a lot of room to grow when it comes to LGBTQ+ acceptance, small steps are being taken every day in Canada.
“Using inclusive language or understanding the important pronouns, you might consider it a small step but it’s a huge huge difference to the LGBTQ community.”
As the end of June approaches, and Pride Month comes to an end, it is important to remember what exactly Pride symbolizes.
Scott Dobroski, vice-president of corporate communications and a member of Glassdoor’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group said in the report, “While many companies will turn their logos and social profiles to rainbows for Pride Month, creating a more equitable company is more than just symbolic or superficial moves. It’s about action.”