The Barrier to Inclusive Innovation: The Invisible Disability of the Non-Disabled

“Many multinational companies are ramping up their LGBTQ+ recruitment as they seek to be inclusive like their headquarters,” say HR professionals in India. Indian companies have now started joining the bandwagon and have been reaching out to consultants like myself to get more LGBTQ+ workforce. Why? Is it to make their organisation look more “Inclusive,” or do they really care about the greater good of Equality and Inclusion? A large multinational pharmaceutical company specifically asked me to search for LGBTQ+ Talent for all their open positions. “We have been mandated to do so by our leadership” is what she told me when I asked. So, I can safely say that this is perhaps something that has been discussed at an Executive Level and has been mandated to the Talent Acquisition Team. We love a great challenge at Diversity Solutions, so we decided to do the assignment and get as many LGBTQ+ candidates to this company as possible. I’d love to go through some of the challenges faced in the workplace today from my perspective of working with LGBTQ+, Human Resources, and Training.

1. IndustryNow I am really sad to say, most of the LGBTQ+ people I contacted were not “out” at work. They pretended to be straight. Some even were married to keep the charade going, and they refused even to consider being out at the job. The ones that were out wanted jobs in the entertainment, media, and fashion industries. The few that were willing didn’t quite fit in the Pharmaceutical industry. The FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) Industry has several senior-level management and leadership that identify as LGBTQ+; however, most are in the closet. The first question I got asked, “Do I have to tell everyone at work I am gay/lesbian?”. That is a difficult one to answer as each one has to make this choice themselves and come out when they feel comfortable. It would be unfair to expect someone to come out for the sake of seeking employment with a company.
2. Family vs. WorkMany of the LGBTQ+ people I spoke to agreed to be out at work but didn’t want the news of them being part of the LGBTQ community to reach their families. This saddened me. I thought people should find solace with their families and talk and come out to parents and siblings and not colleagues. I guess colleagues become a second family over some time, so I understand this. This really made me wonder, are we a society that will be okay to be ourselves with strangers? However, we can’t be ourselves around families and the ones we love?
3. Company Policies vs. ManagementThe company may have an open mind; however, “Managers” may not. This kept resonating as I spoke to people; they feared they might be discriminated against in promotions and future growth. Sometimes a manager may change, and a new unsupportive manager may look at things differently. This was indeed a big fear factor among candidates. “Will I get promoted to the CEO of the company someday? Companies don’t want to show gay people in leadership positions”, these were some of the comments I got.
4. Government vs. CompaniesSection 377 was decriminalized in September 2018 through the intervention of the Supreme Court. LGBTQ+ marriage is still not legal in India. “Will companies treat my partner as a spouse even though we are not married?” asked a Sr. Executive who didn’t have a marriage certificate to prove he was married. Many MNCs offer spouse’s insurance and other benefits. Some of the Indian companies I have worked with have an inclusion policy. However, I’ve found they still have a long way to go to get the benefits at an equal level. There are exceptions to this; of course, forward-thinking Indian companies like Infosys, Tata, Godrej, Mahindra, etc. take several Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.
5. Gender-neutral SpacesMy transgender friend Laxami told me that using restrooms at work was her biggest challenge. A lot of companies in India have started introducing “Gender Neutral Restrooms.” This would be the next change that would help the community.
6. Bullying at workAre there “Zero Tolerance policies” for bullying at work in place? I couldn’t safely tell the candidates I was talking to that I knew the repercussions when someone was bullied at work. I didn’t know how companies in India dealt with bullies, especially those who came from the leadership ranks.
7. Support Systems and Ally GroupsIt was refreshing to see that Millenials and the younger generation were really creating groups or Allies of the community. I believe this will help us in the future as these are people that will make important decisions on equity and Inclusion. Every large organization must have a support system to enforce and empower the community’s agenda.
8. Sensitization of Employees towards the CommunityA few companies have approached me to conduct sensitization workshops. I have also offered a few companies this during the month of pride to run this workshop as a reminder of what the community means and needs. I am happy to see a lot of MNC companies have training programs in place. Companies like Godrej, Tata, Mahindra also have a huge D&I focus and conduct these workshops.
9. Diversity at workSpeaking of Diversity, a lot of companies just relate this to the “Male/Female” ratio in an organization. True diversity is in all facets, “Race, Religion, Caste, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disabilities, etc.” So, when a company says they take “Diversity and Inclusion” seriously, you need to know their true intent. Many forward-thinking companies have started including people with disabilities and the LGBTQ Community. Are these companies ready to make their workspaces safe for these communities? For Example, Do the offices have a ramp for wheelchair access? Can the restroom accommodate wheelchair users? Do the companies have an anti-bullying policy in place to take severe action, including termination of employment to those that violate this policy?
10. DiscriminationAre we there yet? Eighty-one countries prohibit discrimination in employment because of Sexual Orientation today. As a country, we have started taking baby steps. We are on the right path and will get there soon.

This pride month of June has seen a refreshing change as companies change their logos to include rainbow colors. I see social media lit with all the colors of the rainbow. This is all wonderful. However, we need to understand that LGBTQ+ community support should be shown every day and not just in June. This is a great start, and as part of the LGBTQ+ community, I am happy to say I can see a better day coming for us all. Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you do have any questions or you’d like to set up a meeting or a call, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. At Diversity Solutions, we provide solutions to make workplaces inclusive, diverse, and productive. 

Author: Tyrone Braganza Bauer 

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