Two-Thirds of LGBTQ+ Gen Z would leave their job if they can’t be out at work, reveals new research study by MyGwork

London, 18 October 2022: A new study carried out by myGwork, the business platform for LGBTQ+ professionals, has revealed that over two-thirds (66%) of LGBTQ+ Gen Z (university students and graduates in the UK and US) would leave their job if they couldn’t be out at work.

The findings clearly show that being out at work is important for the majority of Generation Z (72%), with more than half saying indicating it’s highly/extremely important for them to be working with pride. Additionally, around 9 out of 10 students/graduates would be more inclined to be out at work from day one if they knew their employer was truly committed to inclusion. However, 7 out 10 graduates/students would return to the closet if their colleagues were not allies or supportive of them being out at work, despite the fact that 83% have been out at university, and had intentions of #WorkingWithPride.

Another surprising finding was that 22% of LGBTQ+ Gen Z identify as asexual, the same
number as those who identify as bisexual. Additionally, 21% identified as gay men, 17% as
lesbian/gay woman, and 6% pansexual, with 4% still questioning their sexuality. More than half described themselves as cisgender male or cisgender female, 13% queer/gender
nonconforming, 8% trans (5% trans woman and 3% trans man), and 2.5% nonbinary.

The research also highlighted that discrimination is still rife in the workplace. Around 6 out of 10 of Gen Z said they have been discriminated against in their place of work/study. It’s no wonder the majority of LGBTQ+ students and graduates (93%) wished they knew more about whether an employer was LGBTQ+ inclusive or not.

One way that LGBTQ+ professionals and graduates can land their dream role where they can be their authentic selves and work with pride is by applying for jobs with inclusive
companies. Around three-quarters said they knew how to find out how LGBTQ+-inclusive an organization is. The top sources of finding out more about a company’s LGBTQ+ credentials include myGwork (27%) and the company’s website (23%), followed by LinkedIn (21%) and Google (20%).

So what sign posts are Gen Z looking for to see how LGBTQ+-friendly an organization is?

Top signs that demonstrate how inclusive a company is for today’s LGBTQ+ Gen Z include:

• Inclusive policies (e.g. trans-inclusive health insurance): 26%
• Visible role models: 22%
• Marking diversity days/periods (e.g. Pride Month, Stonewall Anniversary,
  etc): 21%
• Visibility in offices year-round (e.g. pronouns in emails, rainbow lanyards):
  16%
• Employee resource groups: 12%

“The results of this survey indicate that discrimination is sadly still rife in the workplace. We believe no student should have to return to the closet for fear of discrimination at work, which is why we set up myGwork, along with events like #WorkPride and #WorkFair,” stated myGwork’s founders Adrien and Pierre Gaubert. “With so many companies being called out for performative allyship or rainbow washing lately, it can still be really difficult to ascertain which companies are truly progressive and inclusive, and actually live up to their diversity and inclusion statements.”

Events like #WorkFair, however, help to identify organizations that are going above and
beyond to create inclusive workplaces. “Themed #WorkingWithPride, WorkFair 2022 is a great event for job seekers – be they professionals or graduates – to connect and apply for their dream roles in real-time with inclusive employers of choice, where they don’t have to hide their real identity and work with pride,” added Adrien and Pierre Gaubert.

The next #WorkFair event will take place on October 19 and is completely free for job
seekers, whether they are experienced professionals, students, or graduates, and provide
access to global inclusive LGBTQ+-friendly organizations that are ready and waiting to hire, as well as workshops to help improve personal branding, CV writing, and interviewing skills.

Graduates, students and professionals can register to attend #WorkFair2022 completely
free of charge here.

ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR EDITORS 

Around 703 students from across the UK and US took part in the myGwork
student/graduate survey during September-October 2022 thanks to universities and
partners supporting WorkFair. The aim of the research was to find out how the next
generation of young people entering the workforce feel about being LGBTQ+ at their place of work/study, and how it impacts their job searches. It also provides great insights for employers on how to better attract and retain the next generation of diverse recruits.

A breakdown of how the respondents identify:

• 22% asexual
• 22% bisexual
• 21% gay men
• 17% lesbian/gay woman
• 6% pansexual
• 4% questioning
• 6% prefer not to say
• 2% other

A breakdown of how the respondents describe themselves:

• 28% cisgender female
• 34% cisgender male
• 13% queer/gender nonconforming
• 2.5% nonbinary
• 5% trans woman
• 3% trans man
• 0.4% intersex
• 6% prefer not to say

Further information  
For a copy of the full report and charts, or more information contact press@mygwork.com

About myGwork   
Award-winning company myGwork is the business community for LGBTQ+ professionals, graduates, inclusive employers, and anyone who believes in workplace equality. It aims to empower the LGBTQ+ community by offering individual members a safe space where they can connect with inclusive employers, find jobs, mentors, professional events, and news.

Campus Pride is a proud partner of MyGwork.