This was a very wide-ranging conference on equality and diversity attracting people with a range of roles from a variety of organisations. My focus was on LGBT People in the workplace. My key messages were:
- why LGBT and the workplace is still an issue, particularly around coming out at work
- some good practice from employers I have worked with (e.g. PWC, Irwin Mitchell, Gowling, University of Birmingham) and qualitative research I have conducted
- how LGBT staff networks can be so useful and what are the 10 key attributes that make then successful
- feedback from students who have taken part in the mentoring scheme I run for the University of Birmingham and how that can inform organisations’ recruitment, induction, retention and progression practices
- Government promises in this area in the recent Queen’s speech (not much to be honest, except amending the Gender Recognition Act)
- suggestions on how to lobby government through unions, professional associations and employer groups.
If you’re interest is piqued, contact me for more information. I’ll also be speaking at another Westminster Briefing conference on October 19th: Supporting LGBT+ People in the Workplace