On Workplace Mental Health for Queer Professionals
BY GUEST BLOGGER JULIA BORGEN
Workplace discrimination can be a damaging problem for an organization, affecting not only professionals belonging to minority groups but the overall culture and team productivity. When it comes to our queer colleagues, however, the numbers show that things are slowly — but surely — improving in the workplace. Recent data shows that LGBTQIA+ people work more and at higher rates. At the same time, LGBTQIA+ respondents were either more likely than or just as likely as their non-LGBTQIA+ colleagues to work overtime.
However, not all organizations feature a queer-friendly workplace culture where LGBTQIA+ individuals can thrive. Though it's hard to accept, we cannot ignore the reality that discrimination continues to affect LGBTQIA+ employees. Over 40% of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals have gone through employment harassment and mistreatment at some point in their professional lives — not to mention the 90% of transgender people who have experienced the same (if not worse) ordeal. Fostering an LGBTQIA+-inclusive workplace isn't just for the benefit of LGBTQIA+ professionals and their mental health but for the business as a whole as well. In this piece, we'll explore critical practices for organizations to support workplace mental health for queer professionals:
avoid token hiring
Due to the push for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in workplaces over the years, organizations often fall into the trap of token hiring to fulfill representation quotas or comply with regulations. Token hiring is part of the reason many workplace diversity programs fail, as most token hires leave within a year or less due to unaddressed or deeply seated biases and microaggressions embedded in the work culture. This severely impacts the mental health of queer professionals as they may feel undervalued in the workplace and not listened to amidst microaggressions and more explicit forms of workplace discrimination. To move past token hiring, it's best to adequately prepare everyone for a policy change — which is what DEI standards are for, rather than a numbers game. Minority employees should have an impact and influence over company decisions.
use inclusive language
Using exclusionary language — whether towards racial or ethnic minorities or members of the LGBTQIA+ community — in the workplace is a form of microaggression. Even when it's not done with intent, the workplace must allow for open communication where people can apologize and learn from such cases. Using inclusive language throughout the organization carries significant effects for the work culture, such as encouraging more women to apply for a job, avoiding ageist stereotypes, and becoming, overall, a more respectful workplace. For queer professionals and their mental health, inclusive language means preventing LGBTQIA+-related offensive terms and stereotypes in the workplace and avoiding wording that carries negative connotations regarding mental health, e.g., "OCD" or "crazy."
provide LGBTQIA+ mental health resources and education
Finally, organizations should invest in taking care of the well-being — both physical and mental — of their queer employees. This can be as simple as ensuring your list of covered health providers includes LGBTQIA+-friendly ones or those who have experience with LGBTQIA+ health. For mental health specifically, this means working with inclusive therapists for mental health support who can accommodate the unique psychological and physical health concerns of LGBTQIA+ folks. It would also help to have a designated HR team member who is a part of, or is allied with, the LGBTQIA+ community to help distribute resources and answer questions, helping LGBTQIA+ employees better communicate their concerns without fear of discrimination.
Julia Borgen is a freelance writer by trade with a special interest in mental health advocacies. Aside from writing, she has helped mental health awareness by serving local nonprofits through volunteer work. During her downtime, Julia likes to go on meditative hikes with her three dogs.
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