Despite historic contributions to tech by LGBTQ+ figures like Alan Turing and Lynn Conway, to whom we owe advances in information technology and microchip design, in 2023 just 2% - 3% of the tech workforce identifies as LGBTQ+. This underrepresentation can feed a cycle of invisibility and a lack of community among queer professionals -- on top of risks like workplace bias, discrimination, and other challenges LGBTQ+ workers face across all industries.
The importance of inclusivity for business is in the numbers: a 2024 report by EY found that 97% of employees who rate their organizations highly on inclusivity plan to stay with their employers, compared to just 38% of those with lower ratings.
“For the average Fortune 500 company, improving retention of LGBTQ+ employees by just 5% could save nearly $4.2 million annually in turnover costs alone.”
- 2024 EY U.S. LGBTQ+ Workplace Barometer
Most importantly, creating an inclusive workplace environment is crucial for maintaining a psychologically safe workplace, in addition to attracting, engaging, and retaining LGBTQ+ employees. As Pride Month 2024 winds to an end, various Kevelers who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community sat down to discuss the importance of building community at work, LGBTQ+ spaces in the world of tech, and steps that both queer professionals and allies can take to create a more inclusive tech industry.
It wasn’t so long ago that LGBTQ+ pioneers faced discrimination and even legal persecution for their sexuality and gender identity. We may like to think that overt discrimination is behind us, but anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments can bleed into workplaces today.
“If you want to build the community, you need to listen to stories from other people,” said Eduardo Vascov, Kevel’s Lead Designer. “You need to understand queer history, so that you can build your own story and understand your place in the community -- and from there, where do you want to lead your voice?”
The journey toward creating a truly inclusive workplace can include small steps that lead to significant change. Speaking up and leading by example can normalize inclusivity, educate allies, and pave the way for positive change.
As Kevel’s Chief People Officer, Mike Kohn put it, using your voice is going to look different for everyone:
“Whether that is sharing something with one other person about your experience, posting to the entire organization, or spreading the word to the industry, it can span as much as you want.” said Kohn. “But being able to say, ‘hey, this is my slice of the world that I want to share’, and being able to communicate that is really what’s going to build this out for us. The community starts one person at a time.”
“If we don’t talk about this, if we don’t surface it, if we don’t represent who we are in the workplace, then things are never going to change. We have to think of people as humans. If we all do that, and we all represent our own [unique] points of view, that’s really how we’re going to affect change.”
- Mike Kohn, Chief People Officer at Kevel, 2024.
Mike also discussed the importance of understanding your role within a larger context and how this awareness can drive meaningful change. While Kevel is just one company and a single datapoint within the broader tech industry, it carries the responsibility to lead by example.
“To be a data point that is public about our care, and public about our passion for inclusion, maybe it inspires one person in another organization to do something similar,” said Kohn. “Maybe it inspires another company to have their own discussion about their own experiences with queerness. The more we can get this kind of representation, the more it's going to collectively exist across the industry.”
Creating tangible change can show up in day-to-day experiences, too. Here are some other ways to signal inclusivity at work:
Building connections and community at work is crucial for creating an inclusive and supportive workplace. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) can offer a space for employees to share experiences and find solidarity.
Kate Gadzinkski, Kevel’s Head of Rev Ops, shared the positive impact a Pride ERG had on her experience in a previous role:
“A lot of people share personal milestones in company Slack channels, and one of the big things I always felt was not knowing if I can share that I'm engaged to a woman. I just don’t know how people [will react,” said Gadzinski. “I only really felt the safest in that Pride ERG and the amount of support blew up. Those situations are so nice and make me feel like I'm just a normal part of a community.”
Engaging with others in your community, and connecting with those outside of it, provides ample opportunities for growth. But as a reminder, it’s important to be mindful of who’s putting in the emotional labor when it comes to education -- as Kohn put it, “do a little bit of research, understand [someone’s] point of view in general.”
He also highlighted the importance of intersectionality and understanding that your point of view can be limited. “I do present as a white man. Being able to talk about that and how my queerness intersects with that? That's going to be different from others' experiences.” As it stands, racially and ethnically diverse (R&ED) employees who identify as LGBTQ+ are 2.3x more likely to experience microaggressions in the workplace than their white LGBTQ+ peers.
When having serious conversations and learning from others, it’s also important to approach things without defensiveness. Be open to feedback and try to assume good intentions. “It’s really obvious when someone’s being super open and able to apologize and just move on,” Gadzinski said. “Rather than harping on it, which makes it extra weird for everyone else.
Pride shouldn’t be relegated to the month of June. Putting in the work to create an inclusive workplace should include actions that support LGBTQ+ folks year-round. This can include:
In the tech sector, one critical opportunity for self-advocacy for queer individuals is during the interview process.
“Use the interview process to understand if you feel like you have a place at a company. A panel doesn’t necessarily need to identify directly with you, but see if you feel like you can be yourself around them,” Gadzinski advises. “I think that's a really great sign that you will have a place there and that you will feel comfortable. And if you don't, understand that you're interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you.”
Self-advocacy ensures that you can grow, thrive, and feel safe. While it’s important to incite change, you’ll also want to build a community somewhere that aligns with your values and supports your identity.
At Kevel, we understand the importance of building an inclusive environment where every employee feels valued and supported -- and that the work to achieve it should continue year-round. Hosting open dialogues, gathering feedback, and boundary-setting are essential for continuous growth, no matter the time of year.
“People want to work with companies that are good.” said Kohn. Looking ahead, Kevel is committed to advancing its inclusivity initiatives. Embracing inclusivity isn’t just the right thing to do, but it’s a long overdue new standard.
Kevel was named a Most Loved Workplace® for LGBTQ+ in 2024. Check out the full list of honorees here.
