In A Workplace Divided: Understanding the Climate for LGBTQ Workers Nationwide, HRC Foundation seeks to uncover the prevalence of LGBTQ workers feeling pressure to hide their sexual orientation and/or gender identity on the job and the cost of that hiding both to individuals and employers writ large. We also research the benefits to employers and workers when workplace climates are more welcoming of LGBTQ people.

HRC Foundation found that:

• 46% of LGBTQ workers say they are closeted at work, compared to 50% in HRCF’s groundbreaking 2008 Degrees of Equality report;
• 1-in-5 LGBTQ workers report having been told or had coworkers imply that they should dress in a more feminine or masculine manner;
• 53% of LGBTQ workers report hearing jokes about lesbian or gay people at least once in a while;
• 31% of LGBTQ workers say they have felt unhappy or depressed at work;
• and the top reason LGBTQ workers don’t report negative comments they hear about LGBTQ people to a supervisor or human resources? They don’t think anything would be done about it — and they don’t want to hurt their relationships with coworkers.