LGBTQ employees want their employers to do more than simply have non-discrimination policies on paper—they’re seeking visible, active support that demonstrates genuine commitment to inclusion, according to new research from the Williams Institute at UCLA.
The report, titled “The Importance of Employer Support for LGBTQ People and Issues,” surveyed 1,900 LGBTQ adults in 2023 and found a significant gap between what workers say they value in employer support and what they’re currently receiving. While many employers have adopted basic workplace protections, far fewer are engaging in the visible forms of allyship that employees increasingly demand. We sat down with Christy Mallory, executive and legal director at the Williams Institute to unpack this new report.
Watch Our Interview
Four Pillars of Visible Support
The Williams Institute study examined four specific types of employer actions beyond standard non-discrimination policies:
First, participation in Pride Month activities, including marching in parades under company banners or hosting speakers to discuss LGBTQ issues. Second, providing financial support through donations to LGBTQ-affirming organizations. Third, taking public positions on LGBTQ policy matters, such as supporting marriage equality or transgender non-discrimination protections. Fourth, featuring LGBTQ people visibly in company advertising and public communications.
“These kinds of employee behaviors have impacts on the corporate bottom line,” Mallory said. “These are also very obviously good outcomes for employers too.”
Three Key Impacts for Employers and Employees
The research identified three measurable effects when employers actively support LGBTQ communities. Employees whose workplaces engaged in these activities reported significantly higher job satisfaction compared to those at companies without visible support programs.
Additionally, workers covered by these supportive policies were less likely to say they were searching for another job—a crucial finding for organizations concerned about retention and turnover costs. Perhaps most importantly, employees were more likely to be “out” at work when they felt their employer was genuinely supportive.
“Employees who are out are more satisfied with their jobs, are happier at their employers,” Mallory explained. “And just being out has all of these other benefits too.”
Age Gap Reveals Generational Differences
One unexpected finding emerged along generational lines. Workers under 45 placed substantially higher importance on visible employer support compared to employees 45 and older.
“That’s a good question and an interesting finding,” Mallory noted. “[Older generations] are used to seeing or wanting to see [basic non-discrimination policies]. Well, these more visible forms of support like marching in a Pride parade and having inclusive advertising are more recent actions that employers have taken.”
Mallory attributed part of this difference to younger LGBTQ people being more comfortable identifying openly. “There just are more young LGBTQ people. They are more visible. They’re more out…And those are people who want to see their identity visibly and publicly supported by their employers.”
With younger generations entering the workforce in increasing numbers, organizations ignoring these expectations risk losing top talent.
Vulnerable Groups Face Heightened Risks
The research also highlighted that not all LGBTQ employees face equal risks in the workplace. Transgender employees, gender-nonconforming individuals, and LGBTQ people of color experience disproportionately high levels of discrimination and harassment.
“It’s actually not surprising here that we see those groups saying that these policies and visible forms of support are actually more important to them than we’re seeing, for example, in terms of trans people in comparison to their cisgender counterparts,” Mallory said.
For these marginalized subgroups, formal equality measures alone prove insufficient. Visible demonstration of welcome becomes essential for creating safe working environments.
Visibility Matters: The Awareness Gap
Another critical discovery involved employee awareness. A substantial percentage of workers couldn’t determine whether their employers were providing LGBTQ support, even when such programs existed.
“There’s a gap there too where companies can come and educate people, share that they’re doing this,” Mallory observed. “The fact that they’re not even visible to LGBTQ employees…if they don’t know about it, employers might not see the benefits of these policies.”
Simply implementing supportive policies proves inadequate if employees remain unaware they exist. Companies must actively communicate their commitment to inclusion.
Political Context and Corporate Response
The 2023 data captured corporate behavior before recent shifts in federal policy and growing political pressure targeting LGBTQ rights. Mallory acknowledged that the landscape has changed considerably since President Trump took office.
“This is absolutely unprecedented in terms of federal policy and what is happening in a presidential administration for LGBTQ people,” Mallory stated. “We have not seen this kind of hostility and these anti-LGBTQ policies that are coming out of the administration. We have not seen it at this level.”
Despite the hostility on all fronts from the Trump administration, Mallory emphasized that much progress remains intact. Marriage equality retains protection, and nationwide employment non-discrimination safeguards remain in place. These gains, achieved through decades of advocacy, have not been erased by administrative changes.
Taking Action Now
The Williams Institute’s findings arrive during a period of corporate uncertainty regarding LGBTQ inclusion. Some Fortune 500 companies have reduced public support for LGBTQ causes and events, prompting pushback from community organizations and workers alike.
For HR directors, executives, and business leaders, the message remains clear: LGBTQ employees want tangible demonstrations of support, not merely policy statements on human resources portals. These visible commitments improve job satisfaction, reduce turnover, encourage authentic self-expression at work, and ultimately strengthen organizational performance.
As one generation transitions out of the workforce and another enters with different expectations, the window for meaningful action narrows. Organizations failing to adapt risk leaving behind their LGBTQ talent—and the competitive advantages that come with genuine inclusion.
The full report is available at https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/employer-support-lgbtq-issues
Williams Institute website: https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/Â
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamsinstitute/Â
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/williamsinstitute.bsky.socialÂ
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/williamsinstitute/Â
