The path-breaking judgement delivered by the Supreme Court of India last year, decriminalized homosexuality. The judgement, however, did little to break preconceived notions prevalent in the Indian society. It is a slow process and will take a long time if left on its own.
Indian workspace and business can ill afford to wait for change to happen in the Indian society on its own. According to World Bank statistics (2014 report), homophobia extracts a huge cost, exclusion of LGBTQ costs us 0.1-1.7 percent of the GDP. Clearly the need of the hour is to up the hiring of LGBTQ employees.
So it is a very heartening news that Pride Circle, a Bangalore-based Diversity and Inclusion firm, has decided to start a practice that will solely cater to LGBTQ candidate seeking jobs. Despite the change in law, the LGBTQ community in India grapples with biases and impediments. LGBTQ rights – especially LGBTQ employment rights – are still in their infancy despite the constitutional right of equality of opportunity available to all Indians. Indian workspace has not woken up to provide equal pay, proper representation and other benefits needed for LGBTQ employment protection. A dedicated job consultancy for LGBTQ hiring therefore is a great step to ease some of the difficulties that can come up on the road for LGBTQ inclusion in the workplace.
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Indian companies are unsure of the ways in which they can engage with LGBTQ workers. Consultancies like Pride Circle can be immensely helpful in removing intended or unintended prejudices in companies’ hiring process on the one hand, and working with the LGBTQ candidates to make them interview and job ready on the other. A lot of LGBTQ candidates have low self esteem due to the long history of discrimination faced by them. Companies face issues like lack of appropriate sensitization and not having LGBTQ inclusion policies in place.
Dedicated job consultancies can help break stereotypes and encourage a healthy dialogue, ending needless misinformation. A meeting ground for the LGBTQ community and companies promotes engagement with one another. Companies open up to the idea of providing internships, fellowships, skill building programs for LGBTQ applicants, later on leading to part time and in turn full-time jobs. This builds up the diversity and inclusion profile of the company as well.
What sensitization of companies can achieve in LGBTQ hiring , is showcased beautifully by a case study of a transgender employee in ThoughtWorks India. The company’s HR and other managers had gone through sensitization training. So when this worker was hired, she was first put in the design department. However both, the worker and the manager realized that she was better at dealing with vendors and making and checking inventories. The company showed a great deal of sensitivity, first finding out the appropriate work for her and later directing vendors having similar sensibilities towards her. This worker assimilated successfully in her job. Companies like ThoughtWorks show their commitment towards LGBTQ employment rights and their inclusion in the workplace.
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Why should companies pay attention to LGBTQ hiring? It is in their interest to do so. The world over, the Pink Dollar Economy has become a fairly large section of the consumer market. Travel, insurance and consumer products,all are seeing an increased demand from the LGBTQ community. So companies that lack sensitization towards this section of consumers stand to lose substantially. It is in the interest of their business that companies should increase LGBTQ hiring and show sensitivity towards their LGBTQ customers.
Reference:
India set to get first dedicated LGBTQ hiring consultancy. Rohit Vaid. 21 July, 2019
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