85% of LGBTQ+ people in the UK say their sexuality has negatively impacted their career
A staggering 93% of LGBTQ+ people interviewed believed bias may have played a role in hiring practices for their job
By Gary Grimes
A new report has shown that a large majority of LGBTQ+ people in the UK feel their sexuality has negatively impacted their career.
The report, commissioned by Pride in Leadership and based on a survey of over 1,000 people, showed that 85% of respondents said they encountered obstacles in their career directly linked to their sexuality or gender identity. 42% of LGBTQ+ people surveyed said they felt unsupported by HR when facing LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace.
70% of respondents reported a lack of LGBTQ+ role models in leadership, and half experienced uncomfortable or hostile work environments.
Barriers to LGBTQ+ careers in the UK – our report launches today: 1. 85% have experienced workplace barriers 2. 76% lacked LGBTQ+ role models 3. 42% say HR failed to support them 4. 93% believe there could be bias in hiring prideinleadership.co.uk/lgbtq-career… #PrideInLeadershipReport
— Pride in Leadership (@prideinleadership.bsky.social) April 10, 2025 at 10:49 AM
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A staggering 93% of people interviewed believed bias may have played a role in hiring practices. Although 77% of those said they were unsure, the remaining 16% of respondents believed they had missed out on job opportunities directly due to being LGBTQ+.
“This research reflects what I’ve seen as a gay leader,” Matt Haworth, co-founder of Pride in Leadership, said. “From homophobia in meetings to being invited on trade missions to a country where I could be sentenced to death just for being me… the playing field is far from level.”
“Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed — regardless of who they love or how they identify,” Haworth added.
“Most importantly, this report is a call to action. It’s not enough to highlight the challenges; we need solutions,” Haworth said, in a joint statement with co-founder of the organisation Claire Ebrey.
“That’s why we’ve included a comprehensive set of recommendations for businesses, policymakers, recruiters, future research, and the LGBTQ+ community itself. If we work together, we can break down these barriers, create truly inclusive workplaces, and ensure that LGBTQ+ professionals are not just present in leadership, but excelling there.”
The report can be read in full here.