Most LGBTQ-friendly tech companies you can work for
It is of interest to note that some of the longest running tech companies are listed amongst the most progressive because of their commitment to inclusivity.
By Will Stroude
Overview of tech industry
As it stands, the tech industry is amongst one of the most lucrative and growing industries currently. This is partially due to the interest and demand sparked by the global conditions of 2020. Businesses were forced to pivot and adopt digital operations to stay afloat, while on a personal level, at-home entertainment and gaming gained much popularity.
As such, many tech companies are said to have benefitted from the unfavourable conditions of last year. Moreover, with many people exploring various income and investment options, there has reportedly been an increased interest in trading tech shares online, given how potentially lucrative it is expected to be in the coming years.
With the evident growth of the industry, one question that exists is whether or not it is inclusive. Besides women, perhaps another group of people that tend to face some level of discrimination and inequality in the workplace is the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community.
According to a study done in recent years, one quarter of LGBTQ members have experienced some form of discrimination in their life, while 9.1% of gay couples and 4.9% of lesbian couples over the age of 65 live in poverty due to workplace discrimination. With June being observed as Pride Month across the globe, some tech companies used the opportunity to celebrate their employees from the LGBTQ community.
LGBTQ-friendly companies
A workplace app for tech workers, which is used by some 88 000 employees from the leading tech giants, polled users on how LGBTQ-friendly the companies they work for are. The 2018 survey, conducted over 6 days, was completed by 2 475 employees who responded through True or False questions. Amongst some of the leading tech companies that were noted were Pinterest, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Uber and Apple. Some of the other companies that have been reported on as being inclusive in other writings are:
Visa
Founded more than six decades ago, this multifunctional financial services company is far more progressive than one would think. It has previously been listed amongst the best places to work for LGBTQ equality, it has policies in place that continue to fight for the inclusion of and equality for members of the community.
Perhaps one of the most recognised and celebrated tech companies in the world, Google supports the LGBTQ community through various partnerships and initiatives that work against employment discrimination. Moreover, it is often hailed for its liberal internal culture and celebration of individuality.
Microsoft
Microsoft has an employee resource group for members of the LGBTQ community, known as GLEAM, as an example of its inclusivity and efforts towards non-discrimination in the workplace. According to reports, Microsoft has been championing this movement for decades. In1993, it reportedly became one of the first companies in the globe to offer employee benefits to same-sex domestic partners.
PayPal
When asked about their experience at the company, one former employee was quoted as saying, “I loved almost everyone I worked with at PayPal. I was able to maintain a health work/life balance. The benefits were great too!” PayPal also has a network for the community, PayPal Pride, which is aimed at asserting its commitment to inclusion and celebrating employees from the LGBTQ community and allies.