How to Gain GLBT Support from Co-Workers

As president of the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Carla Corley advises corporations on how to create welcoming environments for GLBT employees. Yet straight employees often need help, too. They may want to support their gay colleagues, but without cues and input from them, they are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. Gay and lesbian workers mistake that silence as rejection. The result: A workplace on eggshells.

GLBT employees can help their straight colleagues in a number of ways to create a more supportive workplace for all.

Don’t Conceal Your Personal Life

One of the most important ways to make your workplace more comfortable for both GLBT and straight colleagues is to put a picture of your partner on your desk. “So many times, straight people say ‘I wasn’t sure you had someone,’” Corley says. “Seeing a photo gives them permission to talk.”

Similarly, she says, if coworkers discuss their personal lives, you can talk about your own. It does not have to be heavy-handed. “People catch on if you consistently mention the same name.”

Read the rest at career-advice.monster.com.