Associations between workplace characteristics and ‘outness’ in LGBTI workers in Austria

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Markovic, L., Schönherr, D., Zandonella, M., Gil-Salmeron, A., Smith, L., McDermott, D. ORCID: 0000-0001-7005-6446, Yang, L., Dorner, T.E., Mües, H. and Grabovac, I., 2021. Associations between workplace characteristics and ‘outness’ in LGBTI workers in Austria. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. ISSN 1351-0711

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2020-107345

Abstract

Objectives: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals are often subjected to negative attitudes in the workplace, which may lead to non-disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identities. We aimed to determine the prevalence of workplace disclosure of sexual or gender identity (ie, ‘outness’; being ‘out’) and to examine its associations with workplace characteristics in LGBTI workers in Austria.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analysed sociodemographic, work-related and well-being-related data from self-identifying gender and/or sexual minority participants elicited by an online questionnaire between February and June 2017. From the initial 1268 respondents, 1177 (93%) provided complete data and were included in the subsequent analyses.

Results: The largest proportion of the sample were 26–35 years old (39.1%), cisgender gay men (40.0%) in full-time employment (63.9%). Overall, 51.7% of the sample were ‘out’ at the workplace. Being bisexual (OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.81), the provision of antidiscrimination guidelines in the workplace (OR=0.53, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.90), living alone (OR=0.50, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.79) and in shared households (OR=0.49, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.96) were associated with a decreased likelihood of being ‘out’ at work.

Factors associated with being ‘out’ at work were being middle aged (36–45 years old; OR=1.74, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.85), having been in employment for >10 years (OR=2.03, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.81), an LGBTI-friendly work environment (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.91), labour-management antidiscrimination contract (OR=2.02, 95% CI 1.23 to 3.32) and work council protections (OR=1.56, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.36).

Conclusions: Instating antidiscrimination protections might facilitate ‘outness’ of LGBTI workers and lead to a better promotion of diversity in the workplace.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Creators:

Markovic, L., Schönherr, D., Zandonella, M., Gil-Salmeron, A., Smith, L., McDermott, D., Yang, L., Dorner, T.E., Mües, H. and Grabovac, I.

Publisher:

BMJ

Date:

26 May 2021

ISSN:

1351-0711