Workplace Materials

You can order hard copies of our publications by completing our online resource request form.

If you would like accessible formats of our publications, please contact our free Infoline by email (info@stonewall.org.uk) or phone (08000 50 20 20).

Workplace Guides

Career Development 

Bullying 

Monitoring 

Network Groups 

Religion and Sexual Orientation 

Bisexual People in the Workplace

 

Employer Handbooks and Toolkits

Small Business Guide 

Sexual Orientation Employer Handbook

What's it got to do with you? 

Research

Peak Performance - Productivity

Double Glazed-Glass Ceiling - Lesbians in the Workplace

Training

Sexual Orientation 

 

Workplace Guides

Stonewall has launched the sixth in a series of Workplace Guides for members of the Diversity Champions programme. 

The Guides are designed to equip employers with best practice when it comes to actively engaging with lesbian and gay staff. 

The first, on setting up an employee network group for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, was launched in November 2005. 

The second, on monitoring sexual orientation in the workplace, highlights examples from Diversity Champions that have successfully introduced monitoring on the basis of sexual orientation and was launched in July 2006. 

The third, on preventing bullying of gay staff, explores innovative and creative ways in which employers can support and protect their LGB staff from unlawful harassment and was launched in January 2007.

The fourth, on career development discusses the barriers lesbian and gay employees may face in their careers and features examples of employers that have tailored their career development programmes in recognition of these barriers. The guide was launched in September 2007.  

The fifth, on religion and sexual orientation, looks at areas of potential conflict between sexual orientation and religion. It includes case studies and top ten tips on engaging staff on these issues. The guide was launched in May 2009.

The sixth, on bisexual people in the workplace, looks at the unique issues bisexual employees face which can prevent them from achieving their full potential at work. It includes key recommendations and suggestions as well as top ten tips on supporting bisexual workplace inclusion. The guide was launched in October 2009.

Bisexual People in the Workplace: practical advice for employers 

Stonewall knows that people perform better when they can be themselves and despite many great strides that have been made to achieve sexual orientation equality in workplaces across Britain, many bisexual men and women still feel unable to be themselves at work.

This guide, the sixth in a series from Stonewall and the first of its kind to capture the experiences of bisexual employees, shows that the discrimination they often face can prevent them achieving their full potential at work. These experiences are often quite distinct from those of their lesbian and gay colleagues. Too often stereotypical assumptions and beliefs about bisexual people and their lives, from both straight and gay people, mean that they feel unable to access the very initiatives that are meant to support them.

Bisexual People in the Workplace provides a practical resource for organisations that want to know more about the issues bisexual people face in the workplace and want to include bisexual employees in their diversity initiatives. The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 define bisexuality as a sexual orientation towards persons of the same sex and of the opposite sex.

The guide is split into four sections;

• Key issues for bisexual staff
• Developing effective policy and procedure
• Engaging bisexual employees
• Evaluating success and continuing progress

The guide also contains a list of ten steps to support bisexual workplace inclusion.

To download a PDF version of this guide, please click here.

Career Development

Our fourth Workplace Guide is designed to equip organisations with the information they need to understand the specific career development needs of their lesbian, gay and bisexual staff and how to respond to them. By highlighting examples of best practice, Stonewall research enables organisations to build reputation, improve performance and avoid risk.

Career Development is the fourth publication in the Workplace Guides series.

The guide deals with the following topics:

• The business case
• Developing inclusive career development policies
• Examples of career development initiatives
• Communicating initiatives
• Evaluating their success 

Click here to download Career Development: how to support your lesbian and gay employees.

The guide utilises in-depth research into organisations that are taking a variety of steps to support the career development of their lesbian, gay and bisexual employees. Researchers interviewed 9 organisations of varying sizes and operating in a variety of sectors. All of them are members of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme. 

There are significant obstacles facing the career development of many lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Organisations are already doing much to support the career development of employees from other under-represented groups from which there are many lessons to learn.  

This guide has been produced with the support of Morgan Stanley. 

Bullying: preventing the bullying and harassment of gay employees

Our third Workplace Guide is designed to equip organisations with the resources they need to understand the nature of anti-gay bullying and harassment, the legal obligation for employers and the impact this type of discrimination can have on individual staff members.  By highlighting examples of best practice, Stonewall research enables organisations to build reputation, improve performance and avoid risk. 

Bullying is the third publication in the Workplace Guides series.

The guide deals with the following topics:

• Building the business case
• Effective policy and procedure
• Improving reporting

Click here to download Bullying: preventing the bullying and harassment of gay employees.

The guide utilises in-depth research into organisations that are taking a variety of steps to address bullying and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation.  Researchers interviewed 11 organisations of varying sizes and operating in a variety of sectors.  All of them are members of Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme.

The best employers know that it's not just about bullying and harassment in isolation but rather about creating a workplace which is fully inclusive of your gay staff and which doesn't condone any form of discrimination.

This guide has been produced with the support of UBS.

Monitoring: how to monitor sexual orientation in the workplace

Monitoring sexual orientation in the workplace enables organisations to examine the experiences of gay and lesbian people working there and to measure the outcomes of the organisation's equality and diversity initiatives.  Stonewall's research indicates that there is a strong business case for monitoring sexual orientation, with benefits for the organisation, its employees and its clients and customers.

Monitoring is the second publication in the Workplace Guides series and is designed to give employers the practical tools they need to begin monitoring sexual orientation.

The guide deals with the following topics:

• Building the business case
• Preparing to monitor
• What to ask and how to ask it
• What to do with the information you receive

Click here to download Monitoring: how to monitor sexual orientation in the workplace.

The guide utilises in-depth research into organisations with existing monitoring procedures.  Researchers interviewed eight organisations of varying sizes and operating in a variety of sectors.  All of them are members of Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme and all monitor on the basis of sexual orientation.

Monitoring cannot exist in a vacuum and should instead build on robust equality and diversity initiatives.

This guide has been produced with the support of Nationwide Building Society.

Network Groups: setting up networks for lesbian, gay and bisexual employees

A lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) employee network group is a formal mechanism for enabling lesbian, gay and bisexual staff to come together to share information and support.  Stonewall's research shows that it is a valuable workplace resource that can benefit the organisation, employees, customers and clients.

This good practice guide provides practical advice for employers and employees wanting to set up an LGB employee network group.

The guide covers the following areas:

• The business case
• What LGB networks do
• Setting up an LGB network
• Communicating the network
• Maintaining and developing the network

Click here to download Network Groups: setting up networks for lesbian, gay and bisexual employees.

The guide is based on in-depth research into existing LGB workplace networks.  Researchers interviewed 10 organisations of varying sizes and operating in a variety of sectors.  All of them are members of Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme and all have active LGB networks.

LGB networks are not a complete diversity solution but they are an important step for employers who want to demonstrate their commitment to eradicating homophobia at work.

This guide has been produced with the support of Aviva and Morley Fund Management.

 

Religion and Sexual Orientation: how to manage relations in the workplace

Since 2003, legislation has been in place to protect lesbian, gay and bisexual people from discrimination in the workplace. Similar legislation exists to protect people of faith. The fact that these were introduced at the same time led some to believe that trying to uphold both would lead to conflict.

The 500 employers who are members of Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme tell us that conflicts are very rare. However, employers tell us that they are less confident about preventing and responding to these incidents than they are other forms of discrimination.

In August 2008, researchers interviewed 30 equality and diversity specialists from a range of sectors about their experiences of sexual orientation and religion and belief in the workplace. In October 2007, researchers also conducted six focus groups with people who are Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu about their attitudes to lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

This report presents the findings of that research, and is split into four sections.

• Not a new issue
• Where to draw the line
• Case studies - responding to issues
• How to prevent and respond to incidents

The guide also contains top tips for action planning.

To download a PDF version of this guide, please click here.  

Accessible Guides & Research

We have accessible word format versions of our guides and research. The links to download follow after the individual titles:

• Bullying: preventing the bullying and harassment of gay employees click here
• Career Development: how to support your lesbian and gay employees click here
• Monitoring: how to monitor sexual orientation in the workplace click here
• Network Groups: setting up networks for lesbian, gay and bisexual employees click here
• Double-Glazed Glass Ceiling: lesbians in the workplace click here 
• Religion and Sexual Orientation: how to manage relations in the workplace click here 
• Bisexual People in the Workplace: practical advice for employers click here 

For further information on the Workplace Guides series, please contact the Workplace team at workplace@stonewall.org.uk.

 

Employer Handbooks and Toolkits

Discrimination at work.  It's so over.

What is this new law?

Changes in the law now mean that people don’t have to suffer at work because of their sexual orientation. With these laws, there are now three sorts of unfair treatment that people don’t have to put up with:

1. Direct discrimination: anything that’s OK for straight employees is now OK for gay, lesbian and bisexual employees. If straight employees are allowed to hold hands at work, for example, so are gay couples. Obviously, if straight employees aren’t allowed to do it, that also applies to gay staff.

2. Indirect discrimination: this means employers can’t hand out goodies, perks, promotions to straight employees that gay, lesbian and bisexual staff can’t benefit from. If straight people’s partners are invited to a work do, the same applies to gay, lesbian and bisexual staff.

3. Harassment: employers or colleagues who think they can make someone’s life hell by generally creating an atmosphere no lesbian, gay man or bisexual would want to be in, have got another thing coming.

 

Small Business Guide

Stonewall launches guide to help small businesses protect gay staff and access the £70bn 'pink pound'

Similar to other Stonewall guides supported by the DTI, Gay People, Your Business: What small employers need to know, provides plain English advice on the 2003 Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations and is also endorsed by The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Acas.

The first of its kind, this punchy A5-sized guide explains to managers and owners of smaller businesses how the legislation impacts them and gives tips on how they can go beyond compliance and instead be competitive in today’s market by using case studies from actual small businesses.

Stonewall produced this guide as many smaller employers have yet to completely integrate the legislation into their practices and even fewer are capitalising on the pink pound, estimated to be worth £70 billion. To read more, download the guide here or request a hard copy by emailing workplace@stonewall.org.uk or calling 020 7593 1850.

How does it work with enforcement?

If the worst comes to the worst there is a tribunal with powers to give the victims cash from employers as compensation.  Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals who have been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation can submit a complaint to an employment tribunal.

The burden of proof lies on the employer. This means that rather than the employee proving there has been discrimination, the employer has to demonstrate that they have not violated the law.

 

Sexual Orientation Employer Handbook

Find out more:

I'm an employee and I want to know more.  Click here to read our Employee Toolkit. 

I'm an employer and I want to know more.  Click here to read our Sexual Orientation Employer Handbook.  Click here for the Welsh language insert. 

The Employee Toolkit is also available in 12 languages and the Guidelines for Employers is also available in Welsh. Click here to see the non english language versions of these guides.

If you’d like to learn more about The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, please click here.

What's it got to do with you?

Stonewall has launched a new plain English guide to help workplaces and service providers explain monitoring to their employees and service users. This innovative resource makes the case for monitoring across all equality strands, including disability, gender or gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and belief and age.

If you would like more copies of the guide, please do get in touch by emailing us here. Alternatively, you can download a PDF version here.

 

Research

Peak Performance

Gay people perform better when they can be themselves  

This pioneering Stonewall research for the first time outlines a compelling business case for good practice around sexual orientation in the workplace. The study, based on more than one hundred in-depth interviews with lesbian, gay and bisexual people from 21 public and private sector organisations, found that participants almost universally reported a positive link between workplace climate and their own productivity and performance. The research was sponsored by IBM.

Interviewees, who ranged from partners to administrative staff, identified that robust, inclusive policies, employee network groups, senior lesbian and gay role models and expressions of commitment to lesbian and gay employees from senior leaders are all ways that significantly encourage gay staff to perform better because they can be themselves. 

Tellingly, most participants in the research firmly declined to identify their own workplace in the report. Ben Summerskill said: ‘This is stark evidence that lesbian and gay staff still don’t feel comfortable enough in their working environment. Workplaces can still do more to be supportive and welcoming of potential lesbian and gay recruits. In an increasingly competitive labour market, employers who don’t take lesbian and gay equality seriously, risk losing out to those who do.’

Observations from lesbian and gay staff included in the research:

‘You’d have to pay me a lot more than I get paid here to go somewhere else. I just feel very comfortable here and I feel very accepted. I feel very loyal to the organisation.’

‘If I’m not out at work, I spend more time trying to conceal my home life and therefore not concentrating on my job.’

‘It’s really great management. I feel at the moment I’ve got absolutely no desire to look elsewhere for work.’

‘I have the experience with my current manager where I feel very unsupported around some homophobic things. I am very conscious of the impact of that on my work.’

To download a copy of the report please click here

Diversity Champions may also download a copy of the launch presentation in the Members Only section.

Not a Diversity Champion? Click here to join our programme.

 

The Double Glazed-Glass Ceiling

 

The guide is kindly sponsored by Lloyds TSB.

To download a copy of the report please click here.

Diversity Champions may also download a copy of the launch presentation in the Members Only section.

Not a Diversity Champion? Click here to join our programme.

 

Training Package

Responding to demand from both employers and employees, Stonewall has produced a training package specifically geared toward increasing understanding of lesbian and gay workplace issues. 

The training package is designed to help employees work successfully with lesbian, gay and bisexual colleagues, customers and service users by creating a comfortable climate at work which benefits everyone.  As an added benefit, members of the Diversity Champions programme are entitled to a discount when purchasing the training package.

The package contains both DVD and VHS components and a self-study guide.  These resources provide users with comprehensive guidance in areas such as:

• Up-to-date information on existing legislation
• An overview of key issues pertaining to sexual orientation in the workplace
• Real-life case studies of lesbian, gay and bisexual staff
• An investigation of best practice in the workplace
• Dramatised scenarios that explore relevant issues

Stonewall believes this innovative training package will be a valuable tool in eliminating discrimination at work.  It explores issues that can arise on a daily basis and offers ways to educate staff and improve the workplace culture for the better.

For further information about obtaining a copy of the training package, please contact Peter Thorpe at BDP Media on 020 7940 9707 or via peterthorpe@bdpmedia.com.

To download a free trailer, click here (external site).

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