The double-edged sword of having a unique perspective: Feelings of discrimination and perceived career advantages among LGBT employees

Purpose Drawing on social identity theory and the concept of perceived organizational support, we conducted an online, exploratory survey of 150 LGBT workers in 28 countries to examine whether being LGBT provides a unique perspective in the workplace, if they perceive their employer appreciates this perspective, and what effects this has on perceived discrimination and perceived career advancement. Collectively these questions have implications for work engagement and career prospects of LGBT workers. Design/methodology/approach Multiple regression and qualitative analyses were used to analyze Likert-scale questions along with open-ended options Findings The majority of respondents agree that being LGBT offers a unique perspective compared to heterosexual workers. The more respondents agree that they have a different perspective, the more they feel discriminated against. After controlling for demographic variables as well as education, tenure, job level and disclosure, hierarchical linear regression analy...