If you look at company websites, social media posts or the language used in recruitment adverts, you could easily believe that workplaces today are more inclusive than ever. Almost every employer talks confidently about equality, diversity and belonging. Pride flags appear in June, staff networks get highlighted in newsletters, and many organisations want to be seen as modern and welcoming. On the surface, things look positive.
But if you ask people directly — especially gay people, bisexual people, trans people, and others in our community — the picture is mixed. Some say the workplace has never been better. Others say it feels like things have slipped backwards. And many say inclusion feels inconsistent, unstable, or dependent on the department you sit in rather than the organisation as a whole.
So are workplaces becoming more inclusive, or are things moving in the wrong direction? The truth sits somewhere in between, shaped by culture, politics, economic pressure and the everyday behaviours that don’t show up in HR reports.
The progress that can’t be ignored
It’s important to acknowledge the improvements of recent years. For many gay people who remember the working world of the 80s, 90s or even early 2000s, today’s environment is far safer. Open homophobia is less common. Being out at work is far more normal. People can talk about partners, families and dating without whispering or worrying who is listening.
Policies have also improved. Anti-bullying frameworks are clearer. Harassment procedures are stronger. Staff networks exist in places where they never did before. Younger colleagues tend to be far more relaxed around sexuality and gender identity, and often bring that openness into the workplace with them.
For some people, being gay at work now feels almost completely unremarkable — exactly as it should be.
But progress isn’t universal
While some people feel more comfortable than ever, others feel the opposite. They talk about workplaces where attitudes have cooled, where people seem less confident talking about inclusion, or where silence has replaced enthusiasm.
Part of this comes from the wider political climate. Public conversations around identity and rights have become louder, more tense and more hostile in some corners of society. This tension doesn’t stay online or in Parliament — it shows up in offices, warehouses, schools, hospitals and Zoom calls. People carry those conversations with them.
Gay workers mention feeling more cautious about being open. Not because they fear discrimination in the old sense, but because they can sense a change in tone. A hesitation. A slight shift. A feeling that some colleagues are “unsure” again.
Inclusion depends heavily on leadership — and that’s fragile
One of the biggest reasons inclusion feels inconsistent is because it relies almost entirely on individual people in positions of power. If your manager cares deeply about equality, your day-to-day experience is likely very positive. If your manager is indifferent — or uncomfortable — your experience can be very different.
Two gay people working for the same organisation can live in completely different realities purely based on which team they sit in.
Inclusion isn’t evenly distributed. It fluctuates from floor to floor, building to building, leader to leader. That makes progress far more fragile than many organisations realise.
Economic pressure is reshaping workplace culture
With rising costs, hiring slowdowns and organisations feeling more stretched, many employers have reduced investment in the very things that made workplaces feel safe and supportive. Inclusion teams shrink. Training is postponed. Staff networks lose funding. Wellbeing programmes go quiet.
The result isn’t always immediately visible, but people feel the shift. Gay staff, especially those who rely on workplace culture to feel secure, notice when the warmth fades.
During difficult times, inclusion is sometimes treated as optional — when in reality, difficult times are exactly when people need support the most.
Small things are becoming big signals again
One of the clearest signs that inclusion is slipping is the return of small moments that should have disappeared years ago.
People mention being careful about what they say.
They mention hesitation when correcting a colleague’s assumptions.
They mention thinking twice before bringing their partner to a work event.
They mention colleagues making remarks that go unchallenged.
They mention being out to friends at work, but not out to managers.
None of these moments look dramatic in isolation. But if someone hides themselves at work, even slightly, it almost always means the environment has given them a reason to.
Trans colleagues are facing the hardest environment
While inclusion for many gay and bi people has improved, trans colleagues are facing a much more difficult moment. Public hostility, confusing legal messages and social tension have filtered into everyday workplaces. Misgendering, inappropriate questions and uncertainty from managers have become more common.
If inclusion is measured by how the most vulnerable are treated, many workplaces still have a long way to go.
So… are workplaces getting more inclusive or less?
The answer isn’t simple, because inclusion isn’t moving in one direction:
Some workplaces are improving rapidly.
Some are drifting backwards.
Many are stuck in the middle.
Progress is uneven — and that unevenness is exactly why so many people feel unsure.
What real inclusion needs next
Real inclusion isn’t about posters, Pride flags or statements. It’s the everyday feeling that you don’t need to shrink yourself to fit in. It’s the confidence to speak openly. It’s the trust that if something does go wrong, you’ll be supported. It’s the reassurance that your identity won’t limit your career.
For workplaces to truly move forward, they need:
Leadership that speaks clearly and consistently.
Managers who take responsibility for culture.
Protection and respect for trans colleagues.
Support that remains strong even in tough economic times.
Representation that reaches senior levels.
A culture where you don’t calculate how much of yourself you can reveal.
Inclusion needs to be something people feel, not something employers claim.
And when workplaces get that right, they don’t just look inclusive — they become inclusive.