bEYond Conventional Ideas to attract Top Talent: Ernst & Young

With an understanding that creating an inclusive workplace is central to winning the war for talent, LGBT programs such as Ernst & Young’s are the latest frontier in diversity policies. Their international LGBT network, called ‘bEYond’, holds regular get-togethers, represents the firm at outside events focusing on the LGBT community and matches up LGBT employees with mentors. With a new generation of young employees who have experienced accepting atmospheres on university campuses, the latest top talent is joining the corporate world demanding inclusive workplaces. „If you’re not seen as a company that is receptive (to LGBT applicants and employees), you will miss out on a whole pool of talent,“ says Robin Church, assistant professor of The Diversity Institute in Management and Technology at Ryerson University in Toronto. A welcoming environment also makes better employees. Bryan Parsons and other gay employees at Ernst & Young say they were less productive at work while they were in the closet. The energy spent on hiding their identity is now put to much better use. Rachel Spencer, a tax lawyer with Ernst & Young (UK) who is ‘out’ at work states, “It’s important to work in an environment where you are comfortable being yourself…You want to be able to focus your energy on your day to day work.” Ernst & Young’s highly successful network ‘bEYond’ was launched four years ago.