Continuing our Pride Month series, Dani Claydon, intermediated distribution quality manager at Vitality, speaks to Health & Protection about why language used on forms and policies need to catch up to cater for LGBTQ+ communities, why more needs to be done to understand the different challenges that certain community groups may face when trying to access products and services and why having a supportive employer means she has not had to think twice about joining in conversations with anyone when discussing her wife and children.
What have been your own experiences with regard to attitudes towards LGBT communities in the sector?
I’ve found individual attitudes towards LGBTQ+ communities have been generally accepting within this sector.
However, I’ve found that whilst individual attitudes have been open and accepting, language used both spoken and in documentation has taken time to catch up.
For example, when my wife was pregnant with our eldest son (11), HR at the company I was working for at the time didn’t know how to manage my request for ‘paternity leave’, as the forms and policies at the time didn’t cater to setups outside of the norm.
I was fortunate that the company were very open to reviewing and improving their policies and I was able to work alongside them to create inclusive policies and reduce barriers to access.
But I recognise not all organisations are as open to change.
How have attitudes evolved in the sector?
We’ve seen a big shift in attitudes within the sector in recent years, with firms looking inwards at their internal processes and employee needs as well as making outward changes to support the recognised diversity within the consumer population.
The increase in Pride forums within organisations, and the recognition of the Workplace Equality Index alongside wider societal changes has enabled culture change within the sector, driving genuine improvement and understanding rather than simply lip service.
What is the sector doing well and where does it need to up its game?
The sector is doing well in its outward facing image and its support of LGBTQ+ communities but there is still more we can do, in particular, further understanding the different challenges that certain community groups may face when trying to access products and services.
For example, are we as a sector doing enough to support our trans and non-binary customers, such as ensuring that we consider how we ask questions on areas such as medical history, and that they are supported to answer these where needed.
Change and understanding aren’t a one-time activity, we need to continue to seek guidance from LGBTQ+ communities and be open and willing to make those changes.
Do you feel encouraged and enabled to bring your whole self to work?
For me – 100%. From my first day at Vitality the message was to ‘bring your whole self to work’ and it was evident that it was more than just buzz words from the organisation.
The LGBTQ+ forum, and people’s pride and allyship stories on LGBTQ+ featured on our intranet, are some of the ways they have created an environment that fosters an open and inclusive organisation.
I’ve not had to think twice about joining in conversations with anyone, discussing my wife and children, no matter who they are.