Kicking off Pride Month, Matthew Draper, technical operations manager at The OneFamily Group, speaks to Health & Protection about feeling like the odd one out earlier in his career, the gradual change in attitudes across the sector and how the current climate across society can feel unsettling for the LGBTQ+ community.
What have been your own experiences with regard to attitudes towards LGBTQ+ communities in the sector?
I’d say they’ve been broadly positive.
When I first came to Brighton to study, part of my decision to move here was based on its reputation as an LGBTQ+ friendly place. The difference in attitudes compared to where I grew up was huge, especially when looking back to the early 2000s.
When I worked in retail banking before joining OneFamily, it was a different story. It was a small physical branch, and I felt like the odd one out because it wasn’t a diverse or inclusive environment.
I wasn’t in the closet, but I wasn’t as open as I am now because it wasn’t really encouraged.
Back then, people were encouraged to keep their personal lives separate from their professional ones.
Now, I’ve been at OneFamily for almost 13 years, and I’m really lucky to have had such a positive experience. The business truly values and appreciates people from all different walks of life.
We’re all encouraged to bring our true selves to work every day. It’s great to work with other LGBTQ+ people, including trans and non-binary colleagues, and be free to be ourselves.
How have attitudes evolved in the sector?
I’ve definitely seen a change in attitudes over time.
I work with lots of different people, and I’ve noticed the attention to language has really changed.
What might have been considered a joke in the past is now recognised as potentially harmful or could make someone feel uncomfortable.
It’s been a subtle, gradual change.
I think part of that comes from experience and better education. Through things like equality, diversity and inclusion training, people are learning about unconscious bias and how those so-called jokes can actually be toxic workplace behaviours.
We’re much more educated and aware now than the industry was before.
Spaces like Proudly, our LGBTQ+ network at OneFamily, have provided a sense of community, support and visibility.
I’ve loved seeing how much the network has grown. This year we have more people getting involved than ever before, coming along to events and finding ways to make a difference inside the business and in our local community too.
This year we’re making a push to open the group up to allies as well. Colleagues can join to support us and their loved ones from home.
That’s been a positive experience, it’s all about creating a safe and welcoming space for everyone.
What is the sector doing well and where does it need to up its game?
The industry is doing some great things.
Organisations are stepping up when it comes to promoting inclusivity and diversity and there’s a growing awareness around how powerful language and behaviour can be in shaping a positive culture.
I was recently at a national conference where the CEO of a major energy company spoke openly about their orientation.
It was incredible to see such a high-profile person be candid and proud. Moments like that matter. They show thousands of customers, employees and others in the industry that you can be yourself and still reach those top jobs.
That said, there’s still a long way to go.
We need to keep pushing for better representation, not just for the LGBTQ+ community, but for other marginalised groups too.
The current climate can feel unsettling for the LGBTQ+ community. The risk isn’t about standing still and not progressing, it’s about going backwards if we’re not careful.
Now, more than ever, we need visibility in the workplace, especially for our trans and non-binary friends and colleagues.
There are lots of good things happening at the minute, but we can’t be complacent. We need to keep being vocal and standing up for one another.
Do you feel encouraged and enabled to bring your whole self to work?
Absolutely, that’s something I don’t take for granted.
At OneFamily, there’s a real emphasis on celebrating people’s authentic selves. It doesn’t matter who you are or who you love, people here genuinely want to see the real you.
And with that comes a range of experience and unique insight that makes you a different performer to someone else in your role, which in turn makes our teams stronger.
I recognise that being able to bring your whole self to work is a privilege. It’s not the same story everywhere.
I feel incredibly lucky to have had great champions and supporters throughout my time here.
For me, it’s important to pay that forward. It’s often as simple as being kind, staying open-minded and not making assumptions about people. Just letting them be who they are.
