WORKERS who identify as LGBT are “lowering their expectations of working life to cope with ongoing discrimination and harassment,” according to a damning TUC study published today.

The report, coinciding with the end of Pride Month and the start of the union body’s two-day annual LGBT+ conference in London, reveals that despite improvements, all LGBT staff surveyed could “easily recall recent instances of workplace homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.”

Many workers feel “lucky” if they have inclusive managers and colleagues and “grateful” if basic equality standards are met, it warned.

Concerns that transphobia may be increasing were also raised, with anti-trans views in the media “filtering down into anti-LGBT behaviours in workplaces.”

Unions were seen as important in providing workplace protections as they have “rights to represent workers that are not dependent on management goodwill.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Everyone should feel safe and welcome where they work, but homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are still commonly experienced in the workplace.

“Ministers need to take the lead in setting expectations that every workplace will be safe and inclusive for all LGBT+ workers.

“Employers should work with unions to make sure that inclusivity policies don’t just live on a page, but are lived out in workplace culture.

“Whatever your job, you and your colleagues will always achieve more if everyone feels accepted and welcome for who they are.”

The report urged both Westminster and employers to consult with unions on a strategy to make sure workplaces are safe for all LGBT people and introduce legislation that would protect workers from harassment by customers and clients.

It backed reform of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to legislate for self-identification for trans and non-binary people, alongside maintaining protections for those citizens in the 2010 Equality Act.

Additionally, the union body repeated calls for insecure work that disproportionately hits LGBT staff, such as zero-hours contracts, miserly minimum wage rates, fire-and-rehire tactics and bogus self-employment practices, to be “stamped out.”

Bosses must regularly review workplace policies and how they are experienced by LGBT workers and customers, act to ensure that such policies translate into an “inclusive culture” and review recruitment processes to “allow LGBT staff to thrive,” it said.