Clanfield bookkeeping firm speaks out on workplace discrimination for LGBTQ+ staff on International Awareness Day

The company’s founder, Alison Edward, whose children include members of the LGBTQ+ community — one of whom is transgender — says discrimination in the workplace remains a serious issue, even in 2025.

“As a parent, I see the impact this has every day,” says Alison. “Even now, LGBTQ+ people still face judgement, misunderstanding, and outright exclusion at work. That needs to change — and employers are in a position to make that change happen.”

LGBTQ+ Workplace Struggles: The Hidden Barriers

While progress has been made, research and lived experience show that many LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK continue to face:

• Microaggressions and exclusion – from being left out of workplace conversations to feeling unable to speak up in meetings;
• Deadnaming and misgendering – particularly affecting transgender and non-binary staff;
• Lack of visible role models or support – leaving employees feeling isolated;
• Fear of being ‘out’ at work – with concerns around career progression or client acceptance.

“People shouldn’t have to choose between being authentic and being employed,” Alison adds. “The emotional toll is huge — and preventable.”

What Employers Can Do: Advice from Alison Edward

Drawing on her experience as a business owner and ally, Alison offers these key actions for creating a genuinely inclusive workplace:

1. Make Pronouns Part of Your Culture
2. Normalise pronoun use in email signatures and staff intros to create a more respectful environment.
3. Update Your Policies
4. Ensure anti-discrimination and inclusion policies explicitly cover sexual orientation and gender identity — and are understood by all team members.
5. Train and Educate
6. Provide ongoing inclusion training that addresses unconscious bias, LGBTQ+ terminology, and allyship in the workplace.
7. Foster Safe Communication
8. Let staff know they can share concerns or experiences without fear of retaliation. Create feedback loops that genuinely lead to action.
9. Show Visible Support
10. Celebrate awareness days like IDAHOBIT, display inclusive signs, and be vocal in support of LGBTQ+ rights — visibility matters.
11. Challenge Inappropriate Behaviour
12. From casual jokes to intentional harm, address all incidents. Silence can be seen as acceptance.

“Creating inclusive workplaces isn’t just a ‘nice to have’ — it’s a necessity,” says Alison. “When people feel safe and valued, they perform better, stay longer, and contribute more fully.”

Simply Balanced Solutions is urging businesses in Clanfield, Hampshire, and across the UK to reflect on what more they can do — not just today, but every day — to make inclusion more than a policy and more of a practice.