Competing for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) Workers in an International Market

As a result of the global competition for talented workers, more and more Human Resources and Organizational Development (HRD) professionals are implementing strategies to attract and retain Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) employees. Building on a postmodern rhizoanalysis of American law and culture, this paper extrapolates some of the best practices for recruiting and integrating LGBT talent for an international audience. Such practices include diversity training to address LGBT issues, preparing for resistance based upon prejudice, obtaining support from leadership, and providing culturally-appropriate, but LGBT-specific, benefits programs. By preparing for a changing international culture, in which prejudice against LGBT people is increasingly bad for business, HRD professionals can insure that their organizations are on the right side of history, on the side of justice for all employees. Such practices will better enable LGBT workers, who comprise as much as ten percent of any workforce, to fully contribute to any organization`s prosperity.