Majority of lesbians in Hong Kong will prioritise working in a LGBT-friendly work environment and reject workplace discrimination in terms of sexual orientation, according to a survey.

Conducted by the Women Coalition of HKSAR and funded by HER Fund, the survey was held in July and August 2015 and received a total of 437 valid responses. The survey aimed to understand discrimination faced in the workplace by lesbian individuals and other female sexual minorities.

Survey results released yesterday showed that over 86% of those surveyed will choose to work for LGBT-friendly bosses, as compared to working for bosses that are not.

‘This clearly shows that LGBTs are very particular in terms of whether a workplace is LGBT-friendly,’ said a spokesperson from the Women Coalition of HKSAR.

‘Employees creating LGBT-friendly work environments is definitely a trend in modern Hong Kong society, because this helps to retain highly capable LGBT employees who will not be wasted due to unnecessary discrimination at work.’

The survey results also revealed that 58% of those who are interviewed have expressed fear of discrimination by bosses and co-workers. Out of the interviewees, only 12% have chosen to openly disclose their sexual orientation and 20% expressing that they will remain closeted in the workplace.

‘To hide their sexual orientation from others, LGBTs need to spend a lot of effort. Not only will that affect one’s performance at work, it will even cause a drift between co-workers,’ the spokesperson explained.

‘This is not advantageous to the healthy groups already established in the workplace, and will cause LGBTs to lose their sense of belonging in their workplace.’

Amongst those interviewed, the survey also found out that there is a correlation between the level of discrimination lesbian individuals face and their educational qualifications – where higher educated lesbian individuals face more apparent discrimination.

In a similar fashion, in terms of seniority at work, it is also revealed that lesbian individuals who have climbed higher up the ladder in their companies’ organisational charts tend to be more outrightly discriminated.