Laws are good, but you need to engage the public. That change, slow as it is, is happening. Change, he adds, frequently does not come without the involvement of senior management. It usually starts at some senior-level organizing body, which opens up the dialogue for many others. I think it is essential that management committee members are the drivers.
Issues are then more likely to be heard.
Martin Atkin, managing director for investment banking at J.P. Morgan in New York, says his company provides mentors to new employees to help them become acclimated to the work environment. Beyond offering such benefits as health insurance for same-sex couples, say gay activists, companies should also provide sensitivity training for workers so that their gay colleagues feel more comfortable in workplace settings, whether that means bringing partners to company functions or displaying family pictures at their work stations. Removing the glass ceiling would empower both out and closeted gays and lesbians to fully exercise their true career potential. The greatest frustration is that America and the world has a long, long way to go. Advocates for gay employees note the disparity between companies that are truly progressive in this area, and companies that just think they are.