LGBT employee groups: Goals and organizational structures

The problem and the solution. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees oftentimes face isolation, difficult workplace climates, and inequitable benefits and policies. LGBT employee groups offer a space for social support and provide an organized platform from which employees can advocate for changes within their workplaces.We provide a social and historical background on LGBT employee groups and provide a framework/continuum for understanding different approaches to operating these groups.These groups vary in their organizational structures and in their goals. Groups can adopt emergent organizational styles or take more orderly and structured approaches to organizing. Goals for these groups include bringing broader social change and improving organizational effectiveness. These groups provide human resource development that benefits individuals, organizations, communities, and societies