C RE LGBTQ N E T W O R K
interview series Oliver Hiner Director, Operations PORTICO
Do you see more/less acceptance of LGBTQ in society? My personal view is that LGBTQ is more openly discussed as part of everyday conversation, and this is a trend which is in one direction in the UK. However, this does not necessarily correlate with acceptance and there is still work to do on this. Sadly there is still a stigma in certain parts of society be-it down to culture, religion or just lack of information and awareness. I feel very fortunate to work and live in circles where I am fully accepted as who I am however I am more than aware through personal experience that many people have different and less favourable stories to tell.
How did you make it possible to be successful leader and at the same time, a proud member of the LGBT community? As mentioned before, I have been very fortunate to be part of organisations that have allowed me to be myself. I have learnt the importance of creating a culture of openness and inclusivity. I’ve been a senior leader in my current organisation for several years now and the importance of being honest and genuine cannot be underestimated. You need to bring yourself to work and show who you are....there’s only one you! What do you think is yet to improve for the LGBT community?
In the UK, the LGBT community is widely accepted and sits on a level playing field with the rest of society. However the journey has not even started in so many other counties and territories. I really enjoy travelling however having to consider where to go to because of views on LGBT is always a worry. There are some counties that are just a no-go on the whole if you want to be yourself as a gay man and this is very sad. Clearly there is still huge amounts of work to do and this will take years, and generations. I’m, happy to volunteer and help the effort How important is the role of inclusion and equity groups somewhere in the sunshine..! within organisations, and how is the output of such initiatives How can we create spaces that are inclusive, safe, and directly supporting your teams? respectful of all people? It is vital that all employees within an organisation have an It starts from the top; leadership must set the expectations and opportunity to feel part of the bigger picture, of the culture of boundaries. This in turn will create the parameters for which their organisation. This goes beyond their day to day job, it’s everyone can contribute to the culture. Everyone within an about being included and feeling that their input is heard and organisation is part of this, it cannot be led by on person or valued. Inclusion and equity groups also provide an group. it is important that everyone feels heard and different opportunity for networking outside of immediate colleagues. mediums may be needed to speak to different parts of the For me, this is about engaging the heart as well as the brain. workforce i.e. some people may really enjoy joining a network As with many industries at present, we (at Portico) place group whereas others would rather communicate through an recruitment as one of our key challenges presently. Being able office survey or suggestion box. Everyone should be given the to attract, and retain, people is as hard now as ever. By having opportunity to be heard and feel included. a workplace that is inclusive and open to everyone will greatly increase the opportunity and reduce the risk for organisations. We know that equity, diversity, and inclusion are important for commercial success. What does it mean for you, and [how] has it impacted your own personal journey? Having always worked in hospitality I count myself very lucky to have been part of organisations that have encouraged me to be myself, where my sexuality has never been a problem. This has enabled me to focus on my work and perform at my best. Having recently gone through the process of adoption with my husband I fully recognise how an individual’s performance can be impacted when they feel they have to be in deference mode. If you want to get the best from your teams then you need to ensure they feel comfortable and can focus on the job primarily.
If you would like to take part in these CORE LGBTQ+ series, you can contact Krishnan: krishnan@corecruitment.com