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Gay engineers cautioned to do their research if working abroad
Are you LGBTI and working in engineering? InterEngineering, a UK-based LGBT network group launched last year, could be a vital source of support and information.
Gay Star Business attended its most recent event in London, which took place at the offices of BuroHappold. It included a group discussion on the workplaces experiences of LGBT engineers both home and abroad.
The discussion was hosted by Dr. Mark McBride-Wright, Chair of InterEngineering.
Speakers included: Grant Hayden, an electrical engineer with BP since 2002; John Bradbury, a Process Engineer who previously worked with Aurecon Australasia before a recent relocation to Bristol; and Hayley Barnden, a Safety Engineer with Defense Equipment and Support (DE&S) – part of the UK’s Ministry of Defense.
As a sector, engineering has lagged behind the financial and legal industries when it comes to embracing the diversity and inclusion of its workforce.
Only this week, Naomi Climer, the first female president of the Institute of Engineering and Technology called for quotas to be introduced to boost the numbers of female engineers in the UK.
Figures do not exist for the numbers of LGBTI individuals in engineering, but firms that employ a great number of engineers have traditionally been slow to embrace such initiatives as the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The only ones to feature on the 2015 index are BP, EDF Energy and the armed forces.
The formation of InterEngineering, which was launched to ‘connect, inform and empower LGBT engineers and their allies’, shows that things are slowly changing.
The InterEngineering event at BuroHappold
The BuroHappold discussion, which took place 23 September, illustrated that there is still some way to go – particularly for engineers who find themselves working abroad.
Hayden, who has worked extensively in Asia and Africa, said that he had no regrets about his various stints in other countries and whole-heartedly recommended that others explore such opportunities.
‘You get to experience a different culture, expand your network, it opens all kind of doors. I’m a big fan of working overseas.’
However, he struck a note of caution when it comes to joint venture enterprises, pointing out that although many global firms now have diversity and inclusion policies these can mean little when they have to go into partnership with other companies that lack such policies.
For example, many firms engaged in projects in the Middle East or Africa may have to work in tandem with local companies – organizations that will not respect LGBT staff.
Hayden grew up in Tasmania, which he said was not a progressive environment. He decided to keep quiet about his sexuality for the earlier part of his career, which included time in Singapore and Angola. However, he relocated to London in 2005 and decided to come out at the age of 33.
He said that BP was supportive, but he was aware that he had to be more careful when working overseas – a point brought home to him when he was sent to Algeria for a project.
His company was engaged in a joint venture with a local company. Three days after joining the project, the other company requested that Hayden leave when they discovered that he was gay. As the Algerian company concerned had the majority sway over decisions, Hayden’s employer found itself in a difficult position.
‘Do your research in that instance to avoid that sort of situation,’ he cautioned the 50 or so attendees at the event.
Hayden ended up being put on extended gardening leave while his employer tried to remedy the situation, but ended up returning to London – his stint in Algeria coming to an abrupt end.
‘It’s not somewhere I’d wish to return.’
‘Be honest with HR,’ he further advised. ‘If you work for a UK company, you should be entitled to the same workplace protection wherever you are in the world. Be honest, because if it gets complicated you might need support.
‘Be sensible. Consider the culture [when working abroad] … Don’t break the law. The private sector doesn’t want to damage their relationship with the host country.’
Barnden, who was the youngest member of the panel, said that she had not yet had the chance to work abroad, but was aware of issues in some countries – not only towards LGBTI staff but also to women. Indeed, ‘Some host countries won’t work with women engineers.’
Barnden said that she believed that the public sector was probably ahead of the private sector in the UK when it came to engineering and anti-discrimination policies – partly because of the Equality Act. At the same time, adhering to ‘best practice’ has become increasingly important to private sector employers.
Barnden said that she could name no female chief engineers, ‘let alone lesbians’ – something that had made her sometimes doubt the career path she had taken. However, initiating her employer’s LGBT network had boosted her confidence and she had received the full support of her colleagues.
‘Running the network has impressed other people,’ she said. ‘[They] could see the benefits to my development – my communication and leadership skills. I’m seen as someone pushing themselves to develop. Engineers are often praised for their technical skills but not so much for their soft skills.’
All three spoke of the benefits of joining LGBT networks, and recruiting straight allies to the cause. Bradbury spoke about coming out at work, saying, ‘It’s not about being LGBT as much as being authentic and true to yourself.’
‘The panel provided a real insight into the key challenges facing LGBT engineers,’ said InterEngineering’s McBride-Wright to Gay Star Business afterwards.
‘We covered working overseas, setting up LGBT networks and the differences working in the private vs. public sector. It was an engaging discussion and really showcased the need for LGBT engineers to come together on these issues.
‘I’m looking forward to growing our membership to connect, inform and empower more LGBT engineers, and to advance our mission to improve the culture within engineering.’
InterEngineering’s next event will be the launch of a South West chapter. It will take place on 14 October in Bristol. For more information about this, and other events, check www.interengineeringlgbt.com
The post Gay engineers cautioned to do their research if working abroad appeared first on Gay Star News.
David Hudson
www.gaystarnews.com/article/gay-engineers-cautioned-to-do-their-research-if-working-abroad/
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