Gay employees have lower job satisfaction, study finds

Gay and lesbian employees in Greece have lower job satisfaction than heterosexual staff, a new study has found.

Economist Nick Drydakis of Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK, carried out a survey among more than 12,000 employees in Athens. The study, published in the latest edition of “Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society,” found that heterosexual employees are more satisfied than homosexual ones with respect to total pay, promotion prospects, respect from supervisors and overall job satisfaction.

More specifically, about 33 percent of heterosexual men, and 39 percent of heterosexual women, were found to be satisfied in terms of total job satisfaction. Meanwhile, only 15 percent of gay men, and 19 percent of lesbians said they were satisfied.

In addition, the report said that employees who are open about their sexual orientation receive lower wages but enjoy higher job satisfaction than those who are not.

“It is likely that the emotional energy required to maintain the secrecy of a fundamental part of one’s psychological makeup may cause anxiety, stress and job dissatisfaction,” Drydakis said.