Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning People and Human Resource Development: An Examination of Recent Literature 2010-2020

Topics in human resource development (HRD) related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-or-questioning (LGBTQ+) issues have been the subject of research for several decades now. In 2012, Schmidt et al. published results from a systematic review of literature on LGBT people and HRD. They found increases in the amount and variety of articles published on the topic since research began to be published in the mid-1990s. The purpose of this review of literature was to continue where the 2012 article left off and examine both the quantity and type of articles published on LGBT issues in HRD since 2009 and the LGBT-related topics addressed in these articles. Conducting a systematic review of the literature to mirror the method used in the 2012 article, this review of literature compared articles written between 2010 and 2020 with those written before 2010 and discussed Schmidt et al.’s (2012) review. Examined together, the result is a comprehensive history of articles on these topics, published in HRD-focused publications, from the time the very first articles were published through 2020. Articles published on LGBTQ + issues in HRD have evolved in terms of content, and that evolution aligns with the progress made on LGBTQ + rights in general. Articles published in the 1990s and 2000s, for example, focused more on identity issues and coming out processes in the workplace, whereas more recent articles examine career development for LGBTQ + people, workplace diversity, inclusion, support, benefits, and workplace climate. However, despite gains made in LGBTQ + rights in the workplace, the authors noted a decrease in the number of articles published in the 2010-2020 time period, and there were significantly more conceptual pieces and fewer empirical studies. This review concludes with recommendations for future researchers and practitioners in HRD.