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As the Premier Network Partner of Sydney WorldPride 2023, Optus staff member Matt Smith reflects on what that has meant for him and his wider LGBTQIA+ community.
For Matt Smith, who works in the People And Culture team at Optus, this year was one of the most exciting of his career so far – thanks to the support Optus gave to WorldPride.
“That feeling as our Optus float rounded the corner from College Street onto Oxford Street was just phenomenal,” he says. “People are high-fiving you and shouting encouraging things to you and dancing – I looked around to my colleagues to see them all just beaming and I felt so proud and so excited.”
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As the Parade returned this year to its original iconic Oxford Street route, Optus increased its troupe on the march: it quadrupled from 20 to 80 participants compared to the covid-restricted march around the Sydney Cricket Ground last year. “You can’t replace that Oxford Street vibe,” Matt says.
Marching with his employer held a special place in Matt’s heart. “On a personal level, it’s incredibly important that I work for a company that’s really supportive of me as an individual and I get to be myself every day at work,” Matt says. “Optus’ visible support of WorldPride events showcases how we really stand up for the LGBTQI community and also provide a working culture that supports all people.”
Matt threw himself into WorldPride festivities, many of which were generously supported by Optus, including the “wonderful, diverse” Queer Screen movies and the opening concert featuring Kylie Minogue. But a highlight was seeing the logo of his employer on so many fabulous WorldPride events because of the meaningful support it provides to its LGBTQIA staff, customers and the broader community.
“It’s something I’m incredibly passionate about. I’d never join an organisation that’s not supportive in the first place,” Matt says. “But Optus really is next level. When I joined, I knew it had a reputation as a very supportive LGBTQIA+ employer, and I instantly realised that the organisation not only talked the talk but also walked the walk.
The organisation relaunched its LGBTQIA+ employee network, Express Yourself, last year. “We’ve done a really great job in getting the message out to our retail stores, contact centres and corporate teams, that we’re here to support people to be who they are so they can bring their best selves to every interaction, whether that be our internal people, the external organisations we work with or even our customers.”
Proof that this message particularly resonated came from a straight staff member who recently approached members of the Express Yourself committee for advice.
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“They suspected their child might be gay and saw us as an open community to ask for advice about how to best support them and create the right environment for them to feel they can come out when they’re ready,” Matt says.
A one-on-one conversation was set up, pointing that employee to resources, contacts and professional support, but also to answer any questions they may have. It was such a successful experience for that employee, word has clearly got around; it has since happened several other times, including from a parent who thinks their child may be trans.
“I’m really proud of the fact people feel they can reach out to us in this way. It shows they trust us enough to be open,” Matt says.
His career at Optus marks a huge change from the past.
“Things certainly weren’t like this when I started my career. Like many, I was in the closet. I was scared about what people might think,” he says. “Studies show that as a result of that, people’s growth in an organisation is stunted. Their journey takes longer because of that continual need to come out and not feeling comfortable in who you are. So it’s really important that an organisation, from day one, supports you to be open. For me, that’s about feeling safe at work but also it provides me with a platform to educate other employees about why these events are so important to support equality in Australia.”
In addition to its support of WorldPride and Mardi Gras, Optus provides year-round support for the LGBTQIA+ community through its backing of initiatives like Wear It Purple Day and donations to charities like Minus18 and the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation.
It’s clear why Optus’ support of LGBTQIA+ staff is so crucial. What about its customers and potential customers? Matt says it comes down to where you choose to spend your pink dollar.
Source: dnamagazine.com.au
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