Meet Craig, our inspirational Head of Direct Sales UK + Europe in London and member of the LGBTQAI+ community. Here is Craig’s story…
I have spent close to 8 years at Trust Payments, 12 in Payments, and 15 years in Financial Services Sales. I like to think I’m a bubbly and approachable member of our Senior Management Team, with strong beliefs that everyone should engage with each other at work as equals – regardless of titles, backgrounds or whatever it may be! Outside of my obvious love for the payments industry, I am a keen traveller, always looking to explore the unknown and combine that with any opportunity I can get to try new food/drink wherever I go.
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Q & A
What does being proud at work mean to you?
Being honest, open and transparent. As an individual who has based their sales career on those 3 important pillars, it’s vital that I am able to demonstrate the same traits in my personal life and work environment too – whether that be with my colleagues, or customers.
Do you feel proud of who you are at work? And how does your workplace help you to feel this?
Absolutely. We have a very warm and friendly work environment across our various offices, and people’s gender and/or sexual orientation has no bearing on this. The business treats me as a genuine equal individual which everyone deserves. Trust Payments routinely celebrates Pride Month but also gives staff access to support if people feel they are having a struggle with their identity – whether via in-house Mental Health first aiders or via a staff benefit counsellor. We are also launching our internal Diversity + Inclusion community soon which will further strengthen our employees’ network of support.
From your experience what have you found enabled you to be your truest self at work?
There wasn’t anything I can pinpoint that specifically enabled. I am very open about my LGBTQIA+ identity anyway, but the general atmosphere and vibe within our business meant I didn’t have any doubts about maintaining this. Our leadership team are very personable too, which I think would help remove any possible barriers for other staff to speak openly with everyone in the business.
What has your experience been like at Trust Payments?
Only positive – I can speak freely and openly no matter what the platform (team meeting, leadership calls, etc). Various members of the team have even taken time to join me and my partner for drinks or dinner outside of work to get to know us better, so overall very welcoming.
How can workplaces help more people to feel open to bringing their whole self to work?
I think there is still some learnings to be had from workplaces, that LGBTQIA+ individuals don’t necessarily align to a specific “box” or “label”. The terms gay, lesbian, bisexual for example have been well known for some time, but there is an endless spectrum of how people identify themselves. in particular for gender identity – simple changes like having unisex bathrooms can help remove embarrassing or difficult scenarios which non-LGBTQIA+ individuals may not even realise.
It can feel a bit daunting for people who do not identify as LGBTQIA+ to learn/understand some terminology, but I think creating a safe space for people to ask questions and build understanding goes a long way. The LGBTQIA+ community is naturally very warm and welcoming, so information sharing is the perfect way to knock down those barriers!
What does Pride month mean to you?
Pride Month is an excellent opportunity to highlight the clear benefits of having a diverse working group. Creativity and innovation stem from having a wide and varied employee base. It’s also a time when everyone can come together and celebrate the progress made with LGBTQIA+ rights within workplaces, but also reflect on the work that is still needed to be done.
