“We Do Our Best Work When We Do Not Fear Discrimination”
Interview with Caspian Monfiston, Service Specialist, Marsh McLennan Agency
“The first question I ask in any job interview is, ‘What is the culture like at your company?’” says Caspian Monfiston. This is because, as an openly non-binary lesbian, they can’t hide their queerness. For this reason, finding a company with not just an accepting culture but a celebratory one is extremely important to Caspian.
“I do my best work when I feel valued, seen, and heard, when I can have confidence that my pronouns will not be botched, and no one will bat an eye when I mention my queer relationship,” they explain.
Caspian is a newcomer to the insurance industry, having been at Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) for just a few months. Already, they are delighted at the culture they have found at the company.
“Marsh McLennan fosters a culture that accepts everyone for who they are, whether white, black, straight, queer, transgender, or cisgender,” they say. “It is hard to explain how wonderful it feels to be a part of a company that respects and celebrates our differences.”
Caspian says they have worked in unwelcoming workplaces before, and their work suffered because they didn’t feel safe: “I never put my best foot forward, because why should I? How should I put in effort when my manager can’t even address me properly? How should I bring my A-game when my coworkers eye me suspiciously when I mention my queer relationship?”
It’s a basic point, perhaps, but a profound one, that “we do our best work when we do not fear discrimination. We do our best work when we do not fear prejudice. We do our best work when we know our higher-ups value us for our knowledge, our identities, our beliefs.”
“I’m the first black non-binary lesbian many people have met”
We talk for a short while about how being non-binary may have influenced, complicated, or simplified their lived experience of being lesbian, both in the workplace and beyond.
“I’m a trailblazer everywhere I go!” Caspian says. “I’m the first black non-binary lesbian many people have met. This just means I present differently and love differently.”
“No matter what race, ethnicity, or gender, everyone benefits from an inclusive environment… when we introduce conversations that promote an inclusive and accepting environment, we also create a more friendly, relaxed, and persevering workspace.”
For Caspian, making the workplace an accepting safe space for all, is when teams get more meaningful work done, because when everyone feels comfortable and accepted.
“This is why inclusivity benefits everyone, not just marginalized communities. Because isn’t it easier to work when you don’t feel judged? Isn’t it easier when you feel comfortable with all your colleagues?”
“When we celebrate each other, we make people feel seen and respected”
So, why is Pride Month important?
Many reasons, Caspian says, although for them it mostly means “shining a light on a community that is less represented in the insurance industry.”
It feels good to be celebrated and recognized, which is something Caspian thinks MMA does particularly well – and not just for lesbians or the LGBTQ+ community, but for events such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Veterans Day, and more.
“I’m grateful to work at a company that honors events like these, because when we celebrate each other, we make people in those communities feel seen and respected – and that’s something we all benefit from.”
Alongside marking key dates that honor multiple communities, MMA also interviews colleagues from those communities and shares these interviews on their colleague portal.
Caspian believes this culture of mutual recognition and celebration is one reason that employees stay at MMA for years: “It’s very common at Marsh McLennan Agency to speak with individuals that have been here for over 25 years! When you respect your employees and make them feel safe, they stay.”
As well as celebrating communities, MMA has also created an extensive network of colleague resource groups, something Caspian believes all companies should do.
Caspian is a member of MMA’s BLACC and SPECTRUM colleague resource groups, which meet monthly to share experiences and foster an increase in community. Again, for Caspian, these groups make them feel “safe, seen, and heard.”
“I’m filled with a rush of love, motivation, and appreciation for working for a company that believes it is important for me to have a community of others like me in the workplace. When your most marginalized employees feel safe, everyone feels safe.”
For Caspian, it’s also the responsibility of employees to foster a safe work environment, although business leaders can help here too. They point to the effectiveness of the education sessions hosted by MMA, because “the more we know each other, the less we tend to judge each other. I feel safe, seen, and heard. Make your employees feel safe, and they will reward you with years of hard work.”
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