What Employees Expect When They Bring Their Full Identities to Work

BY Katie Chambers | November 17, 2023

Bringing one’s personal identity into the workplace doesn’t just refer to the more “traditional” demographics associated with DEI, like racial identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. It also includes disability, age, chronic illness, neurodiversity, and even mental health. Today, progressive organizations are working hard to recognize that all individuals are unique, carrying with them sometimes invisible identities that may impact how they view and move throughout the world–and the workplace.

Especially in recent post-pandemic years, workers have demanded greater respect for the many facets of their lives: family, ethnicity, politics, outside interests, and much more. Whether it’s creating a wellness program for those navigating a chronic illness, or understanding how questions about transportation during a job interview could unintentionally disqualify a disabled candidate, employers need to be thinking about how to build an inclusive environment that encourages all individuals to be their full selves.

Speaking to this subject at From Day One’s recent Denver conference, was Dr. Sabrina Volpone, an associate professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Volpone is a well-published scholar who focuses on the orientation of workers toward their roles. During the fireside chat session she discussed why the clock can’t be turned back on workplace inclusion.

The Merging of Personal and Professional

It's becoming the norm for “your personal life and your work life to collide,” Volpone said. Especially during Covid when many workers were quickly forced onto Zoom, their home lives began literally appearing on the screen as children, pets, and spouses wandered into the background and interrupted conversations. The separation of one’s professional and personal life was no longer an option. “If I had chosen not to share that, or it was important to me to segment those two lives, all of a sudden that wasn’t really an option anymore,” Volpone said. “Especially those first few weeks where we didn’t know how to blur the background and all those fun privacy features that we’re experts on now.”

While this was a struggle at first, ultimately, Volpone says, it allowed for a humanization of the workforce. “We’re realizing more and more that our colleagues are humans with lives,” Volpone said. The shared experience of pandemic-era struggles combined with the physical merging of work and home life helped break down barriers, allowing colleagues’ humanity to shine through.

Diverse Leadership as a Pathway to Inclusive Workplaces

In 2023, workplaces continue to diversify as DEI initiatives remain a top priority. Volpone notes that leaders with underrepresented identities are more likely to institute policies that are inclusive of people with lived experiences similar to their own, leading to an overall more welcoming, accommodating, and inclusive workplace. “As people with traditionally marginalized identities get into positions where they have power and can control policies and procedures, we see that the lived experience that hasn’t traditionally been a part of those policies and procedures has an impact,” Volpone said.

For example, with more women in positions of power, maternity leave policies are expanding, as are bereavement policies that account for pregnancy loss among other types of grief. “That sphere of life is being brought into the workplace more and more because those individuals have a seat at the table where their voice can be heard more easily,” Volpone said.

Remote Work and Inclusion

Just as the pandemic impacted how we see one another in the workplace, it also sparked an increase in remote or hybrid working environments which, for many companies, are here to stay. Pre-pandemic, remote work was a benefit that proved elusive for many, meaning that certain employees with disabilities or those in caregiving roles, would find themselves at a disadvantage when it came to access and opportunity for advancement. Now that remote work is commonplace,and even the norm, those workers have expanded opportunities, Volpone says. Freed from the limitations of scheduling and physical workplace accessibility, those with disabilities or additional caregiving responsibilities can strike a more effective work/life balance that allows them to excel in the workforce.

Dr. Sabrina Volpone, right, was interviewed by Saja Hindi of the Denver Post in the grand finale session of From Day One's Denver event.

Ironically, while there has been a recent increase in bringing one’s own personal identity to the workplace, there has also been a reduction in identity-based discrimination in the remote-working world. Volpone and her team are seeing a reduction in employees reporting on workplace microaggressions now that so many more workers are not in an office full-time. “You’re not having those watercooler conversations or those side conversations in the break room where jokes are made,” Volpone said. “There’s not a space for that in a Zoom environment.” The remote workplace, while more inclusive, also manages to be more professional.

Volpone urges employers who are still pushing for a full return to office policy to reconsider. “By rolling back those flexible work policies we’re really damaging the flexibility, accessibility, and the positive day-to-day experiences for a number of marginalized groups. This could really make a difference, keeping things flexible,” Volpone said.

Organizations Taking a Stand

In recent years, especially since the social reckonings of 2020, “Employers have faced a lot of public pressure to either take stances on certain issues or they have taken stances and have faced backlash,” said moderator Saja Hindi, reporter at The Denver Post. Regardless of the risks involved with making a political or social justice statement, organizations must recognize that their employees and even customers now expect them to speak out on injustices and share their values openly.

“All of a sudden, these values of organizations became very relevant to stakeholders for a number of reasons. Where do I want to work? Where do I want to put my money?” Volpone said. “2020 certainly wasn't the first time we saw organizations making statements. But I think they really sat differently because we were at home and they were hitting our emails. It wasn’t just a team leader saying this or that, or a CEO saying something on the news. These hit in very personal ways.”

While these statements can have a positive impact, there are also consequences, says Volpone. It’s important for companies to seek out resources and training on how to talk about important issues and go into their statement creation armed with knowledge and research. But generally, Volpone said, “Making a statement is better than not making a statement.” And once you make a statement, stick with it. Backtracking in the face of backlash only causes a loss of trust among employees and consumers. “Knowing who you are as a company, and being able to stay firm with that is the most important thing,” Volpone said. “As HR practitioners, this is a new management competency that is going to be expected.”

Volpone encourages employers and managers looking to build a more inclusive working environment to stay informed about marginalized identities so that they can be better prepared to support their teams. By understanding which accommodations are necessary and what language should be used when discussing certain identities, leaders can reduce stigma and build an environment where employees feel free, comfortable, and supported.

Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost, Honeysuckle Magazine, and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, and CBS New York.

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