{"id":8928,"date":"2018-10-27T10:26:38","date_gmt":"2018-10-27T14:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/?p=8928"},"modified":"2023-05-27T14:20:16","modified_gmt":"2023-05-27T18:20:16","slug":"being-ourselves-vs-covering-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/being-ourselves-vs-covering-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Covering at Work &#8211; The Pros and Cons of Being Ourselves at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_8932\" style=\"width: 429px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Unwelcome-Mat-TEOTI.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8932\" class=\"wp-image-8932 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Unwelcome-Mat-TEOTI.jpg\" alt=\"Covering at work isn't always obvious\" width=\"419\" height=\"208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Unwelcome-Mat-TEOTI.jpg 419w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Unwelcome-Mat-TEOTI-300x149.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-8932\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It looks like a welcome mat, via TEOTI<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We live in complicated times. It can be tough to know what to think or how to behave. On the one hand, we hear that diversity is \u201c<em>in<\/em>\u201d and \u201c<em>important<\/em>.\u201d On the other hand, what is happening in some workplaces and is being reported in news headlines is sending the opposite message.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s worth clarifying the difference between <em>diversity<\/em> and <em>inclusion<\/em>. As explained by Jennifer Brown in \u201cInclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace &amp; The Will to Change\u201d:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>&#8220;<\/em><strong><em>Diversity is<\/em><\/strong><em> <strong>the who and the what:<\/strong> who\u2019s sitting around that table, who&#8217;s being recruited, who&#8217;s being promoted, who we\u2019re tracking from the traditional characteristics and identities of gender and ethnicity, and sexual orientation and disability\u2014inherent diversity characteristics that we&#8217;re born with.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Inclusion<\/em><\/strong><em>, on the other hand, <strong>is the how<\/strong>. Inclusion is <strong>the behaviors that welcome and embrace diversity<\/strong>. If you are a great leader for inclusion, you have figured out how to embrace and galvanize [a] diversity of voices and identities.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/luther-bottrill-646016-unsplash.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-8930\" src=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/luther-bottrill-646016-unsplash-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"covering at work is more common than you think\" width=\"381\" height=\"571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/luther-bottrill-646016-unsplash-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/luther-bottrill-646016-unsplash-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/luther-bottrill-646016-unsplash-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/luther-bottrill-646016-unsplash-1080x1620.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px\" \/><\/a>According to a report published by Deloitte, the majority of certain populations in the workplace actively cover up aspects of their identities that they believe are unwelcome and\/or stigmatized. In other words, they are intentionally downplaying who they are. For example,<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>&#8220;\u2026 women are doing it more, LGBT people are doing it more, people of colour are doing it more. And the study also shows that white men cover to a degree as well \u2014 almost 50% of the men in their study. They have a political affiliation that&#8217;s unlike their peers, or they have a disability, or they are married to a woman of colour.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>This means that a lot of mental and creative energy is being diverted into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/williamarruda\/2016\/11\/22\/the-difference-between-diversity-and-inclusion-and-why-it-is-important-to-your-success\/#62aa60a65f8f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">covering at work<\/a> instead of doing one\u2019s actual work<\/strong> because of real or perceived workplace expectations. It\u2019s also possible that despite having diversity within your workforce, you\u2019re not reaping the rewards of it. (Read <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/incidental-networking-diverse-network-valuable\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this<\/a> previous blog article to learn about the link between diversity, success, and innovation\/creativity). Also, all this covering at work suggests that people are not developing the best products and services because of their preoccupations. This hurts the individual and the organization\u2019s bottom line. (On an individual level, I would argue that this ultimately comes down to employees\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www-theglobeandmail-com.cdn.ampproject.org\/c\/s\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/amp\/business\/careers\/workplace-award\/article-what-is-employee-psychological-safety-and-who-at-work-should-be-in\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">psychological safety<\/a> and who, if anyone, should play a role in maintaining it but that\u2019s another blog by itself.)<\/p>\n<p>In addition to covering at work taking a toll on an employee\u2019s productivity and creativity, it may also take a toll on their <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/mental-health-workplace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">mental health<\/a>. Although it\u2019s common to act more reserved and professional at work, when the gap between your <em>personal<\/em> <em>self<\/em> and your <em>professional\/public<\/em> <em>self<\/em> is large, it can be draining. When you feel like you\u2019re constantly acting it can be tiring and difficult to sustain over the long-term. This intentional role-playing seems different than simply maintaining appropriate <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/workplace-boundaries-5-strategies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">boundaries<\/a> while at work. Although it may be tempting to conclude that this doesn&#8217;t happen in Canada, there&#8217;s growing evidence that Canadian people of colour are not immune to this problem.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, in the time that has passed since this article was originally published, a more recent &#8220;study of 700 Canadian men and women identifying as Black, East Asian and South Asian &#8230; by non-profit women&#8217;s advocacy organization Catalyst in association with Ascend Canada found Canadian people of colour carry an extra weight at work that&#8217;s so significant that it impacts their health and often causes them to contemplate quitting. The weight is known as an &#8220;emotional tax&#8221; \u2014 a feeling of being different from peers at work because of gender, race or ethnicity, which can affect a person&#8217;s well-being and ability to thrive in their job&#8221; (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespec.com\/news-story\/9516500-canadian-people-of-colour-carry-an-emotional-tax-at-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tara Deschamps<\/a>, July 19, 2019).<\/p>\n<p>So, whether you\u2019re a co-worker, leader, or business owner, the workplace culture that you contribute to may have a bigger impact that you know. Your stated (versus) practiced <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/discuss-values-but-not-politics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">values<\/a> communicate what\u2019s accepted at work and may be tied to workplace outcomes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/careers\/workplace-award\/article-steps-to-create-a-psychologically-safe-workplace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">psychological safety<\/a>, and productivity.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Note<\/strong> &#8211; to read more about <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/workplace-racism-watershed-moment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">discrimination in the workplace<\/a> read this previous blog post.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Have you ever wished you could get inside the head of a hiring manager? You can.\u00a0<\/strong>Dr. Helen Ofosu is a career coach and career counsellor with a difference. She has worked for organizations to create hiring and screening tools. She\u2019s created countless pre-screening tests, interviews, simulations, and role-plays for organizations of all kinds.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Helen\u2019s training in Industrial and Organizational\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/what-is-industrial-organizational-psychology-2795302\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(I\/O) Psychology<\/a>\u00a0means she is a genuine expert in evaluating work-related behaviours. She uses those skills to help hiring\u00a0managers\u00a0tell\u00a0the difference between\u00a0people who say the right things during interviews and people who actually deliver on the job.\u00a0<strong>In other words, Dr. Helen understands first-hand how job candidates are assessed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you need help navigating the world of work?\u00a0<\/strong>Contact Dr. Helen today for a free and confidential initial consultation by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/appointments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">phone<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:%20helen@ioadvisory.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">email<\/a>,\u00a0or via direct message on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/drheleno_ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IOAdvisoryServices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook<\/a>, or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/helenofosu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>More than career coaching,\u00a0<em>it\u2019s career psychology<\/em>\u00ae.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">I\/O Advisory Services<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Building Resilient Careers and Organizations.&#x2122;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Easily share this article using any of the social media icons below.<\/p>\n<p>[\/speaker-mute]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to a report published by Deloitte, a surprisingly high number of people actively cover up aspects of their identities in the workplace that they believe are unwelcome and\/or stigmatized. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8932,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,302,255,314],"tags":[382,163,292,136,243,318,381,380,247],"class_list":["post-8928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-diversity-inclusion","category-mental-health","category-workplace-culture","tag-anti-racism","tag-diversity","tag-fbec","tag-inclusion","tag-organizational-climate","tag-psychological-safety","tag-systemic-discrimination","tag-systemic-racism","tag-workplace-culture"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Covering at Work - The Pros and Cons of Being Ourselves at Work<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Actively covering up aspects of one&#039;s identity at work is a surprisingly common habit in the workplace. 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