Conceal or Reveal?
Navigating Hidden Identity Traits at Work
In today’s diverse workplaces, employees bring more than just their skills and experience to their roles—they bring their identities, lived experiences, and personal challenges. However, not all aspects of identity are visible or easily shared. Many individuals navigate the delicate decision of whether to conceal or reveal aspects of themselves due to concerns around stigma, bias, and professional consequences.
The Dilemma: To Conceal or Reveal?
Some aspects of identity such as race, gender, or age are often visible (or easier to make assumptions about!) Others, like neurodivergence, disability, health, mental health, cultural background, dual heritage, religion, LGBTQ+ identity, socio-economic background and many more…can be hidden. Employees facing stigmatised identities or experiences may struggle with whether to disclose them in the workplace.
Why might someone choose to conceal?
- Fear of judgment, bias, or discrimination
- Concerns about career progression and being seen as ‘less capable’
- Workplace culture that lacks inclusivity or psychological safety
- A history of negative experiences after previous disclosures
Why might someone choose to reveal?
- Seeking authenticity and alignment between personal and professional identity
- Accessing support, accommodations, or resources
- Advocating for inclusivity and reducing stigma for others
- Building deeper workplace relationships and fostering trust
When individuals feel forced to conceal, mask or underplay important aspects of their identity at work, it can lead to; increased stress, anxiety, and burnout, lower job satisfaction and engagement, reduced psychological safety, impacting performance and also a higher likelihood of leaving the organisation.
The Impact of Inclusivity & Psychological Safety
On the other hand, workplaces that encourage inclusivity and openness allow employees to thrive, reducing stress and improving overall well-being with less absenteeism, increased engagement, productivity and higher retention.
Inclusion increases employee engagement by up to 83%. (Deloitte)
A 10% increase in perceptions of inclusion improves absenteeism, adding nearly one day a year in work attendance per employee (Catalyst)
Inclusion increases staff retention by 50% (Harvard Business Review)
Psychological safety allows individuals to take interpersonal risks without fear of judgement, creating a workplace where employees feel comfortable revealing aspects of their identity if they choose to. To foster this, organisations can build an inclusive culture by encouraging open discussions, celebrating diversity, and ensuring protective policies. Normalising conversations around hidden identity traits, training managers in unconscious bias and inclusive leadership, and offering confidential support further reinforce a safe environment. Additionally, respecting employee autonomy by allowing individuals to choose if and when to disclose personal information helps create a culture of trust and respect.
Final Thoughts
The decision to conceal or reveal is deeply personal, and the responsibility of creating a safe and inclusive workplace should not fall solely on employees. Organisations that prioritise psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and meaningful support systems will empower individuals to bring their full selves to work—if and when they choose to do so. By fostering environments of trust and openness, businesses don’t just improve individual well-being; they create stronger, more innovative, and resilient teams.
How does your workplace support employees in navigating these choices?
Join us in our upcoming ‘Conceal or Reveal’ webinar on Thursday 13th March where we’ll cover an overview of the key concepts and offer a chance for you to ask questions.
If you would like more information on our Unconscious Bias and Inclusive Leadership training opportunities, please get in touch: [email protected]
