HBR's 10 Must Reads on Diversity (with bonus article "Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for Managing Diversity" By David A. Thomas and Robin J. Ely)

7 Myths About Coming Out at Work

by Raymond Trau, Jane O’Leary, and Cathy Brown

MORE AND MORE BIG BUSINESSES are providing workplace protections for LGBTIQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer) people.¹ It’s becoming clear that when workers can bring their authentic selves to work, they are more productive and engaged. Research shows that coming out increases job satisfaction, intention to stay, and emotional support from coworkers, whereas staying “in the closet” has costs—both for the individual and the company.

And yet, many people are still reluctant to come out at work. In our study we surveyed 1,614 LGBTIQ+ Australian workers and held focus groups with 60 participants across various industries. We found that 68% of ...