The Critical Importance of Staying True to Yourself at Work

With Pride Month coming to a close, it's amazing to look at how every year communities come together, for conversations that broaden our thinking, celebration of inclusion, tolerance and diversity. For so many people, Pride Month is an opportunity to either discover or embrace their true selves and to celebrate it with their peers.

Being your whole self is important regardless of your age, experience or background, and it’s especially critical in the workforce. Early in my career, I had moments of insecurity and was unsure of how my colleagues might accept me. I hesitated to share all of who I was, which meant I was holding back valuable experiences, input and insights from those around me.

For everyone - new graduates to experienced professionals - feeling accepted for everything you are is crucially important. It sets the tone for your growth in your career, and your emotions at work likely influence how you feel outside the office, too. What’s more is that, beyond the ethical and moral obligations to create an inclusive workplace, it’s in businesses’ best interest, too: a 2014 report found that workplaces that were not LGBT-friendly led LGBT employee engagement to suffer up to 30 percent.

I’m proud to say that PwC is continuing its longstanding commitment to encourage open, honest and welcoming dialogue and perspectives among its staff, regardless of title or tenure. Our Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Partner Advisory Board – the first of its kind among the Big 4 – continues to review the firm’s progress and implement initiatives, and we’ve received a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index since 2006. We launched our blind spots training last year, designed to help our team identify and address potential unconscious biases and translate those skills into their own leadership development. We’re extending that commitment by releasing blind spots materials so that more people can learn about their own potential biases. And, most recently, we supported the creation and launch of CEO Action for Diversity & InclusionTM – a truly historic and exciting endeavor that includes more than 175 CEOs from some of the largest companies in the U.S.

As Pride Month comes to a close, I’m motivated by all the ways in which PwC is helping not just our people, but our society. I urge us all to embrace people  for who they are, regardless of orientation. Individuality is one of our most precious rights and gifts to be valued, so I sincerely hope that wherever you work – whether it’s your first job out of school or your fifth – that you find yourself in an organization that allows you to be you and embrace your true self.