Inclusion and Belonging: The High Cost of Covering

A Deloitte study recently found that 61% of employees “cover” at work – that is, they hide some element of their identity, alter their appearance, don’t speak up as loudly on issues as they may want to, or hide the people they associate with. For LGBTQ+ team members, that rate is even higher, at 83%. For Black employees, it’s 79%. For women of color, it’s 67%, and 66% for all women.?

We cover when we don’t feel like our authentic selves fit in. We cover when we feel like we don’t belong. There are real costs to the individual and to the company for lack of inclusion and belonging.

Imagine spending cycles covering who you are at work. Not only do you pay a psychological toll, but you are also producing less work. Additionally, your company loses opportunities to learn from your valuable, diverse experiences and perspectives. If you are a leader and you are covering, you are setting an example for others who share your identities on what to do in your organization to succeed, reinforcing the cycle of covering. Covering affects the whole organization.

What does covering look like?

Covering can be many things. Black women spend hours straightening their hair to conform to “professional” standards. I know, I did it for years. (For more on hair discrimination, check out The Crown Act .)?

I have friends who are Hispanic who tell me their parents forbade them to speak Spanish at home growing up for fear that having an accent would be detrimental to being accepted in the professional world.?

I have friends in the LGBQT+ community who won’t bring their partners to company events. I have female co-workers who don’t mention their children for fear of being perceived less committed to work. These are just a few examples that highlight the way many of us cover, in many different ways.?

Energy Regained

Now imagine an environment in which employees feel like their diversity is valued. Where they feel like they are included, like they belong, and they don’t need to cover. Think of all the cycles the individual and the organization can recapture and put towards creativity, productivity and innovation. It’s a win-win for everyone!

?As people and as companies, we can take some simple, everyday steps to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

• Lead: Embrace and share your own identities
• Educate: Share your pronouns and communicate your position on inclusion
• Empathize: Provide space and energy for others to share their stories. Trust and believe their lived experience.
• Engage: Listen and keep the focus on the speaker. Think about what you do that affects how the speaker experiences work and life.
• Be accountable: If you see something that goes against your DEI policies, say something. Be an active ally.

What other ways can you create a culture of inclusion and belonging? I would love to hear your strategies for creating a workplace where no one has to cover.?