Workers hiding true self on job

MORE than 35 per cent of people hold back when expressing their mental health in the workplace, with almost three quarters saying it is a career limiter.

And more than half admit to hiding some aspects of themselves at work, research shows.

The LinkedIn survey cites fear of judgment and avoiding conflict as two reasons for people concealing their true self.

And 70 per cent of respondents say they do not feel comfortable expressing their vulnerabilities in a professional environment.

But LinkedIn Australia and New Zealand country manager Matt Tindale says bringing your “whole self” to work can benefit employees personally and professionally.

“It’s important to express your vulnerability at work and it’s important for the businesses, the leaders and employees to be able to do that,” Mr Tindale said.

“Forty-five per cent said being themselves impacted on job satisfaction, which means they’re more likely to stay in the role in a more positive way. They also say it has a real positive impact on their health and wellbeing and almost 44 per cent increased their productivity.”

But despite these benefits, respondents still believe opinions (61 per cent), ethnicity (5 per cent), gender (53 per cent) and religious beliefs (52 per cent) are also possible career limiters.

Meanwhile, one in five Australians hold back from expressing their sexual orientation at work, with 45 per cent also seeing it as a career limiter.

For Faris Cosic, manager at PwC, Australia, coming out in his workplace has been a positive step for him at a professional level.

“I made a conscious decision to start my career there being completely open about my sexuality,” Mr Cosic said.

“I felt safe to do so and I think that’s really important in terms of the work that I do and the clients I work with.”

PwC fostered a culture of authenticity and openness, he said.

Mr Cosic is part of the committee for its LGBTIQ engagement group that provides a platform to have open conversations and break down social barriers.

”I think not coming out is more of a career limiter in the long run. The core of what I do is being open and authentic, and bringing trust to these relationships and I genuinely don’t know if I’d be able to do that if I wasn’t able to be fully open about who I am,” he said.