Chimers Chime In: The importance of being out at work

“For a long time, I referred to my boyfriend simply as my ‘partner’ when talking about him at work, because that was the socially accepted way to signal that I was with someone of the same sex,” says Dakota Betts, our Employer Brand and Recruitment Marketing Manager. When Erica Johnson, our Head of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging wasn’t out at work, she remembers not correcting people when they asked about her husband. “Most of the time, I simply wouldn’t share about my social life or family while at work,” she says. “Which led me to hold back about cultural experiences and my perspective on issues that mattered to the work I was doing,” she adds.

To some, the details of your weekend or whether your partner is a man or woman might seem minor. “But when you’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community and those details are mistyped or overlooked, that’s part of your life that is being ignored or misrepresented, and it has a much bigger impact on your wellbeing at work than just the water cooler discussions,” Erica explains. Not being ‘out’ at work requires building a second identity to represent yourself to coworkers and customers.

“The reality is, there is a legitimate fear that being out at work might endanger your livelihood; it forces so many people to build a double identity, purposefully hide their personality or values, and keep who they are a secret,” Erica says. “Many of us have done it, but that doesn’t make it right — in fact, it’s counterproductive if companies fail to provide the environment where employees can be out safely,” Dakota adds.

Ultimately, being out at work is critical not just for the wellbeing of the person who can finally be out and stop maintaining two identities, but also for the success of companies, their innovation, and all employees who, under the right circumstances, feel they can bring their full selves to work.

The case for coming out at work — for employees and companies alike

According to the Harvard Business Review, “Research shows that coming out increases job satisfaction, intention to stay, and emotional support from co-workers, whereas staying ‘in the closet’ has costs — both for the individual and the company.” But despite the benefits of being out at work, nearly 50% of the workforce says they’re not out to everyone at work — which has negative consequences for employers and employees alike.

“When you’re not out at work, you can’t focus on your work and why you were hired in the first place — instead, you’re balancing your job with hiding your full self so as not to be judged, discriminated against, or fired,” Erica says. “It’s exhausting and can lead to stress, depression, and lower performance at work.”

Not only does not being out at work impact the individual, it impacts the company, too. Studies show that creating safe spaces where employees can show up authentically with their ideas and perspectives leads to greater innovation, creativity, and business performance (it’s why diversity, equity, and belonging are so important to business success). “What’s more, the greater diversity of opinion you can have in a room, the more you’re able to solve issues you otherwise wouldn’t see,” Dakota says.

For example, at Chime, when OutChime, our Chimer Resource Group for LGBTQIA+ Chimers, pointed out that it’s really hard for trans people to change their names on their bank accounts or banking cards, we took the information seriously. Our Product Team prioritized the issue and we implemented processes that make it easier for trans Chime members to change their name on their Chime account.

“Going through transition and the processes it entails matter deeply to the LGBTQIA+ community and those processes make a difference for our members. Without OutChime there to point out the experience, our Product team may not have known the impact the previous process had on the community,” Erica explains. “Without these discussions or the identities in the room, it may have been overlooked.”

At Chime, we know that when people can show up as who they are without the stress of representing themselves a certain way, they perform at their highest level. “We simply can’t expect someone to perform at the same level as others when they are unable to be their full selves. Creating an inclusive environment is the best way to hire and retain high performers, but perhaps more importantly, it’s the best way to empower people to perform at their best.”

Fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all identities

For companies to foster a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQIA+ community and all identities, it’s critical to not just talk the talk — they need to walk the walk, too. “Pride as a month and celebration are highly commercialized and because of that, the ongoing work can be overlooked,” Erica explains. “Companies and employers need to back up their rainbows with action.”

For example, many companies (Chime included) will change their logo to include a rainbow in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community during the month of June. “Doing so is a signal to customers and employees that a company supports the community, but changing a logo isn’t enough,” Erica explains. “This year, to support our rainbow logo, Chime signed the Business Coalition for Equality Act and are evaluating how we measure our benefits, processes, and employee engagement through the lens of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

For Dakota, the work of creating a safe environment starts for Chimers before they even sign their offer letters — it starts the first time they interact with us, through the interview process, and then when they’re part of the team. “I’m always thinking about how inclusive we are in our employment practices and whether we’re reflecting our values and inclusive nature from the moment a candidate hears about or considers Chime,” he says. That can manifest in a diverse interview panel or content on our blog and member-facing channels.

When it comes to Chimers and our growing organization, we’re always examining the bigger ways we can make Chime an inclusive environment — from our benefits program to our product, and, ultimately, how we treat our members.

“I believe it’s a company’s responsibility to dismantle the proverbial closet in their workplace so that everyone feels safe being their full selves at work,” Erica says. Every touchpoint — with candidates through to well-tenured employees — matters and creates space for a greater sense of inclusion.

Being out all day, every day

“The third time I attended Pride, I got home afterwards and cried,” Dakota says. “I finally understood what it means to fully be myself in the world. When I first started to come out at work, it brought that authenticity to one of the most important aspects of my life and made me a happier, more engaged, and more effective employee. The reality is, I’m gay every single day — and most of those days, I’m showing up to work, too. That I can be myself and do my best work is something I wish for every person to experience.”

But Dakota and Erica know many friends and colleagues who aren’t yet out at work — a fact that makes them even more passionate about the work they do. “I love looking at future generations who talk about their identity and sexuality so openly,” Erica says. “Instead of worrying about what their employers might say, they’re out there being their authentic selves first — and that’s the kind of environment we try to foster at Chime every day.”