Although distributed workforces have opened a door of possibilities for marginalized communities, new research suggests that this model is still forcing workers to hide their authentic selves.
According to the new research from Software Advice, workers that come from communities that are often neglected in the workplace feel that they are more likely to lie about identity for fear of discrimination.
While all the marginalized remote workers surveyed generally agreed that they are treated fairly compared to their hybrid or on-site counterparts, these workers were more likely to omit parts of their identity to avoid discrimination:
- 71% of employees with disabilities
- 65% of employees 55 years or older
- 64% of women
- 64% of LGBTQ+ workers
- 57% of racial minority workers
In fact, 71% of women remote workers said they feared being their authentic selves at work compared to 57% of those working under a hybrid model.
“With more employers implementing remote work permanently, it’s encouraging to see that minority workers believe remote work is more equitable,” said Brian Westfall, principal HR analyst at Software Advice. “But, DEI initiatives don’t really work unless employees feel safe to be their authentic selves.”
