Part 2: Empathy as the Key to Uncovering: Creating Inclusive Workplaces
In part one of our series, we explored the concept of covering and its impact on individuals and organizations. Now, let's dive into how empathy can be a powerful antidote to covering, creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and free to be themselves.
The Foundation for Psychological Safety
Empathy—the ability to understand and share another person's experience—is the foundation for psychological safety at work. When leaders and colleagues practice cognitive empathy (understanding others' perspectives) and affective empathy (feeling with others), they create an environment where people no longer feel the need to cover.
How Can Empathy Help?
1. Encouraging Open Conversations
Leaders who model vulnerability by sharing their own experiences create permission for others to do the same. This is the power of diffuse storytelling, where simple acts signal that authenticity is welcomed.
Practical steps:
Start team meetings with a personal check-in, allowing people to share something about their lives outside work.
Create "empathy circles" where employees can share experiences of covering and feeling excluded.
Encourage leaders to share their own stories of vulnerability, such as discussing mental health challenges or struggles with work-life balance.
“What workplace norms in your organization might be inadvertently encouraging covering behaviors?”
2. Challenging Workplace Norms
Many workplace norms are shaped by dominant cultural expectations. If the ideal leader is seen as extroverted, decisive, and constantly available, introverts, caregivers, or those with mental health challenges may feel pressure to cover.
Practical steps:
Conduct an audit of your company's policies and communication materials to identify potentially biased language or assumptions.
Reevaluate performance metrics to ensure they don't inadvertently favor certain working styles or life circumstances.
Create flexible work arrangements that accommodate diverse needs and lifestyles.
3. Redefining Professionalism
The old model of professionalism often required people to strip away personal elements of their identity. But research shows that when people feel psychologically safe to express who they truly are, they collaborate better, innovate more, and stay longer in their organizations.
Practical steps:
Update dress codes to be more inclusive of diverse cultural expressions and gender identities.
Incorporate diverse working styles into performance evaluations, recognizing that there are many paths to success.
Celebrate cultural holidays and traditions from various backgrounds, not just the dominant culture.
What This Means for Organizations
At its core, covering is about fear—fear of judgment, exclusion, or lost opportunities. But when organizations foster a culture of empathetic inclusion, they unlock:
Higher Engagement – Employees who feel accepted are more motivated and committed.
Stronger Innovation – Diverse perspectives flourish when people don't feel the need to conform.
Deeper Belonging – People stay where they feel truly seen and valued.
Increased Productivity – The Deloitte study found that covering behaviors can decrease productivity by up to 30%.
Empathy isn't just about kindness—it's about recognizing humanity in the workplace. By embracing empathy, organizations dismantle the silent forces that push people to cover, creating an environment where everyone can bring their full selves to work.
“As a leader or colleague, how can you create more space for authenticity in your workplace?”
Call to Action
Start a conversation about covering in your workplace. Share this series with colleagues and leadership.
Identify one workplace norm in your organization that could be more inclusive. Propose a change to address it.
Practice empathetic listening this week. Seek to understand a colleague's perspective without judgment.
By taking these steps, we can all contribute to creating workplaces where covering is unnecessary and authenticity is the norm.
Further Reading
Kenji Yoshino: Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights
Erving Goffman: The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
