The importance of being “me”: The relation between authentic identity expression and transgender employees’ work-related attitudes and experiences.

Abstract

The present research examined the relation between authentic identity expression and transgender employees' work-related attitudes and experiences. Drawing on Kernis' (2003) theoretical conceptualization of authenticity and expanding on current workplace identity management research, we predicted that employees who had taken steps to reduce the discrepancy between their inner gender identities and their outward manifestations of gender would report more positive job attitudes and workplace experiences, in part because the reduction of this discrepancy is related to greater feelings of authenticity. In Study 1, we found that the extent to which one has transitioned was related to higher job satisfaction and perceived person-organization (P-O) fit and lower perceived discrimination. In Study 2, we replicate and extend these results by showing that the extent to which employees felt that others at work perceived them in a manner consistent with how they perceived themselves (relational authenticity) mediated the relations between extent of transition and all 3 of these outcomes. However, perceptions of alignment between one's felt and expressed identity (action authenticity) only mediated this link for job satisfaction. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our results, as well as avenues for future research on authenticity in the workplace. (PsycINFO Database Record

Disclosure of stigmatized identities at work: An interdisciplinary review and agenda for future research

“…This relationship was supported across concealable stigmatized identity groups including sexual orientation (Griffith & Hebl, ; Huffman & King, 2008; James, 2010; Ragins et al, ; Sabat et al, ), disability (Roebuck et al, ), pregnancy (Sabat et al, Unpublished), and gender identity (Martinez et al, ). Specifically, disclosure was associated with increased perceptions of coworker support (Griffith & Hebl, ; Huffman, Watrous‐Rodriguez, & King, ; Roebuck et al, ; Weiss, 2003), increased perceptions of supervisor support (Huffman, Watrous‐Rodriguez, & King, ; Weiss, 2003; Sabat et al, unpublished), decreased interpersonal discrimination (Sabat et al, ; Roebuck et al, 2014, Sabat et al, unpublished), and decreased formal discrimination (Martinez et al, ). Another positive outcome of disclosure is that it reduced tensions between employees at work as found in a study of gay and lesbian Taiwanese workers in which reduced work stress mediated the relationship between disclosure and job effectiveness.…”

“…On the other hand, several studies reported negative relationships between disclosure and interpersonal outcomes. Such findings were obtained in samples comprised of individuals with multiple concealable stigmatized identities including sexual orientation (Arena & Jones, ; Ragins et al, ; Swank, Fahs, & Frost, ), religion (Ahmad et al, , April), HIV status (Weiss, 2003), and gender identity (Martinez et al, ). Interestingly, the outcomes associated with disclosure of one's sexual orientation may depend, in part, on the specific identity.…”

“…Specifically, 14 studies demonstrated that disclosure predicted increased job satisfaction (Driscoll, Kelly, & Fassinger, ; Griffith & Hebl, ; Huffman, Watrous‐Rodriguez, & King, ; James, ; Ragins et al, ; Velez, Moradi, & Brewster, ; Waldo, ; Sabat et al, unpublished), increased perceptions of organizational support (Ragins et al, ; Roebuck, Ryan, & Lyons, ; Law et al, ), increased commitment (Ragins et al, , Roebuck et al, ; Law et al, , and decreased withdrawal intentions (Ragins et al, ; Roebuck et al, ). The positive effect of disclosure on employees' work‐related attitudes were supported across identity groups including disclosures of one's sexual orientation (Driscoll, Kelley, & Fassinger, ; Griffith & Hebl, ; Huffman, Watrous‐Rodriguez, & King, ; James, ; Ragins et al, ; Velez et al, ; Waldo, ), disability (Roebuck et al, ; Munir et al, ), pregnancy (Sabat et al, unpublished), HIV status (Weiss, 2003), and gender identity (Law et al, ; Martinez, Sawyer, Thoroughgood, Ruggs, & Smith, ). Similarly, concealment of a stigmatized identity was associated with decreased job satisfaction and commitment (Newheiser, Barreto, & Tiemersma, ).…”

Trans People, Transitioning, Mental Health, Life, and Job Satisfaction

“…International quantitative and qualitative studies suggested a positive relationship between transitioning and mental health (Cardoso da Silva et al, 2016;Brewster et al, 2014, Callan, 2014, Brewster et al, 2012, Dhejne et al, 2016, Murad et al, 2010, De Cuypere et al, 2006, Lobato et al, 2006, Smith et al, 2005, De Cuypere et al, 2005, Green, 2005, transitioning and life satisfaction (van de Grift et al, 2017;Bockting et al, 2016;Brewster et al, 2014, Brewster et al, 2012, Salvador et al, 2012, Parola et al, 2010, Lobato et al, 2006, De Cuypere et al, 2006, Smith et al, 2005) and transitioning and job satisfaction (Martinez et al, 2017;Brewster et al, 2014;Brewster et al, 2012;Scottish Transgender Alliance and Stonewall Scotland, 2012;Morton, 2008).…”

Social identity management strategies of women in STEM fields

“…IM is important to consider because of its connection to downstream consequences related to retaining women in STEM occupations. That is, research and theory connect IM choices to job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and physical and mental well‐being (Jones et al ., ; Lyons, Wessel, Ghumman, Ryan & Kim, ; Madera, King, & Hebl, ; Martinez, Sawyer, Thoroughgood, Ruggs, & Smith, ).…”