{"id":89782,"date":"2023-01-18T14:12:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-18T18:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=89782"},"modified":"2023-02-02T14:17:40","modified_gmt":"2023-02-02T18:17:40","slug":"bring-your-whole-self-to-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Explaining the Bring Your &#8220;Whole Self&#8221; to Work Debate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Should you bring your &#8220;whole self&#8221; to work? Why has this become a heated debate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many workplaces are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-encourage-employees\/\">encouraging employees<\/a> to bring their \u201cwhole (authentic) self\u201d to work. However, not everyone can agree on what exactly this means or what the risks and benefits are to your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to learn more about bringing your whole self to work and why it&#8217;s debated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-does-your-whole-self-mean\">What Does Your &#8220;Whole Self&#8221; Mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept of bringing your whole self to work\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/business\/2022\/06\/02\/do-not-bring-your-whole-self-to-work?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&amp;utm_source=google&amp;ppccampaignID=17210591673&amp;ppcadID=&amp;utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&amp;utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAy_CcBhBeEiwAcoMRHORTUKIXV7Oh3zucmKB8QcZgtvGYP5JvHrzmXlQgTHjx9V46UNqRnBoCDnIQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sometimes called<\/a> being your \u201cfull self\u201d and \u201cauthentic self\u201d\u2014has been around for decades. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90444640\/bringing-your-whole-self-to-work-is-a-bad-idea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Some credit psychologist William Kahn<\/a>\u2014the so-called \u201cfather of employee engagement\u201d\u2014with introducing this concept in the 1990s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the term \u201cwhole self\u201d is somewhat vague, people interpret it in various ways. However, most people generally agree that it means the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/business\/2022\/06\/02\/do-not-bring-your-whole-self-to-work?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&amp;utm_source=google&amp;ppccampaignID=17210591673&amp;ppcadID=&amp;utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&amp;utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAy_CcBhBeEiwAcoMRHORTUKIXV7Oh3zucmKB8QcZgtvGYP5JvHrzmXlQgTHjx9V46UNqRnBoCDnIQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Being open about your identities<\/a> (such as your religion and sexuality) at work<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Feeling empowered to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/macys-boss-discusses-being-an-openly-gay-ceo-and-trying-to-break-groupthink-11672451043\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">express your values and opinions<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Being personable with your colleagues and <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2021\/02\/how-much-of-your-authentic-self-should-you-really-bring-to-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">caring about their well-being<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Several recent events have led to an increase in whole-self workplaces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The \u201cracial reckoning\u201d of 2020\u2014protests against racial injustice and increasing awareness of systemic racism\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work-doesnt-promote-inclusion-experts-say-2021-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">put pressure on workplaces<\/a> to focus more on diversity, equity, and inclusion.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Covid-19 pandemic blurred the line between \u201cwork\u201d and \u201chome\u201d for employees who started working remotely. This change sparked widespread conversations about work\/life boundaries.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll explain reasons for and against bringing your whole, or authentic, self to work. Then, we&#8217;ll explore the benefits and drawbacks of the whole self movement in U.S. workplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Be Your Authentic Self?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-gifts-of-imperfection\/preview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Gifts of Imperfection<\/em><\/a>, author Bren\u00e9 Brown says the first guidepost for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/living-wholeheartedly\/\">living wholeheartedly<\/a> is&nbsp;<strong>being authentic<\/strong>. You might think that authenticity is a trait that you either have or lack. However, this isn\u2019t true. Being authentic is a way of thinking and acting.&nbsp;<strong>It\u2019s making the conscious choice to show your whole self to the world.&nbsp;<\/strong>This means all of your whole self, including the more vulnerable parts\u2014for example, your fears, your imperfections, and your quirks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being authentic takes a lot of courage. Letting the world see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/your-genius\/\">who you truly are<\/a> can be a scary process. To take this courageous step, you\u2019ll need to learn to accept your vulnerabilities. If you see your vulnerable parts as flaws to be ashamed of, you\u2019re going to try to hide these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/parts-of-the-self\/\">parts of yourself<\/a>. This is incompatible with authenticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of being ashamed of your vulnerabilities, recognize them as important parts of your individuality. They\u2019re not flaws to be hidden. Instead, they\u2019re gifts that add to your uniqueness. Adopting this mindset will increase your self-worth. <strong>You\u2019ll stop seeing your vulnerabilities as evidence you\u2019re \u201cnot good enough,\u201d and instead be able to fully accept yourself for who you are.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class='book-template'>\nTITLE: The Gifts of Imperfection<br>\nAUTHOR: Bren\u00e9 Brown<br>\nTIME: 42<br>\nREADS: 112.4<br>\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/the-gifts-of-imperfection-cover.png<br>\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: the-gifts-of-imperfection-summary-bren\u00e9-brown<br>\nAMZN_ID: XYZ<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Think Twice About Being Your Authentic Self?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In <em><a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/what-got-you-here-won-t-get-you-there\/preview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What Got You Here Won&#8217;t Get You There<\/a><\/em>, author and business coach Marshall Goldsmith argues that many self-help manuals laud the importance of \u201cliving authentically\u201d or bringing your whole self to work. In theory, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/be-your-authentic-self\/\">living authentically<\/a> isn\u2019t a bad thing. Expressing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-your-true-self\/\">your real self<\/a> is much healthier\u2014emotionally and mentally\u2014than pretending to be someone you\u2019re not. However, some leaders take this principle a little too far.&nbsp;<strong>They start to use \u201cauthenticity\u201d as a justification for their bad behavior.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leaders or employees who adopt this bad habit become fiercely protective of their right to behave badly. They believe that their harmful habits should be celebrated because they\u2019re a part of their \u201cauthentic self\u201d\u2014a part of what makes them uniquely special. In their eyes, abandoning their poor behaviors would be disingenuous and disloyal to themselves, so they refuse to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, an executive Goldsmith worked with refused to give his subordinates praise because he believed that praising people just wasn\u2019t \u201chim.\u201d He argued that giving his colleagues encouragement would make him feel like a \u201cphony.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People who engage in this habit become so focused on protecting their own feelings\u2014specifically, their feelings of being authentic and true to themselves\u2014that they stop caring about how their behavior makes&nbsp;<em>other people<\/em>&nbsp;feel. This selfishness and lack of care for others severely harm their reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Healthier Behavior:&nbsp;<\/strong>Stop seeing the idea of changing your bad behavior through the lens of \u201chow will doing this make me feel? Will it make me feel like a phony?\u201d Remember that your feelings aren\u2019t the only ones that matter. Instead, think \u201chow will changing my behavior make&nbsp;<em>others&nbsp;<\/em>feel? Is remaining \u201cauthentic\u201d to myself worth the damage that I\u2019m currently doing to both other people and my own reputation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class='book-template'>\nTITLE: What Got You Here Won't Get You There<br>\nAUTHOR: Marshall Goldsmith<br>\nTIME: 37<br>\nREADS: 84.6<br>\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/what-got-you-here-wont-get-you-there-cover.png<br>\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: what-got-you-here-wont-get-you-there-summary-marshall-goldsmith<br>\nAMZN_ID: XYZ<br>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-promise-of-the-whole-self-movement\">The Promise of the Whole Self Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some claim that employers\u2019 efforts to create whole-self workplaces <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spectator.co.uk\/article\/work-is-no-place-for-your-whole-self\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">are well-intentioned<\/a>: They aim to destigmatize mental illness and disabilities and make their workplace more welcoming to people with marginalized identities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Supporters argue that when workplaces encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work, there are positive results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2021\/02\/how-much-of-your-authentic-self-should-you-really-bring-to-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Employees build stronger relationships with coworkers<\/a>. This can make work more pleasant and increase collaboration.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Strong relationships with coworkers also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/602581\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work-by-mike-robbins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">open doors for you to advance in your career<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Research suggests that workers who bring their whole selves to work <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work-doesnt-promote-inclusion-experts-say-2021-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">are happier and more likely to innovate.<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-pitfalls-of-the-whole-self-movement\">The Pitfalls of the Whole Self Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Others take a more skeptical view of the whole self movement, claiming that the language of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/09\/25\/opinion\/business-economics\/work-office-whole-self.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cwhole self\u201d is corporate jargon<\/a> that employers use to <em>seem<\/em> inclusive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/09\/25\/opinion\/business-economics\/work-office-whole-self.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">instead of offering <em>tangible<\/em> support for workers<\/a> (such as pay equity). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They warn that employers\u2019 efforts to build whole-self workplaces can backfire:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-workers-feel-uncomfortable\">Workers Feel Uncomfortable<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Workplaces\u2019 efforts to encourage people to reveal their whole selves, such as training that involves <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/radiant-living\/\">personal reflection<\/a>, make some workers feel uncomfortable because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/09\/25\/opinion\/business-economics\/work-office-whole-self.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">not everyone wants to bring their whole self to work.<\/a> Some people prefer to keep their personal lives private to preserve their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/finding-balance-between-work-and-life\/\">work-life balance<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-it-degrades-professionalism\">It Degrades Professionalism<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Some leaders and workers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.askamanager.org\/2020\/10\/i-dont-want-to-bring-my-whole-self-to-work.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">misinterpret the whole self movement as an invitation to be less professional<\/a>. This can lead people to <a href=\"https:\/\/yfsmagazine.com\/2022\/12\/01\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">share offensive political views<\/a>. For instance, Google\u2019s efforts to be a whole-self workplace recently backfired when a software engineer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work-doesnt-promote-inclusion-experts-say-2021-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shared his offensive views on women in tech<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-people-with-marginalized-identities-feel-deceived-and-unsafe\">People With Marginalized Identities Feel Deceived and Unsafe<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, some claim that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pdtglobal.com\/why-bring-your-whole-self-to-work-is-a-lie-we-must-stop-telling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">workplaces deceive employees with marginalized identities<\/a>, telling them to bring their whole selves to work <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ted.com\/talks\/jodi_ann_burey_the_myth_of_bringing_your_full_authentic_self_to_work\/transcript?language=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">but failing to cultivate an environment that\u2019s safe for them to do so<\/a>. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Due to workplace transphobia, some transgender employees <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/05\/29\/transgender-nonbinary-employees-work-policy-issues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">worry they\u2019ll face harassment<\/a> if they come out at work.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Due to negative stigmas associated with race, <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2019\/11\/the-costs-of-codeswitching\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">some Black employees feel they can\u2019t bring their whole selves to work<\/a>. For instance, they worry people will judge them if they wear their hair in locs or speak African American Vernacular English.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Some workers with disabilities <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/drnancydoyle\/2019\/12\/03\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work-hiding-disability-at-work-is-damaging-to-productivity\/?sh=f4f502df95f8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">feel the need to hide their disability<\/a> out of fear their employer will <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2021\/06\/make-it-safe-for-employees-to-disclose-their-disabilities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">offer them fewer opportunities for advancement<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-can-workplaces-avoid-these-pitfalls\">How Can Workplaces Avoid These Pitfalls?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid these pitfalls, experts recommend that workplaces take the following actions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Increase representation of marginalized people in the workplace so people with those identities <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2019\/11\/the-costs-of-codeswitching\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">feel more comfortable<\/a> bringing their whole selves to work.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Normalize non-dominant cultures and the needs of marginalized people. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/haven-life-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">have workers share their pronouns when they introduce themselves.<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Establish and fund <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2021\/06\/make-it-safe-for-employees-to-disclose-their-disabilities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">employee resource groups<\/a> so employees with shared identities can safely discuss solutions for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/workplace-issues\/\">workplace issues<\/a> they\u2019re facing.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Should you bring your &#8220;whole self&#8221; to work? Why has this become a heated debate? Many workplaces are encouraging employees to bring their \u201cwhole (authentic) self\u201d to work. However, not everyone can agree on what exactly this means or what the risks and benefits are to your career. Keep reading to learn more about bringing your whole self to work and why it&#8217;s debated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":26875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,24,30],"tags":[727],"class_list":["post-89782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career","category-society","category-work","tag-articles","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Explaining the Bring Your &quot;Whole Self&quot; to Work Debate - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Should you bring your whole self to work? Learn what this means and why it has become a heavily debated issue in American workplaces.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/bring-your-whole-self-to-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Explaining the Bring Your &quot;Whole Self&quot; to Work Debate\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Should you bring your whole self to work? 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