The importance of bringing your authentic self to work 

To celebrate Pride month, I thought I would dust off my keyboard and bring you a blog dedicated to bringing your authentic self to work. A concept not solely dedicated to Pride, but for me it’s a huge part of it.

To me, bringing your authentic self to work means being able to share your life, personality, interests and imperfections with your colleagues and being welcomed with open arms. You don’t need to share every detail (please!) but talking about your weekend at the water cooler or chatting over a cup of tea is all part of the office environment. If you’re working in an environment where you don’t feel that being your true self is possible then those chats can be a pretty daunting thought. 

Ultimately, we spend a lot of time with our colleagues and often many become friends. If you don’t allow someone to be who they really are, their ability to build relationships is likely to be hindered. Particularly if they are hiding part of their identity.    

It is so important for an employer to create a safe space, to allow colleagues to feel that they can be themselves. For me that is talking about my weekend and not feeling uncomfortable mentioning my girlfriend. But for others, this could be talking about a new series they’re watching on Netflix without fear of judgement (that includes if someone admits to watching Love Island).  

It’s worth mentioning that, for many people, Pride is a celebration of who they are and the journey they have been on. But we should also be mindful of those that find this time difficult. Becoming proud of who you are, who you love and who you want to be is a journey, and we should all be mindful of others and where they are on that journey. Accepting who you are can take time and it’s not confined to a timeline imposed by the expectations of others. 

At Space & Time I can personally vouch for the welcoming environment, which fosters acceptance and diversity. As part of the Diversity Equality and Inclusivity committee I play a part in supporting the company with new initiatives; whether that be our Pride Day in the offices, the work we are doing to support people with disabilities in the workplace or #BreaktheBias for International Women’s Day and supporting International Men’s Day, there’s always something positive going on.

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