"Why does my sexual identity have to matter?" : How gay employees in the Dutch workplace manage their sexual identity and what influences their sense of inclusion

D. Aragon

Diversity and inclusion have become prerequisites for organizational success and employee satisfaction. Failing to foster such a diverse and inclusive workplace has repeatedly been related to detrimental effects for minority groups, such as homosexual men. This does not only undermine organizational goals, but also leaves gay employees alienated, anxious, and distressed. However, little research has been conducted on the factors that influence sexual identity management at work and also gay employees? sense of inclusion in the workplace has not been studied extensively. Also, because a paradox seems to prevail in how Dutch gay employees experience their workplaces, it remains unclear if similar situations occur in the Netherlands as well. This thesis, therefore, aims to investigate how gay employees in the Dutch workplace rely on conversations with colleagues and organizational policies in managing their sexual identity, and how this influences their sense of inclusion. Using qualitative research, 10 employees working across the Netherlands in a variety of occupations described their workplace experiences. Results indicated that gay employees feel most comfortable enacting their sexual identity when disclosure is met with casualness rather than with surprise, and when they are included in humorous conversations, in which it is allowed to talk lightly about homosexuality. Furthermore, concealing sexual identity in the first place does not always have to relate to a feeling of anxiety and alienation, as participants determinedly argue that their professionality should be deemed more important than their homosexual identity. In addition, gay employees can also contribute to inclusion themselves by supporting more openness about homosexuality, and positive discourse with colleagues is experienced more important for inclusion than the existence of formal policies, as these might even have the reverse effect of making gay employees feel like they differ even more from the norm. Lastly, implications for both scholars and practitioners are discussed.