The Important Role of Policy in Employee Intersectional Authenticity

Authenticity has garnered increased attention recently, especially as organizations seek to navigate discussions about polarizing topics and support the diverse workforce. However, insights are limited by the current focus on individual and interpersonal predictors of authenticity, along with a narrow emphasis on the authentic expression of only a single identity. These theoretical restrictions limit the nuance and realism in our understandings and practices concerning authenticity. Thus, we seek to advance authenticity perspectives via integration with intersectionality theory and by delineating the critical role of policy in authentic experiences and expressions. The presented framework for intersectional authenticity details key identity safety policy characteristics (i.e., identity relevance and identity inclusiveness) and stigma-related mechanisms (i.e., stigma consciousness and felt stigmatization) that help to explain access to the enactment of authenticity for employees who hold multiple stigmatized identities, and the role of organizations in this experience. Theoretical and practical implications for understanding and fostering environments in which employees feel empowered to “bring their whole self to work” are also discussed.