The Impact of Discriminatory Climate Perceptions on the Composition of Intraorganizational Developmental Networks, Psychosocial Support, and Job and Career Attitudes of Employees with an Invisible Stigma

Abstract

Recent diversity research recognizes that employees' social identity and perceptions of diversity openness and support shape their career experience and decisions. To build further on this line of work, this study aims to advance an understanding of the impact of discriminatory climate perceptions on the social relationships at work and work-related attitudes of employees with an invisible stigma. To achieve this purpose and test hypotheses, professional lesbians and gay men were selected as a representative group of the invisible stigmatized population. This study found that perceptions of nondiscriminatory climate toward an individual's invisible stigmatized group is positively related to her/his formation of a similar developmental network, and those who perceived nondiscriminatory climate in their organization are more likely to disclose stigmatized identity and receive higher psychosocial support from their developmental network. Further, psychosocial support was found to be positively related to job and career satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications on workplace stigmatization, developmental network, and workplace diversity are discussed.

Workplace contextual supports for LGBT employees: A review, meta‐analysis, and agenda for future research

“…This is a conservative estimate, given that LGBT identities can be invisible and, as a result, some LGBT employees decide to conceal their identities (King, Mohr, Peddie, Jones, & Kendra, ). Indeed, deciding whether to disclose at work is often a challenging process that is accompanied by fear and anxiety due to the stigma associated with LGBT identities (Ragins, Singh, & Cornwell, ; Trau, ). Although public perceptions of LGBT people have become increasingly more positive in the United States, a large portion of Americans (45%) still believe that being gay is a sin (Drake, ), and attitudes toward gender nonconformity are even more unfavorable (Norton & Herek, ).…”

Approaching the Discriminatory Work Environment as Stressor: The Protective Role of Job Satisfaction on Health

“…A study about bullying showed that being bystanders of workplace bullying might affect observers’ health negatively (Vartia, 2001; Hoel et al, 2004; Lutgen-Sandvik et al, 2007). Moreover, research carried out with lesbian and gay (LG) professionals (Trau, 2015) demonstrated that a discriminatory climate might be perceived by workers, which in turn might have consequences at personal and organizational levels (Ragins, 2004). Perceiving a discriminatory environment might be considered a stressor, even if people do not experience discrimination directly.…”

“SAIR OU FICAR NO ARMÁRIO”? EIS A QUESTÃO! Estudo sobre as razões e os efeitos do coming out no ambiente de trabalho

“…Nesse mesmo sentido, o E4 revela um entendimento de que as mulheres são mais receptivas aos homossexuais, ao contrário dos homens broncos da Engenharia, que são os que desenvolvem atividades tidas como essencialmente masculinas. Sua fala (E4) reforça a importância do ambiente (HUFFMAN et al, 2008;LUCAS;KAPLAN, 1994;TRAU, 2015) para a decisão de abertura da identidade sexual no trabalho.…”

“…Embora grande parte das pesquisas (HUFFMAN; WATROUS-RODRIGUEZ; KING, 2008;LUCAS;KAPLAN, 1994;TRAU, 2015) sugira que um clima organizacional que favorece a afirmação da identidade sexual promove resultados positivos para o empregado, o coming out nem sempre é visto como a melhor opção do empregado. Isso porque o preconceito e atitudes homofóbicas ainda se fazem muito presentes nas organizações (BICALHO; DINIZ, 2009;CAPRONI et al, 2014;GARCIA;SOUZA, 2010;IRIGARAY et al, 2010).…”

“…Um ambiente organizacional acolhedor incentiva a revelação da identidade sexual, fazendo com que o desenvolvimento de atitudes organizacionais positivas relacionadas à satisfação no trabalho e comprometimento organizacional possa ocorrer (HUFFMAN et al, 2008;TRAU, 2015).…”