At LinkedIn, we want each of our employees to feel empowered to be their authentic selves at work. In honor of Pride month, we invited employees around the world to share their stories around what being their true selves at work means to them. Diversity and inclusion are key priorities for us and when employees truly feel that they belong, we see how wonderfully diverse teams can come together to make magic happen. Below are just a few of the perspectives and first hand experiences shared over the last few weeks.
Bruna from our Brazil team shared her experiences with coming out during different stages of her personal life and professional career. Her key learning is that every day you must open a door:
“Here at LinkedIn, I'm the same Bruna that every member of my family, every one of my friends and everyone who relates to me, knows. In fact, here I made some of my best friends. We share the same values, we are transparent, we learn to respect differences, to listen, to be open, honest and constructive without ever lacking respect for our neighbor or for differences. I do not need to be afraid to share my opinion, to be authentic or to be vulnerable.”
Creating a work culture that embraces inclusion, where employees can be open and honest, is not only empowering but also impactful. As Joao shares, he struggled in creating solid relationships due to the fact that he wasn’t being his 100% self:
“The fact that I came out of the closet allowed me to build the relationships that were so amiss early in my career. This makes me open new doors everyday capitalizing on the similarities that exist between all of us rather than hiding behind the differences.”
Each of us can play a vital role in helping create an inclusive environment within our organizations. Fernando Calleja from LinkedIn’s Madrid office offered several valuable tips in his personal story including, when an employee or colleague chooses to come out -- the simplest thing to do is treat them with respect and thank them for being open with you. But he also suggests that:
“Sometimes the best reaction is no reaction.”
These are just a few examples of the stories around #ProudAtWork moments. Check out more stories on LinkedIn and share your own #ProudAtWork moments in honor and support of Pride month.