Exclusive PM survey reveals the most difficult things to admit at work
What personal issues would you feel most uncomfortable revealing at work?
I was once in prison – 93 per cent
I have an alcohol problem – 92 per cent
I am HIV-positive – 90 per cent
I’m transgender – 90 per cent
Admitting to a stint at her majesty’s pleasure was voted the most difficult thing to tell your colleagues at work in an exclusive poll by People Management.
With more than nine out of 10 respondents (93 per cent) saying that this was the most tricky issue to reveal at work, prison time just beat ‘talking about problems with alcohol’ into second place with 92 per cent of respondents, suggesting they would try to keep alcohol dependence hidden from work mates.
PM’s survey of more than 1,500 readers set out to discover the most uncomfortable secrets that employees keep from colleagues and employers and the findings were surprising. Despite UK laws preventing discrimination against sexual orientation, 58 per cent of respondents said that they would not feel comfortable revealing that they were gay at work, suggesting that more work on inclusion in the workplace is needed.
And the percentage of respondents who voiced concerns about revealing they are transgender or HIV-positive was high, with 90 per cent of the vote, suggesting that more needs to be done to encourage employees to bring their whole self to work.
But less than half of respondents said they would feel unhappy about revealing a serious illness or dyslexia, which suggests that people feel confident in confiding in their colleagues when going through personal problems rather than revealing a historical issue that could damage their reputation.
Dr Ann Parkinson, an expert on leadership, organisations and behaviour, explained that the recession has increased the pressure on organisations prompting managers to focus on the bottom line “rather than their individual relationships with staff”.
“This is stopping them from thinking creatively about ways to encourage employees to be themselves at work and to help people to continue to work effectively.”
Managers who create an inclusive workplace are likely to find that employees will be more open and feel more comfortable being themselves, with the added benefit that unnecessary worries and distractions that can disrupt productivity are reduced, Parkinson suggests.
When it comes to revealing you were once in prison, Andrew Kinder, chair of the EAPA, believes there could be more behind an employee’s revelations than you might think.
“UK law states that offenders are legally obliged to declare a conviction when asked and this is most commonly asked during the selection process of any company. If an employee has already legally declared their conviction to the company and passed the interview process, we would have to question why they felt the need to expose their criminal past to their colleagues,” he said.
“Perhaps the employee is trying to relate to a colleague who has also had a conviction — a sort of ‘I can be rehabilitated so can you’ piece of advice, or perhaps the individual feels a sense of guilt about keeping the information hidden. Either way, we would advise employees that it is their right to keep their time in prison a secret, if it was fully declared when they first got the job. They should also be aware that personal reactions can differ wildly as stigmas can be attached to certain convictions, which is potentially relationship damaging if exposed in a working environment.”
More survey results
I am actively looking for another job – 70 per cent
I suffer from depression – 68 per cent
I’m gay – 58 per cent
I am dyslexic – 41 per cent
My relationship is coming to an end – 34 per cent
I have a serious illness – 30 per cent