Embracing Authenticity: Navigating Coming Out at Home, University, and the Workplace

"None of us are intrinsically perfect, but we can strive to show our best." Josh Pooley, Junior Associate at Capco, spoke to myGwork about the advantages of coming out in the workplace, and how it can intersect with positive mental health. He also explains how Capco supports the LGBTQ+ community and provides a safe place for employees to be their authentic selves.

Please introduce yourself and your role with your organization.

Hiya! I’m Josh, currently a Junior Associate working within Capco while also studying towards my apprenticeship in Data Analytics! I’ve been working towards this now for the past 2 years and I am in the home stretch of getting my degree!

Please, tell us your coming out story/stories. Have you had a good/bad experience because of your sexual orientation at home, university or at work?

Coming out for me was quite a journey, growing up I had always had this ideology that when it came to parents, mum would be the easier one and dad maybe not so much. I was of course proven wrong, so my dad came first. My dad approached me when I was around 16 to ask the question of my sexuality, to which I had only more recently come to terms with myself. We had a classic emotional conversation followed on by a lot of tears and acceptance from him. My mother on the other hand, I didn’t get to have the official coming out chat with her myself. My dad decided to tell her on a flight they took together and she had a very hard time coming to grips with this. For her, I think she had an overwhelming sense of fear and that sense that she had done something wrong. Likely through a lack of education around the community, but since then she has grown to be one of my biggest cheerleaders in life.

How does your organization support and empower its LGBTQ+ employees?

Capco has a very strong “Be Yourself At Work” policy which in the daily allows me to feel more empowered and comfortable in my own skin. We also have an incredible DEI team and specifically a great Pride ERG which I am an active part of, PRIDE @ Capco.

Do you feel that by coming out you can encourage others to come out? Has this happened to you and your colleagues? How does the LGBTQ+ employee resource group at your organization help foster LGBTQ+ inclusion in your workplace?

I think personally it is a difficult one, we are all on our own unique journeys and hearing that of other individuals’ journeys can be helpful to “encourage” others to come out, but in honesty I don’t feel that this should be expected of anyone. PRIDE @ Capco really stands for allowing us as individuals to feel seen, through ensuring safeguarding is pivotal in policies being written, to also providing interesting events to educate us all further on areas of the community which we may not see as often. I have certainly found a lot of added value in the latter, just being a part of the community doesn’t give you a free pass or mean that you are infinitely knowledgeable about the community. Instead, we must ensure that we are continually educating ourselves also around the community. None of us are instinctively perfect, but we can strive to show our best.

It has been proven that being out at work increases productivity. What other advantages do you see in coming out in the workplace?

I feel from a mental health perspective, if a workplace is truly dedicated to being inclusive and a safe space for individuals from any community, it can be so beneficial to allowing you not to have to put on an act every time you step into the office.

In your opinion, how can an organization and its clients benefit from a diverse workforce?

Having a diverse workforce truly means widening your vision and view. Allowing other voices to be heard you’ll come across various other ways to tackle those day-to-day challenges at work as opposed to having the generic cookie cutter approach.

What advice would you give the younger generations of LGBTQ+ people looking to get started in the industry?

My advice for the younger generation if you are looking for ways to get into data or consulting is purely to jump straight into it, look for opportunities to arise which can get you a kick start. Networking is also key to kick starting your career regardless of what field you’re looking into. Get your LinkedIn profile updated and then connect with others from similar industries.

More and more organizations want their employees to bring their whole self to work. Would you consider working for an organization that does not? Why? / Why not?

When originally starting out my corporate journey and landing my first job, this wasn’t the highest priority in my searching, however I now do feel that it is such an important aspect when it comes to searching for jobs. If an organisation did not hold these values of DEI, it is an instant red flag as somewhere I would not feel comfortable working.

Growing up, who was your LGBTQ+ role model?

Growing up I didn’t always have many LGBTQ+ figures whom I saw and related to. I do have to say that Tom Daley will have a spot as a role model in my life, from seeing him in the Olympics and then hearing his story slowly come further into light is so warming to witness. Furthering into more recent times with his journey to parenthood as an LGBTQ+ individual which is incredible to see the journey and that representation as well.

Who is your LGBTQ+ corporate role model and why?

For me personally I have many whom I have the pleasure of working alongside in the PRIDE @ Capco affinity group, however I wont name names in case I spark any controversy!

For me being at the earlier starting point of my career having individuals around who are at a senior level that I have common grounds with really has helped me understanding what I want to see from work and that there is a lot more than coming into work purely to do my job.

Do you have an LGBTQ+ ally role model?

Overtime I’ve seen some strong allyship shown towards to community, one particular action I recall which had a strong impact to myself was back when Little Mix performed ‘Secret Love Song’ in Dubai with a pride flag in the back, showing support through the laws out there which are infamously against the LGBTQ+ community.

How do you think allies can support their colleagues coming out?

Active allyship is such an important element of any community, and knowing you have a support network behind you, especially during those initial stages of coming to terms with who you are and how to navigate these changes to your life. Often seeing this support in the workplace also really helps to allow people to feel the fullest breadth of support. We spend a vast majority of our day and our lives in fact at work after all!

Do you think there an enough LGBTQ+ people at C-level in the workplace? How do you see this evolving in the future?

I think when looking into the statistics, it is far less likely that an individual at C-level within the workplace would fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. It could also be a case to see that those at the C-level do not feel as comfortable being out in the workplace. From a personal perspective, it would certainly be great to have representation of the community at a more senior level to show support and gives everyone someone to look up to. I’d certainly hope to see this evolve further to having more individuals, but the root for me is having active allies at the helm, leading by example of how we should be treating one another and how we shouldn’t.

Do you check the Diversity and Inclusion policies of an organisation and same-sex partner benefits before considering working for an organisation? Why?

Originally, I didn’t heavily consider DEI as a heavy part of my decision making when it came down to working for an organisation. I have however since then become far more educated in myself and learned the full value and importance of this. It is a vital importance to feel not only supported in your work but also that you feel safe at work, and this is the real driving force behind a lot of the DEI initiatives.