When Gen Z hides who they are at work, everyone loses
By Ts. Elman Mustafa El Bakri
A recent Forbes article introduced a term many of us might not have heard before: “quiet covering.” But while the phrase may be new, the behaviour it describes is all too familiar, especially for Gen Z professionals entering the workforce.
Unlike quiet quitting or quiet cracking, which involve disengagement or emotional strain, quiet covering is about hiding. It’s when employees suppress parts of their identity — how they dress, speak, think, or express themselves — in order to conform to workplace norms. It’s not about doing less work. It’s about showing up while shrinking who you are.
For Gen Z, a generation raised on authenticity, values alignment, and self-expression, this can be particularly painful. And yet, many are doing it; quietly adjusting themselves to “look the part,” not because they lack confidence, but because they’re not sure their true selves will be accepted.
There are many reasons this happens. Some feel they need to “tone down” their personality to seem more professional. Others avoid sharing their real views or creative ideas for fear of being labelled too outspoken or idealistic. In hybrid or remote settings, the pressure can be even greater. With fewer informal cues, younger employees often default to being cautious, trying not to stand out too much on camera or in writing.
And the result? A growing number of young professionals entering the workforce with their full potential muted. Not by lack of skill, but by a culture that subtly tells them to play it safe; no matter how or where they got the information from.
As someone who works with both fresh graduates and corporate leaders, I’ve seen what happens when this pressure goes unchecked. Teams become quieter, and innovation stalls. People deliver what’s expected, but rarely more. And over time, you start to lose not just talent, but the spark that makes teams thrive.
This isn’t a niche HR problem. It’s clearly a leadership challenge that directly affects performance, culture, and retention.
Because the truth is, when people spend energy managing how they appear rather than focusing on the work itself, something is lost. And it’s not just productivity; it’s trust, creativity, and a sense of shared purpose.
We often talk about wanting people to “bring their whole selves to work.” But do our systems, processes, and leadership behaviours actually support that? Or do we send the message, whether implicitly or explicitly, that success requires blending in?
If we’re serious about creating workplaces where people can thrive, then we need to create environments where authenticity is not a liability. We need to stop confusing professionalism with sameness. And we need to move beyond surface-level DEI policies into something more practical: psychological safety.
Psychological safety doesn’t mean letting go of standards or accountability. It means making it safe to be different; to have their own voice, to offer their new perspective, to share their different experience. It means leaders who ask questions and listen without judgment. It means recognising when someone is holding back, and gently inviting them forward.
The organisations that do this well are not just more inclusive; they’re also more resilient. They unlock new ideas, attract diverse talent, and foster the kind of culture where people want to grow.
But it starts with leadership. Not with big speeches, but with small, consistent actions.
When a junior employee shares a personal insight in a meeting, do we welcome it, or gloss over it? When someone shows enthusiasm for a new way of doing things, do we encourage it, or steer them back to the familiar? These are the moments that tell people whether it’s safe to show up fully, or safer to stay quiet and be ‘accepted’.
Let’s be clear: no one is asking for special treatment. Gen Z doesn’t want to overshare or dominate the conversation. What they want is to work in environments where they don’t have to edit themselves to be accepted. Where they can grow into their full potential, not just a curated version of it.
In my own experience, both as a leader and as someone who took a leap from corporate life to start something of my own, I’ve learned that the best ideas often come from people who see things differently. But they’ll only speak up if they feel they can.
So here’s a challenge for all of us in leadership roles: take a closer look at your team. Who’s holding back? Who seems a little too quiet in meetings, too agreeable in feedback sessions, too careful in how they show up? What might happen if we made it just a little easier for them to be themselves?
When employees, especially so with Gen Z, feel safe to bring their full selves to work, everyone benefits. We gain fresh thinking, deeper engagement, and stronger teams. And we reduce the emotional cost of constantly “covering” just to belong.
In a world that moves fast and demands more, authenticity isn’t a luxury. It’s a competitive edge.
The author is CEO and Founder of HESA Healthcare Recruitment Agency and serves on the Industrial Advisory Panel for the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universiti Malaya. He may be reached at elman.asia@gmail.com