I was reading research on workplace authenticity the other day, and it hit me that the findings fly in the face of everything the majority of Gen Z professionals with whom I work think.

The research is stark: people who carefully manage their image at work do better. They get promoted faster. They’re more quickly recognized as leaders. According to the studies, the more you “modulate your behavior”, which is academic-speak for “not being your whole self”, the more successful you’ll be.

Meanwhile, every Gen Z person I talk with tells me they value authenticity and honesty at work. They want transparency. They want to talk about mental health. They want real connection amongst employees.

So, we are on a collision course.  If an early career professional walks into a job paying no attention to how they “show up”, they are going to hit a wall. In other words, there may be negative judgment from people who hold the power.

Not being aware of how to navigate this means you might sabotage a job before it even starts.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Impression Management

I have always wondered why some people spend so much time seeking favor from their superiors.  The answer is that sadly, managing how others perceive you makes you successful. A meta-analysis of 55 studies found that impression management is directly linked to the speed with which you ascend to leadership and to how effective you can be in your role.

Research from Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic shows that “the more of an effort you make to adjust or modulate your behaviors (in effect inhibiting and censoring your ‘whole’ or ‘authentic’ self), the more trustworthy and authentic you seem to others.” That means that people who consciously shape their professional image are more likely to succeed.

Think about this, you seem more authentic by being less authentic.

What This Actually Costs You

There is an emotional cost to this type of behavior that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Changing how you talk, dress, and present yourself depending on who you’re with leads to emotional exhaustion and burnout.

When you’re constantly monitoring yourself, making sure you’re not “too much” of anything, you experience what psychologists call cognitive dissonance. You feel fake. Guilty. Like you’re betraying yourself. And over time, that effects your self-esteem. Constantly managing impressions and suppressing who you are destroys mental health.

Organizations pay a price too. When people can’t be authentic, they’re less engaged, less creative, and more likely to leave.

What Gen Z (and Lots of Others) Actually Want

Let’s talk about what many, including a large percentage of Gen z early career workers, think is the ideal workplace. Research finds that Gen Z prioritizes wellbeing, helping others, and authentic expression.” The majority of Gen Z workers prioritize transparency and honesty at work. About half rank mental and physical health as a primary marker of success, above wealth, occupation, or family relationships. I believe previous generations wanted this too; they just suffered in silence.

Why You Can’t Simply Demand Authenticity

Can Gen Z bring a change immediately?  Let’s look at the numbers.

By 2025, Gen Z will make up about 30% of the global workforce—significant, but not dominant. They are still outnumbered by Millennials, Gen X, and remaining Baby Boomers who collectively control most leadership positions, still set cultural norms, and decide who gets promoted. Young people advocating for change have less visibility and less formal authority than people maintaining the status quo. Current leadership controls promotions, compensation, cultural norms, and even what “professionalism” means.

The generational power gap shows up in current employer attitudes. Forty-five percent of hiring managers say Gen Z is difficult to work with. So, a confrontational approach demanding corporate transparency and acceptance of everyone’s personal characteristics likely won’t get far. It’s more likely to get you marginalized.

The Compromise Option: Strategic Authenticity

I know the suggestion I am about to give does not resonate with everyone.  Many young folks do not want to work where they are not immediately able to be real; and there are companies where individuals are highly valued.  But if you are headed for most companies and you care about authenticity, I believe, that an iterative approach is the right one. That means you should read context, understand power dynamics, and tactically choose when to image-manage and when to express yourself.

In other words, be strategically genuine. Choose which authentic parts of yourself to emphasize in different contexts.  This allows you to build trust. When leadership is comfortable with you and your ideas, you can make incremental changes to the way you show up, and your superiors will be much more accepting.

Think of trust like a bank account. You make small deposits over time through strategic actions and expected communication Then you can make withdrawals from that trust bank in the form of personal behaviors that are important to you. Make small, consistent changes that gradually shift norms. Each small victory creates space for the next one, building momentum without triggering the organizational immune system that attacks anything too different.

How to Actually Do This

Phase 1: Build Your Foundation

Your first step is to be competent in the eyes of your boss.

Before you can challenge norms, you need to establish yourself as someone who delivers. This means focusing on three things: competence (demonstrating your skills), character (showing integrity), and connection (building relationships). This foundation becomes your platform for future authenticity.

Phase 2: Test the Boundaries

Once you’ve built credibility, start with small acts of self-expression, little steps that reinforce your values while gently pushing at the status quo.

For instance, when someone makes an outdated comment about work-life balance, respond with curiosity, respect and your point of view.  Something like: “Interesting. I’ve seen data suggesting flexible schedules actually increase productivity. What’s been your experience?”

Phase 3: Build Change

Decide if individual freedom is enough or you want to help create companywide change. Sustainable group level change requires collective effort. Strategic alliances with like-minded coworkers give you leverage to move corporate level issues forward faster.

You might join or create Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These provide legitimate platforms for discussion with leadership.

You can use data to build business cases. For instance, if you want better mental health support, show how it reduces turnover costs. Speaking the language of business outcomes is strategic, and will help you raise topics about culture in a way that can be heard.

And of course, as you and other like-minded individuals gain seniority and influence, you can start to model the corporate changes you want to see.

Managing Emotions

Playing this long game can be exhausting. The constant calibration and ongoing patience can take a toll. Don’t minimize this burden. Build support networks outside work where you can be fully authentic. Practice self-care so you can maintain your energy. Remember, this may take a while. Some days forward movement looks like speaking up. Other days it looks like silence. Both require emotional energy.

The Payoff

Your ability to be genuine will grow as you build trusted relationships and influence. Also, the incremental changes you accomplish now will become tomorrow’s leadership standard because Gen Z will soon be in management positions..

References

1. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead) (Harvard Business Review Press, 2025),  https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/change-management-process.
2. FAIRER Consulting, “Code-Switching in the Workplace,” September 18, 2024, https://www.fairerconsulting.com/blog/code-switching-in-the-workplace.
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