XM Knowledge Base
QPride is highlighting the diverse stories of its members throughout June for Pride Month with the Humans of Qualtrics project. This is Heidi.
I'm a devout Christian. I graduated from BYU, served an LDS mission, and go to church *most* Sundays. I'm also gay, which is not something people would assume about me given that opening statement. The truth is we all make assumptions about people based on very little information. When those assumptions lead us to unintentionally communicate hurtful unconscious biases, they can be damaging. For example, it was my own misstep in assuming one of my clients was straight that led me to congratulate him and his wife when he told me he was expecting a baby. Turns out he and his husband were adopting. It was a former colleague's assumption that I was straight that led them to share a story with me about how they pranked someone into thinking they were gay in a pretend coming out. I was preparing to come out to my own family at the time. Experiences like these can cause people to be guarded at work from fear of being discriminated against or losing relationships because of something they were born with that makes them different from most.
Conversely, it was the coworkers who were aware of their pronouns, who talked about their diverse friend groups with love and acceptance, and who invested their time reading books that introduced them to new perspectives that made me feel understood and gave me the courage to start bringing my whole self to work. Being aware of gender and sexual minorities (or any underrepresented group) goes a long way in creating a sense of belonging in the workplace. Even something as simple as attending a Qpride training or event and using inclusive and positive language when talking about it afterward can help others feel safe being themselves, whether or not they choose to share that part of their life with you. We all have an opportunity as individuals to think about how we can celebrate differences among our coworkers and clients, and ultimately set the example for how true diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging can become a way of life at Qualtrics.
Heidi Pincock
Sales | Provo
Thank you for joining us to hear from the Humans of Qualtrics. You can explore the entire series through the links below. Stay tuned for further stories throughout the month.
Qualtrics is growing, and if you're ready to find your "why" at a place like this, you can explore our open opportunities at any time by visiting our career page or by joining our talent community.