by Jennifer Fox, Support Worker
Working as a Support Worker at MacIntyre is incredibly rewarding. Every day brings opportunities to make a real difference in people’s lives, and that’s something many of us take great pride in.
But alongside those rewarding moments, there are days that can be emotionally challenging.
That’s why feeling safe to be yourself at work really matters.
For me, feeling able to be authentic at work has made a huge difference, not just to how I feel day to day, but to how I connect with the people around me.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I haven’t always felt able to be open about who I am in previous roles. I used to keep my personal life private, which made it harder to build genuine relationships with colleagues and, at times, felt emotionally draining.
That changed when I joined MacIntyre.
From the beginning, I felt a sense of safety and acceptance. My wife, who already worked here, reassured me that this was a place where I could truly be myself, and she was right. Although it took time, I opened up to colleagues and have been truly touched by the support, friendship and kindness I received. It’s meant more than I can put into words.
Being able to be authentic at work hasn’t just improved my own wellbeing, it’s helped me form stronger, more meaningful connections with my team. When you don’t feel like you have to hide a part of yourself, you can focus your energy on what really matters: supporting others and working together.
At MacIntyre, that sense of belonging is something special. It’s created by people, by colleagues who listen, support one another, and celebrate what makes each of us unique. It is important we continue to celebrate our diversity and support each other so we can all work without feeling we need to hide who we are.
I believe it’s important that we continue to build on this culture. By supporting each other and valuing our differences, we create an environment where everyone feels confident to be themselves at work. And when we do that, we’re not only supporting each other, we’re also better able to support the people we work with every day.
