This study was conducted to dig deeper into the Lived Experiences of LGBTQ+ and how internal communication is shaped, and how they communicate work-related concerns in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in Cagayan de Oro City. Additionally, this study is anchored by two theories – Spiral of Silence Theory and Employee Voice and Silence. Spiral of Silence theory is where employees tend to remain silent when they feel that their ideas, concerns, or even their voice are in the minority. On the other hand, Employee Voice and Silence Theory is when employees choose to speak up or raise concerns otherwise they will hold back at work. Validated interview guide-questioners were utilized in order to examine the issues thoroughly. Also, cluster sampling was imposed to carefully identify the appropriate participants in this study. Phenomenological approaches were also used as the research design to determine the scope of the company as well as the number of participants. The following are key themes found in this research: Structured and Professional Communication in the Workplace is one of the themes which means that employees have their own structured communication tools in addressing their concerns. The second theme was Inclusive and Respectful Workplace Culture, which underscores that all LGBTQ+ employees have experienced inclusivity in terms of having a universal restroom in their respective workplaces. Another thing is that they also feel a sense of belongingness. And the third theme is Supportive, Team-Oriented Leadership and Continuous Feedback. In this theme participants have shared that their bosses, specifically their supervisor and manager, are all approachable where they do not feel hesitant if they have something to talk about. Lastly, Common Internal Communication Barriers in BPO Companies is also found as a major communication theme, in other words newbies have frequently experienced this kind of issue where they feel uncomfortable in expressing their ideas and concerns because they are afraid that they are new in the company. Therefore, they remain silent and go along with it. To sum it up, companies are held accountable to shaping the workplace into a safe and inclusive environment, where employees can express their true identity in a way that they are not discriminated against nor judged.
Labastida et al. (Thu,) studied this question.