We all bring a version of ourselves to work. And we tend to fare—and feel—better when the version we bring is our most authentic self.

People from marginalized social groups might still fear the consequences of revealing too much about themselves. But certain conditions can make them feel more comfortable doing so, according to Kellogg’s Cynthia Wang. That’s this week.

Plus, in a historical first, organizations have a workforce spanning six generations. What will it take to lead them?

Keeping it real—under the right circumstances

Fear of social rejection or other forms of backlash present a dilemma for many employees from marginalized groups: Should I risk bringing my true self to work—by wearing a natural hairstyle, for instance, or sharing my love of Black musicians? Or should I play it safe by downplaying this part of myself?

New research from Cynthia Wang, a clinical professor of management and organizations, proposes that Black employees’ hesitation to express their true selves is often rooted in uncertainty about how their coworkers will react.

Across a series of studies and interviews, Wang and her colleagues identified two factors that helped address this uncertainty and made Black employees feel more comfortable expressing their social identities at work. The first factor was working in an organization with a climate that fosters authenticity, allowing all employees to express their true selves. The second was perspective-taking—the practice of imagining the world from others’ viewpoints.

“These factors are critical pieces of the overall puzzle in understanding how to successfully manage diversity within the workplace,” she says. “They can foster organizational involvement and reduce turnover.”

Wang offers a caveat to the findings. Though taking the time to consider their coworkers’ perspective can be helpful to Black employees, the onus shouldn’t be just on them to spend the extra time and effort it takes to do so.

Read more in Kellogg Insight.

Preparing for a “6G” reality

As teenagers from the emerging Generation Alpha prepare for summer jobs and high school internships, many workplaces now span six generations. The other five: the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y (often called Millennials), and Generation Z.

Kellogg’s Nicholas Pearce, a clinical professor of management and organizations, writes that this moment presents a unique opportunity for organizations to reposition themselves as the employer-of-choice for every generation.

Pearce writes that multigenerational teams often clash over matters like what constitutes “hard work” or “good leadership.” He advises organizations to view generations as cultures with differences that should be understood and appreciated.

“Viewing generations as cultures can help leaders foster inclusive environments of mutual respect, honor, and inclusion in which everyone can be their best and bring their best every day,” Pearce said. “[It] can help teammates of different generations productively engage with one another without an underlying sense of cultural—or generational—superiority.”

Another challenge he says leaders must confront is the congestion in the talent pipeline, with the more-seasoned workers holding on to top positions rather than retiring, and the younger workers waiting their turn for advancement that’s slow to come.

“One of the most pressing opportunities to decongest the talent pipeline is to create meaningful opportunities for senior talent to remain engaged in post-executive roles,” Pearce writes. “Such positions must include more than honorific titles, be positioned as a positive step forward instead of a step aside (or a step back), and carry real value in transferring knowledge, sharing experiences and expertise, and mentoring younger colleagues without the weight and time commitment of executive-level responsibility.”

Read more from Pearce in Harvard Business Review.