Serving through stigma: the passing drivers and well-being outcomes for young non-heterosexual men in service work

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the drivers influencing frontline service employees’ passing behaviors in customer interactions (i.e. when they present to customers as heterosexual) and the impacts that passing in these interactions has on employees’ well-being in line with SDG 8. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted convergent interviews with a sample of 13 young non-heterosexual men with experience working in frontline service roles in Australia and New Zealand. Findings Employees consider customer-oriented, role-oriented and self-oriented factors when deciding whether to pass in customer interactions. Findings also reveal a well-being “double bind” for employees; passing negatively impacts well-being as employees struggle with their self-authenticity and self-consistency, while not passing exposes employees to harmful incidences of enacted and felt stigma. Social implications Stigmatization from customers hinders non-heterosexual employees’ realization of decent work in line with SDG 8. Service managers must work to create safe working spaces for non-heterosexual employees to achieve decent work. Originality/value This study expands on research examining how stigma management behaviors in collegial relationships affect the well-being of non-heterosexual employees by exploring the potential role of customers in perpetuating non-heterosexual employees’ experiences of vulnerability.