Abstract

In a more diverse global context, companies have more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other (LGBT+) workers in their ranks. However, the factors influencing LGBT+ employees' job satisfaction remain unknown. Furthermore, there is little literature on why and when LGBT+ employees choose to disclose or withhold their sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace (often referred to as “coming out” or “coming into” of the closet, respectively), influenced by the context of the (de)colonization that Chile has experienced in recent years. This study explored the main factors that determine the job satisfaction of LGBT+ employees and the dynamics they adopt to enter or come out of the closet. Data were collected and analyzed using the critical incident technique (CIT). The results showed that Herzberg's factors operate in modern, complex, and heterogeneous contexts. Both motivational and hygienic factors are involved in the job satisfaction of LGBT+ employees, and their influence depends on whether the context is (de)colonized or not. In addition, we identified a new factor for these employees, called contextual openness, which is linked to the decolonization processes that contribute to LGBT+ employees' job satisfaction. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.