Final answer:
Remaining silent about workplace exclusion and marginalization can result in emotional distress, psychological harm, and economic detriment to individuals, as well as significant broader economic impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
When individuals remain silent about feeling excluded and/or marginalized in the workplace, the costs to them are substantial, including emotional, psychological, and economic consequences. Emotionally, the stress from discrimination can lead to negative mental health outcomes; psychologically, it's linked to reduced well-being and self-esteem. Economically, remaining silent can lead to missed career opportunities, reflected in disparities in hiring and advancements—important factors for economic growth.
Looking at history, we see the impact of exclusion: Lydia Villa-Komaroff, despite facing discrimination, made significant scientific contributions that fostered the biotechnology industry, while many other potential contributors were sidelined. Economist Lisa D. Cook suggests that inclusive participation in innovation is essential for maximizing GDP, indicating that systemic changes to encourage equitable participation could boost the economy by up to 4.4%.