Creating an inclusive workplace where employees can safely express their gender identity is crucial. Bupa outlines how employers and managers can support their transgender colleagues at work.
The workforce is made of unique individuals and as a people manager, it can be quite a task to understand and cater to the diverse needs of your team members.
Your role is pivotal in creating a workplace that is inclusive and welcoming. It’s important that your team members have the freedom to express their gender identity in a manner that feels right to them, within a setting that’s both safe and affirming.
What does transgender mean?
If someone is transgender, it means that the gender they identify with doesn’t match the sex they were assigned at birth. For example, an individual assigned male might have a gender identity of girl/woman, or an individual assigned female might identify as a boy/man.
However, it’s important to understand that a person might not identify as a man or a woman. They might identify as having no gender or an entirely different gender. This is known as being non-binary. Additionally, while some individuals maintain a consistent gender identity throughout their lives, others may experience changes in their gender identity over time.
What can you do to help?
- Form a culture of inclusion
Embracing a culture of diversity and inclusion not only fosters a secure and inviting atmosphere for staff, but it also empowers companies to attract and maintain top talent. Think about access to the facilities you provide, such as toilets or changing rooms, and your company’s dress code too. Are these inclusive?
You may also need to support your wider team to help them understand their colleagues better and act with kindness and sensitivity. Diversity and inclusion training led by a member of the transgender community may help.
- The challenges of mental health
Discrimination against transgender people can pose severe challenges and have a damaging effect on their mental well-being. Such experiences may result in anxiety, depression, self-harm, or even suicide. So, it’s important that these individuals get the help and support they need.
- Understand your colleagues
For people managers, it’s crucial to understand the transgender community better. By acknowledging every experience is different, and educating yourself you can foster a more inclusive and supportive work environment through self-learning. You can access valuable resources and information from entities like Stonewall, GIRES and The My Generation YouTube channel.
- Don’t make assumptions
It’s vital not to make assumptions about a person’s gender identity from their gender expression; they are distinct concepts. An individual’s gender identity is their deep-seated recognition of their own gender. In contrast, gender expression involves the outward presentation of one’s gender, such as through clothing choices, hairstyles, or behaviours. It’s also important to understand that not every transgender individual will have gender affirmation surgery or hormone therapy.
Another form of gender identity is through the use of pronouns. Pronouns are used in place of a person’s name. Typically, ‘he’ or ‘she’ might be used, but it’s important to recognize that some prefer gender-neutral options like ‘they/them.’
Consider what pronouns someone wishes to be identified by. It’s good practice to ask for and use the correct pronouns. It’s important to not assume and make sure you listen.
For more information and advice on how to support transgender employees in your workforce, including guides and videos to upskill people managers, please visit Workplace Health and Wellbeing Academy
Sources
- The recruitment and retention of transgender . staff: guidance for employers. Government Equalities Office. www.gov.uk, published November 2015.
- The language of gender. Gender spectrum. www.genderspectrum.org, accessed June 2021.
- Non-binary. LGBT foundation. www.lgbt.foundation, accessed June 2021.
- Understanding gender. genderspectrum. www.genderspectrum.org, accessed June 2021.
- Standards of care for the health of transsexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming people (7th version). World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). www.wpath.org, 2012.
- LGBT in Britain: Health report. Stonewall www.stonewall.org.uk, published 2018.
- Research paper: Supporting trans employees in the workplace. acas. www.acas.org.uk, published 2017.
- Gender pronouns. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Centre. uwm.edu/lgbtrc, accessed June 2021.
- Non-binary. LGBT foundation. www.lgbt.foundation, accessed June 2021.
- Understanding gender. genderspectrum. www.genderspectrum.org, accessed June 2021.
- Transgender inclusion in the workplace: a toolkit for employers. Human Rights Campaign. www.thehrcfoundation.org, published 2016.
