The experience can sometimes have a significant emotional impact, and with only a third (37 per cent) of UK employees reporting good emotional wellbeing, according to WTW’s 2022 Global Attitudes Benefits Survey, organisations have a responsibility to address workers’ needs.
Aside from the ethical imperative, companies that strive to help and protect transitioning employees can also benefit reputationally and commercially, with organisations that have trans-integrity better placed to attract and retain top talent.
Here we outline how managers can help meet the needs of gender transitioning employees.
If existing HR policies are not inclusive of transitioning staff and do not address transgender issues, a transgender policy is recommended. This has the advantage of providing all employees with a comprehensive and clear explanation of what are acceptable actions and behaviours, and what will not be tolerated.
Such a policy will help prevent unintentional offence being caused, as well as assuring transitioning employees that they are valued, recognised and respected. And, in a world where bullying and harassment still exists, the knowledge that there is a process through which to air grievances and complaints, gives gender transitioning staff an additional level of security and confidence.
Gender transitioning can be a lengthy process, with NHS waiting times of up to 18 months for an initial appointment. As part of a wider benefit strategy, employers may consider medical schemes that include gender transition and gender dysphoria[1] initiatives. This can speed up the process.
Confidentiality is essential and privacy must be respected at all times. Transitioning is a personal experience and employees need to know they can trust management.
Notes of meetings and support plans should be stored securely, and any electronic documents should be password protected. A record should be made of who the employee gives consent to access the data.
Line managers and HR staff should engage in discussion with the employee to agree who should be informed of their preferences. A consensus should also be reached on who should communicate the information, what should be said, and how and when disclosures are made.
Co-workers with little or no experience of trans issues may harbour misconceptions or feel uncomfortable. An effective way to help eradicate this is to provide trans-awareness and trans-equality education as part of an organisation’s equality and diversity training programme.
There has been an increase in the number of specialist companies offering training sessions in recent years, many of whom tailor their offerings to address specific company needs.
Depending on the circumstances, different teams, departments or divisions may require different types of sessions, with differing themes. Consideration should be given to what is necessary, and what is appropriate.
Some transitioning individuals may have experienced discrimination or stigmatisation as a result of their choices. Others may be finding it difficult to cope with pressures that have arisen during their journey. In either case, it is important that mental wellbeing is not neglected.
An organisation’s existing mental wellbeing policy may need to be updated or extended to accommodate and address the needs of transitioning employees. However, it is important that inclusivity is maintained and that any additions or changes to policy do not result in those concerned being seen as “special cases” or “outside” of the general workforce.
Employee Assistance Programmes can provide further support and education, and if an employee asks for additional help or advice, employees should be able to direct them to relevant support groups, unions and occupational health.
A transitioning employee may want to be known by a new name and will have pronoun preferences. These should be respected and used, both verbally and in written documentation. The employee should be asked if they want their name, title and gender updated in workplace records.
A gender recognition certificate[2] is not needed, nor should it be requested. However, pension, health insurance and other benefit providers may require one, in which case employee permission should be obtained at the outset.
Gender reassignment counselling or treatment may require an employee to take time off work, sometimes for lengthy periods. By law, these absences should be treated the same as injury or illness.
It may be necessary for agreed changes to be made to an employee’s role and duties before or after any treatment.
In collaboration with the employee, it could prove useful to create a timetable of anticipated absences and their likely duration. This can assist both employee and employer when considering future project planning.
Management should consider transitioning employees’ clothing preferences, whether uniforms are required or not. Where there are different uniforms for different genders, giving the employee freedom to choose which one to wear can be vital to their emotional and mental wellbeing.
As with all workers, clothing should meet health and safety requirements and be suitable for designated work roles.
Once an employee has stated the preferred gender they are living in, they should have access to the appropriate toilet and changing room. Where gender-neutral facilities are available, in addition to gender-defined ones, the transitioning employee should not automatically be expected to use them.
Facility preferences can cause concern among some non-transitioning employees, which once again underlines the importance of having an established and clearly defined transgender policy in place that all employees are aware of.
The Equality Act made it unlawful to discriminate against someone on the basis of their gender identity. Organisations should not simply adhere to this because it is a legal obligation. Instead, they should be endeavouring to create a positive work environment that embraces diversity and equality, and where every employee feels safe and able to fulfil their professional potential.
Many successful companies owe their success, in part, to their ability to rapidly adapt to a changing work-scape. Organisations that are unprepared and lack provision and policies for gender transitioning employees can suffer reputational damage and ultimately lose out in talent recruitment and retention.
Three-quarters of companies plan to rapidly improve mental health provision for employees, while telehealth services are also a major focus for the coming years
