Lost in Translation? Developing support for transgender employees and their colleagues

Transgender is a subject that crops up repeatedly when we talk to employers. Most havenʼt had any specific experience, some have had lots but donʼt feel theyʼve always got it right. All have said that there isnʼt enough support or advice for employers, and are particularly concerned with how others within the workplace will react if someone starts to transition. A consequence of decades of marginalisation is that there is very little quality data about trans people. The lack of data and relatively small numbers means that the majority of employers have no direct experience of managing someone who is transgender or transitioning and the continuing taboo around the subject (reminiscent of how we talked about sexual orientation 15 years ago) means that trans is often ignored, or at least the forgotten ʻTʼ at the end of LGB.

At an event for employers we explored the following questions:

• Are employers meeting the needs of transgender employees?
• What are the challenges facing transgender employees?
• Do employers feel confident about the legal framework?
• How do employers manage the issues transgender raises in the wider workforce?

There are some practical interventions which Inclusive Employers could offer to support employers who are starting to put a transgender action plan in place:

• A guide including template policy and checklists to walk employers through the ʻfire-drillʼ. 
• Inclusion training which includes transgender awareness – this could be developed as generic or bespoke package.
• Transgender at work mentor – a trained mentor who has experienced transitioning at work to support an individual employee either face to face or remotely.
• Support in developing and managing networks which include transgender.
• Research into best practice with practical case studies and tips. 

For more information about the work Inclusive Employers are doing on transgender read our blog, the European Commission published some research on the experiences of transgender and intersex people in Europe, Inclusive Employers reported on this research here. 

Members can click here for a full report of the discussions at Lost in Translation . 

We would be interested in hearing from employers as to what support would be beneficial and how this agenda could be progressed. Please contact us for more information about our Consult, Learn and Engage packages