Workplace Gender Transition Guidelines
A business that includes "gender identity" in its non-discrimination policy should be prepared to manage a gender transition.
Institute protocols for gender transitions that clearly delineate responsibilities and expectations of transitioning employees, their supervisors, colleagues and other staff. Should an employee approach their manager or human resources with the intention to transition, be prepared by having gender transition guidelines on file. These guidelines can be in the form of an informal or formal document that is available to all human resources professionals as a resource to consistently and appropriately manage the situation and helps human resources feel adequately prepared.
Workplace transition guidelines should be flexible enough to tailor to specific needs of a transitioning employee, while specific enough to provide a consistent framework that eliminates confusion and potential mismanagement. For example, one employee may prefer a quick start in which all his/her co-workers and peers are informed about the transition at the end of the work week, and comes to work the following week presenting in his/her new gender role. Another employee may prefer a more gradual transition, in which colleagues are notified of the transition plan, but the employee does not actually come to work in his/her new role for several weeks. However, in both cases, the same designated contact in human resources is responsible for helping each transitioning employee and his/her supervisor manage the workplace transition process.
Guidelines should address:
- who in the business is charged with helping a transitioning employee manage his/her workplace transition;
- what a transitioning employee can expect from management;
- what management's expectations are for staff, transitioning employees, and any existing GLBT employee resource group in facilitating a successful workplace transition; and
- what the general procedure is for implementing transition-related workplace changes, such as adjusting personnel and administrative records, as well as a communication plan for coworkers and clients.
The following are examples of gender transition guidelines that can be implemented by transgender-inclusive businesses:
- HRC Foundation’s Workplace Gender Transition Guidelines
- Chevron Corp.'s Gender Transition Guidelines (updated Feb. 2008)
- Ernst & Young LLP Gender Transition Guidelines
"In the absence of a [gender transition plan]... managers don't know what to do, and that can lead to grievances and lawsuits."
— Dr. Jillian Todd Weiss, workplace diversity consultant and author of
Transgender Workplace Diversity and the blog transworkplace.blogspot.com
Senior Sponsor
When announcing an employee's plan to transition, utilizing senior management can send a strong message of support for the transitioning employee and sets the tone for the business' expectations of staff going forward. Some employers assign a senior executive to act as a "sponsor" for the transitioning employee to help communicate top-down inclusive messages and expectations. Managers and Human Resources should reiterate these messages regularly and when needed. The desire to minimize disruption from the day-to-day routine and send the message that business will continue "as usual" should be carefully balanced with coworkers' educational needs.