As opposed to sex, which is assigned at birth, gender is a social construct that has often provided only two options, creating a restrictive system that does not allow for a full expression of oneself. This has not always been the case, as transgender and non-binary identities can be found across cultures and history, but it has been the reigning ideology for much of the last few centuries. Thankfully, societal changes are slowly leading to a rejection of the gender binary and an acceptance of multiple gender identities, including those who identify as non-binary, transgender, gender non-conforming and more.
Regardless of one’s gender identity and how they express it, most people must make a living, meaning employers owe it to their entire workforces to provide work settings that are supportive and accepting of all gender identities.
Small-scale changes can’t be the primary means to accomplishing the goal of having more gender-affirming workplaces, according to Williams, who advocates for a holistic approach to the process. This means training employees at all levels of an organization, especially those in leadership, while doing an overarching review of workplace policies, including those pertaining to facilities in restrooms, dress codes and other areas where the gender binary may create exclusionary practices.
Williams also says companies should examine their public-facing procedures, human resource systems, IT procedures and technologies to ensure they provide the ability for employees to self-identify and communicate effectively, especially since communication between colleagues is perhaps the most common area where gender expression occurs.
Some of the most effective ways of building a gender-affirming workplace is ensuring everyone at your company understands and practices correct pronoun usage. Training can come into play here, as companies should lay out and explain their policies around pronoun usage. Encouraging correct pronoun usage can be accomplished by allowing employees to include their own chosen pronouns in their email signatures and on company forms like applications while stating preferred pronouns during in-person introductions.
Williams makes it clear proper pronoun usage should not just be something a small number of people in an organization take part in, nor should it be something placed on the shoulders of those who want their gender pronouns to be utilized correctly. Instead, Williams says employers need to make this a priority and take on the responsibility of training staff and implementing the changes.
“Organizations are going to be filled with allies and other individuals who have the ability and capacity to really hold their colleagues accountable and just work with them to try to identify certain situations where folks are being misgendered, whether purposefully or even inadvertently,” Williams says.
How a company approaches its healthcare policies is a significant aspect of its ability to provide a safe work environment for employees of all gender identities. This is especially true for transgender employees. To make sure your company is providing the most inclusive healthcare services it can, Williams suggests looking at all the insurance plans your carrier offers and ensuring at least one of the plans provides transgender inclusive healthcare and specifically affirms that in plan documents. Williams also warns companies to look for broad exclusions in those plans that might become barriers to care and to ensure plans are inclusive for legal spouses and domestic partners of employees, regardless of gender.
For transgender employees specifically, beyond providing equitable healthcare, companies should also establish gender transition guidelines for when and if an employee chooses to undergo their transition. These guidelines should include resources providing colleagues and supervisors with information about the transition process and the tools they need to ensure the work environment is not a hostile one for an individual who is transitioning.
Recruiting/Hiring
“The pathway to attracting top talent in the hiring process is doing the work beforehand so employees will be able to come to the environment and know what the company’s values are,” Williams says, noting how a company is perceived externally (whether through advertising, social media or any other medium) will play a large role in how effective it can be at recruiting and retaining talent.
Corporate Equality
“[This work is] important, especially now for companies to consider this as they think about what organization they want to be and what work culture they want to produce,” Williams says.
