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Top 10 Tips For Employers In Creating A Trans-Friendly Workplace

Top 10 Tips For Employers In Creating A Trans-Friendly Workplace

In every workplace it’s important that all employees are treated with respect and are able to work within an inclusive environment.

To show a positive approach to transgender employees, it may be helpful for employers to:

1.       Ensure they understand the law – including the Equality Act 2010 and Gender Recognition Act 2004 – so that employers are confident they have a comprehensive appreciation of their legal obligations

2.       Review their diversity and inclusion training to ensure gender reassignment issues are sufficiently addressed

3.       Encourage employees to reflect on any preconceptions they may have and how they might address them. Make any appropriate resources available to them to assist.

4.       Create some guidance on the steps to be taken to support an employee when they decide to transition. This might be by way of a ‘transitioning at work’ policy, which may include a communications plan where the employee takes the lead on how and when they would like their transition communicated

5.       Review their bullying and equal opportunities policies

6.       Review their general policies and internal communications to ensure the language used is trans-friendly

7.       Consider greater flexibility in terms of specifying gender or title in recruitment materials

8.       Support transgender employees with practical issues - such as access to facilities (including toilets and changing rooms), use of their name and pronoun(s) and the application of dress codes (to supporting them to wear what is appropriate to the gender they present in at work)

9.       Generally, promote a supportive and open culture with their organisation

10.      Review all of the above on an ongoing basis to ensure they continue to improve the working environment for all employees

For more information, do contact Alison Craggs at alison.craggs@theburnsidepartnership.com