Employing The Trans Community

By Maxwell Smith

OGL 350 Executive Summary

20 November 2020

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 Introduction

Throughout the 21st Century, the growth of the trans community around the globe has

resulted in a human rights conversation in need of immediate attention. In the beginning of the

1980 - 90s specifically, individuals began to classify themselves under the umbrella term of

transgender, claiming a “collective political identity” (Taylor et al., 2018). As the movement

gained traction, more and more trans people began to surface and intertwine with the gay,

lesbian, and bisexual rights movement flooding the public conversation. Their causes share

similar policy interests and common opponents, accompanied with fighting gender

stereotype-based discrimination. Specifically in the workplace, these individuals suffer from

abuse, discrimination, and feeling less than their co-worker counterparts. Today, trans rights and

workplace inclusion are on the rise throughout the world (“Trans rights under attack in 2020”,

2020). Due to increased public attention, advanced research, and recent findings, employers are

becoming more informed on how to educate, empower, and employ a more diverse workforce.

Thesis Statement

How can organizations make a ​conscious​ effort to include the trans community when staffing?

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 The Research

● The trans community currently struggles

when finding employment.

● Hiring a more diverse workforce is good for

business.

● Benefits to the overall movement.

Trans Finding Employment

Trans individuals typically struggle with their identity on a daily basis and often lack the

self-esteem to express themselves due to the confines of societal norms (Thoroughgood et al.,

2020). In the workplace especially, these individuals may feel the need to fit into a mold similar

to the rest of their colleagues. The first and foremost issue with discrimination in the workplace

against the trans community, is lack of knowledge. While some companies may be considered

LGBTQ+ friendly, they usually focus more on the “LGB” than the “TQ+”, due to their lack of

understanding surrounding the issue (Thoroughgood et al., 2020). Additionally, it is not

uncommon for trans individuals to face violence throughout their lives, contributing to their fears

of approaching the workforce with confidence. In fact, in an investigation by Harvard Business

Review, 105 trans employees were given a survey over a two workweek period. The results

showed 47% of the participants experienced some sort of workplace discrimination including,

but not limited to, transphobic remarks, pressure to act in a “traditionally gendered” way, or even

being ignored (Thoroughgood et al., 2020). Workplace discrimination against trans individuals

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can also include: verbal harassment, physical voilence, and lack of workplace policies

advocating for their rights (Lefebvre & Domene, 2020).

Good For Business?

In the year 2020, discriminatory behavior hurts a company’s brand. As the LGBTQ+

community continues to grow, organizations have a duty to immediately address their inclusion

practices. Research is becoming more and more available on how employers can effectively

attract, retain, and promote the success and well-being of their trans employees. Inclusive work

environments are proven to yield positive results in respect to a company commitments, job

performance, as well as the health and wellness outcomes (Stephens, 2018). Organizations need

to take the initiative in expanding their employment of the trans community, as well as to

incorporate gender-identity-specific nondiscrimination policies throughout their business

(Thoroughgood et al., 2020). As a result, their overall organizational diversity will serve to

benefit their company rather than jeopardize it. These behaviors will encourage employees to

accept those who are different from them, as well as empower the trans community within the

workplace to feel accepted, valued, and seen as a benefit to the organization.

Benefits To The Movement

Workplace inclusion of the trans community will promote positive social change across

the board throughout time. However, workplace environments often suffer from “cultural lag”,

which is out of pace with positive social changes. Those who practice effective inclusion

strategies strengthen their organization's culture, increase retention rates, and inspire growth

(Stephens, 2018). These benefits pour out into the personal lives of these individuals, as well as

the communities in which they belong. They are able to have more confidence, share their

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experiences with those who are suffering, and help promote the continued change surrounding

the issue.

Conclusion

In conclusion, organizations can consciously make an effort to include the trans

community when staffing by promoting their best practices, exhibiting cultural awareness, and

enforcing protective policies. An organization's best practices should include educating

employees and supervisors in respect to cultural sensitivity and consistency through training

sessions. The interview process should promote an inclusive environment through positive

external communication. If hired, these organizations need to ensure the health and sick-time

benefits of their trans employees, while addressing their “fear of removal” due to simply being

“who they are” (Stephens, 2018). Additionally, these organizations need to create physical

environments where all of their employees feel safe and welcomed, including through workplace

and vendor relationships. In more simple terms, organizations should follow the model:

EDUCATE → EMPOWER→ EMPLOY.​ To educate is to have an understanding and acceptance

of individuals regardless of our own personal values or beliefs. To empower is to give those from

all different races, genders, or sexual orientations a chance of success. Lastly, to employ these

individuals is to promote positive social change and end workplace discrimination, which will

carry over into our everyday lives.

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 Work Cited

Lefebvre, D. C., & Domene, J. F. (2020, March). ​Workplace experiences of Transgender

individuals: A scoping review​. Asia Pacific Career Development Association - Welcome.

https://asiapacificcda.org/resources/APCDJ/A0003_1_01.pdf

Stephens, D. D. (2018). ​Case study of inclusive environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual,

transgender employees​. ScholarWorks | Walden University Research.

https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6811&context=dissertations

Taylor, J. K., Haider-Markel, D. P., & Lewis, D. C. (2018). ​The remarkable rise of transgender

rights.​ University of Michigan Press.

Thoroughgood, C. N., Sawyer, K. B., & Webster, J. R. (2020, March 1). ​Creating a

trans-inclusive workplace.​ Harvard Business Review.

https://hbr.org/2020/03/creating-a-trans-inclusive-workplace

Trans rights under attack in 2020​. (2020). American Civil Liberties Union.

https://www.aclu.org/issues/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights/trans-rights-under-attack-2020