A member of your staff comes into your office and says: “As of Monday I will no longer be Matthew, I will be Maria.”
What would you do?
One of our clients was faced with this very situation. Our client is a composed, very easy going character, but admitted to feeling really awkward and unsure. He had known “Matthew” for years and he said that he had no idea how to handle the situation. This was uncharted territory for the client.
The first thing our client did was seek advice. The advice he sought was more than just ensuring that he followed the right process. He acknowledged that he lacked understanding, accepted that some of his staff would feel uncomfortable and he wanted to ensure that “Maria” and the whole team were OK.
Many organisations lack courage when dealing with diversity and inclusion, avoiding challenging issues and leaving staff unsure what they should and shouldn’t be doing. Here are three ideas that Khembe Clarke and Melissa Shervington, (AKD’s experts in equalities and diversities) provided:
Firstly, create an open environment in which people are able to share and discuss their thoughts. Leaders lead by example. Bear in mind, though, that some people will be more comfortable discussing their thoughts in a one to one situation rather than in a group or public situation. Line managers should invite discussion in any one to one meetings they have with their team members.
Secondly, be led by Maria, she will have received counselling and coaching in how to manage the workplace. There will be a lot of issues which will need to be covered:
Thirdly, consider inviting a Community Worker from the transgender community come in to the office and speak with your staff. Community Workers share their stories and experiences and are willing to answer any questions. This provides a safe environment for staff to engage with the topic without placing Maria in the spotlight. If you don’t know any Community Workers, you can contact organisations such as Stonewell, who can assist.
How prepared are you and your organisation when it comes to tackling everyday, and more unusual, equality and diversity issues in the workplace?
AKD’s Equally Yours is acknowledged by users as one of the most engaging, fun (and sometimes edgy) equality and diversity learning experiences available.