The issue of transgender Americans has been more in the news recently because some lawmakers seem to want to turn non-binary gender identification into a political issue. But for non-binary people, the issue is more related to life than politics.
For employers, the reality is that your workforce is changing and becoming more diverse in various ways. Here’s how you can change your business to support non-binary people and make a more inclusive place to work.
What Does Non-Binary Mean?
Millennials, or those born between 1981 and 1996, make up one-third of today’s workforce. Fully 12% of this youthful population identify as non-binary or transgender. Non-binary Americans feel their gender is somewhere in between male and female. They don’t identify with traditional categories of male or female consistently. There are a variety of non-binary valid identities across this spectrum. Your job, as the employer, is to create a welcoming environment for anyone that identifies with mixed gender.
Yet, we all recognize that non-binary Americans still face an extraordinary amount of discrimination out there. You can help by creating a more welcoming environment at work. Here’s how to do it.
Creating an Inclusive Work Environment for Non-Binary Employees
One easy way to make a difference to a non-binary person is to introduce them using the pronoun they prefer. Even when hiring someone new, you can ask what pronoun they most identify with. Then just introduce them properly and be sure the rest of the team does the same. You can also encourage coworkers to use their preferred pronouns in their email signature line. This helps non-binary people feel more comfortable.
You should also create non-gender-specific bathrooms to support your non-binary employees. Consider how hard it must be for non-binary people when restrooms are either male or female. They may not be comfortable with either option. Employers can accommodate all employees by creating open bathrooms where everyone feels safe and comfortable.
Employers can address these and other issues of inclusion by developing an employee resource group. This group, made up of employees from all levels of the organization, should be tasked with creating an inclusive and comfortable work environment for all employees. Diversity has the added plus of attracting more candidates to your organization. This inclusivity can and should start during your recruiting efforts and extend into the workplace and beyond.
Contact ADD STAFF Today!
If you’re looking for a more diverse workforce, ADD STAFF can help. We offer our clients excellent service-oriented teams that help you meet your hiring goals. Talk with our recruiters about your efforts to diversify your organization. We can help.
