Topic: Diversity
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (In press)
Article: Trans-parency in the workplace: How the experiences of transsexual employees can be improved
Authors: Law, C. L., Martinez, L. R., Ruggs, E. N., Hebl, M. R., & Akers, E.
Reviewed by: Larry Martinez
The demographic characteristics of the US workforce have been becoming more and more diverse in the past several decades. In a world where differences are protected and often celebrated, many employees find themselves in close, daily proximity with people they wouldn’t normally hang around with. This can lead to tense or awkward social interactions in an environment where everyone is supposed to be focused on their work. Law and colleagues (in press) examined these sorts of interactions – and how to make them less awkward – in an especially rare sample of diverse employees: transsexuals.
These authors looked at whether transsexual employees tend to disclose their gender identities at work, what predicts whether they do, and whether this disclosure is related to organizational outcomes. They found that transsexuals who worked in organizations that were supportive of transsexual employees, who considered being a transsexual as a central part of their identities, were more accepting of their transsexual status, and who were more “out” to people outside of work were more likely to disclose in the workplace. In addition, disclosure was related to more positive workplace outcomes including higher job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
