Dear Boss, make your policies clear and inclusive

An open letter to every employer, manager, and HR team

Someone on your team is trans. Your policies are the first thing they will look at. What will they find?

The document they are searching for

If you are reading this, you are probably someone who manages people, runs a team, leads an organisation, or works in HR. I want to tell you something that might surprise you. If you have a trans employee, or a trans applicant, or someone in your organisation who is thinking about coming out, the first thing they will do is look at your policies. They will search your intranet, your handbook, your website, looking for the words that tell them whether they are safe.

What they find, or do not find, will shape their entire experience of working for you. That is why getting your policies right is not just an HR exercise. It is an act of care.

Say it clearly