Forward Planning

1. Plan well in advance for any situation.
2. Produce Management Guidelines and brief key staff accordingly.
3. Use in House Magazines / Newsletters to inform employees that you are able and can deal with Transsexualism in the workplace, irrespective of whether it has happened or otherwise.
4. Consider the appointment of a responsible person to manage a potential situation. A project manager perhaps.
5. Be aware of the South African Bill of Rights.
6. Be aware of the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, 2003.
7. Consider inviting TS persons to speak at internal training courses for HR and management.
8. Use Gender DynamiX leaflets, as appropriate.

Relationship with the transsexual Employee

1. Appoint a mutually agreed point of contact, who will manage the transition.
2. Encourage the TS employee to discuss his/her fears and help with future planning.
3. Work towards establishing a “contract” or agreement as to the boundaries and perimeters of confidentiality.
4. Hold regular meetings fixed in advance, and keep a record of discussions.
5. Remember that the employee will dictate the speed of events, possibly after consultation with their medical advisors.
6. Agree a timetable of events with the employee, as to the disclosure to whom, about what and when.

Use of a Transsexual Advisor

1. A non-employee will be seen as “neutral” and not part of Management.
2. Meeting an experienced TS person can take some of the fear and ignorance out of the situation that might be expressed by co-workers.
3. Draw on the experience of the TS person for emotional and behavioural aspects of transition. No manual can beat experience.

And Finally

1. Expect the unexpected.
2. It is as much how the TS person handles the situation personally. They may need help to understand this.
3. Acceptance of a theory is not always accepted in reality. Those who are considered as likely to be supportive, frequently are not, and vice-verse.
4. As much as we accept and embrace the decisions of the TS person, we must be careful not to pressurise the person with our own expectancies

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