Discussion reply

Kristina Turner         

 Tuesday

If I  were an I/O psychologist for a large organization and an employee was  planning to transition to the opposite sex in the next few months, the  focus would be on support and preventing workplace discrimination.  According to Ruggs et al (2015), research shows that transgender  employees experience negativity in the form of hearing prejudice and  experiencing discrimination, bullying, and harassment from co-workers,  supervisors, and business partners. Such negativity and discrimination  can result in promotion barriers and co-workers refusing to work with  trans employees (Ruggs, et al., 2015). Ruggs et al (2015) also cite that  1 in 5 transgender employees report discrimination in the form of  harassment, termination, or promotion loss according to the Human Rights  Campaign.

As an I/O psychologist, I would review policies addressing  anti-transgender discrimination. Individuals that conceal being  transgender do so due to fear of discrimination (Ruggs, et al., 2015).  In a study conducted by Ruggs et al (2015) higher perceptions of  organizational policies designed to protect transgender employees were  associated with lower levels of perceived discrimination. The study also  demonstrated that higher levels of support from non-transgender  employees were associated with lower levels of perceived discrimination  (Ruggs, et al., 2015). As an I/O psychologist, I would investigate the  organizational culture for characteristics of openness, support, and  inclusion—a sense of belongingness and uniqueness for employees as this  is linked to less discrimination in general. Having organizational  policies and supportive coworker reactions, according to Ruggs et al  (2015) sends a “strong signal to transgender employees that others do  not tolerate discrimination; therefore, they may experience and perceive  fewer instances of discrimination. Such external factors also send a  signal to perpetrators that such discrimination is not tolerated, and  this may act as a deterrent to potential acts of discrimination,” (p  408).