The Significance of Awareness about Gender Diversity for the Future of Work: A Multi-Method Study of Organizational Structures and Policies Considering Trans and Gender Diversity
The future of work becomes less predictable which requires increasing adaptability of organizations to social and work changes. Society is transforming regarding gender identity in the sense that more people come forward to identify as trans and gender diverse (TGD). Organizations are ill-equipped to provide a safe and encouraging work environment by lacking inclusive organizational structures. The qualitative multi-method research about TGD inclusivity in the workplace explores the enablers and barriers for TGD individuals to satisfactorily engage in the work environment and organizational culture. Furthermore, these TGD insights are analyzed based on organizational implications and awareness from a leadership and management perspective. The semi-structured online interviews with TGD individuals and the photo-elicit open-ended questionnaire addressed to leadership and management in diversity, career development, and human resources have been analyzed with a critical grounded theory approach. Findings demonstrated the significance of TGD voices, the support of leadership and management, as well as the synergy between voices and leadership. Hence, it indicates practical implications such as the revision of exclusive language used in policies, data collection, or communication and reconsideration of organizational decision-making by leaders to include TGD voices.
[1] A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Understanding the future of work, in The Future of Work and Employment, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: Northampton 2020, pp. 2-17.
[2] C. Bailey and A. Madden, Contemporary challenges in meaningful work, in The Future of Work and Employment, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham 2020, pp. 65-82.
[3] G. Kirton, Diversity and inclusion in a changing world of work, in The future of work and employment, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: United Kingdom 2020, pp. 49-64.
[4] S. Kaine, F. Flanagan, and K. Ravenswood, The Future of Work and Employment, in Future of Work (FoW) and gender, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham 2020, pp. 119-138.
[5] A. S. Cheung, S. Y. Leemaqz, J. W. Wong, D. Chew, O. Ooi, P. Cundill, N. Silberstein, P. Locke, S. Zwickl, and R. Grayson, Non-binary and binary gender identity in Australian trans and gender diverse individuals. Archives of sexual behavior, vol. 49,7, 2020, pp. 2673-2681.
[6] A. R. Timming, C. Baumann, and P. Gollan, Employee voice and perceived attractiveness: are less attractive employees ignored in the workplace? Journal of Participation and Employee Ownership, vol. ahead-of-print,ahead-of-print, 2021.
[7] R. Hecker and M. a. Grimmer, The evolving psychological contract, in Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Development: an Australian perspective, P. Holland and H. De Cieri, Editors, Pearson Education Australia: French Forest 2006, pp. 183-210.
[8] Deloitte-Insight, The path to prosperity, Why the future of work is human, in Building the Lucky Country #7, D. Insight, Editor, Deloitte Insight. 2019.
[9] M. Visser, Pragmatism, Critical Theory and Business Ethics: Converging Lines. Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 156,1, 2019, pp. 45-57.
[10] C. Lee, Promoting diversity in university leadership: the argument for LGBTQ+ specific leadership programmes in higher education. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, vol., 2021, pp. 1-10.
[11] C. McFadden, Discrimination Against Transgender Employees and Jobseekers, in Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics, K.F. Zimmermann, Editor, Springer 2020, pp. 1-14.
[12] C. McFadden, Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender careers and human resource development: A systematic literature review. Human Resource Development Review, vol. 14,2, 2015, pp. 125-162.
[13] E. Moulin de Souza and M. Parker, Practices of freedom and the disruption of binary genders: Thinking with trans. Organization, vol. 0,0, 2020, pp. 1-16.
[14] D. Di Marco, H. Hoel, and D. Lewis, Discrimination and Exclusion on Grounds of Sexual and Gender Identity: Are LGBT People’s Voices Heard at the Workplace? The Spanish Journal of Psychology, vol. 24, 2021, pp. e18.
[15] G. Hadley, Critical grounded theory, in The SAGE handbook of current developments in grounded theory, A. Bryant and K. Charmaz, Editors, SAGE: Thousand Oaks 2019, pp. 564-592.
[16] J. L. Kincheloe and P. McLaren, Rethinking critical theory and qualitative research, in Key works in critical pedagogy, N. Denzin and Y.S. Lincoln, Editors, Sage: Thousand Oaks 2011, pp. 285-326.
[17] A. T. Beauregard, L. Arevshatian, J. E. Booth, and S. Whittle, Listen carefully: transgender voices in the workplace. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 29,5, 2018, pp. 857-884.
[18] A. Spicer, M. Alvesson, and D. Kärreman, Critical performativity: The unfinished business of critical management studies. Human Relations, vol. 62,4, 2009, pp. 537-560.
[19] J. Butler, Gender trouble. New York and London: Routledge. 2006.
[20] J. Butler, Performativity, Precarity and Sexual Politics. AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana, vol. 4,3, 2009, pp. i-xiii.
[21] J. Butler, Performative agency. Journal of cultural economy, vol. 3,2, 2010, pp. 147-161.
[22] J. Butler, Performative acts and gender constitution: An essay in phenomenology and feminist theory. Theatre Journal, vol. 40,4, 1988, pp. 519-531.
[23] A. Spicer, M. Alvesson, and D. Kärreman, Extending critical performativity. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 225-249.
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[25] C. Wickert and S. M. Schaefer, Towards a progressive understanding of performativity in critical management studies. Human Relations, vol. 68,1, 2015, pp. 107-130.
[26] P. Fleming and S. B. Banerjee, When performativity fails: Implications for critical management studies. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 257-276.
[27] L. Cabantous, J.-P. Gond, N. Harding, and M. Learmonth, Critical essay: Reconsidering critical performativity. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 197-213.
[28] J. P. Gond, L. Cabantous, N. Harding, and M. Learmonth, What do we mean by performativity in organizational and management theory? The uses and abuses of performativity. International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 18,4, 2016, pp. 440-463.
[29] M. Learmonth, N. Harding, J.-P. Gond, and L. Cabantous, Moving critical performativity forward. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 251-256.
[30] S. Parker and M. Parker, Antagonism, accommodation and agonism in Critical Management Studies: Alternative organizations as allies. Human Relations, vol. 70,11, 2017, pp. 1366-1387.
[31] M. J. McIntosh and J. M. Morse, Situating and constructing diversity in semi-structured interviews. Global qualitative nursing research, vol. 2, 2015, pp. 1-12.
[32] K. Charmaz, Constructing grounded theory. 2 ed., Thousand Oaks: SAGE. 2014.
[33] K. Charmaz, The power of constructivist grounded theory for critical inquiry. Qualitative inquiry, vol. 23,1, 2017, pp. 34-45.
[34] J. Saldaña, The coding manual for qualitative researchers. London: Sage. 2015.
[35] S. Kempster and K. Parry, Critical realism and grounded theory, in Studying organizations using critical realism: A practical guide, P.K. Edwards, J. O’Mahoney, and S. Vincent, Editors, Oxford University Press: Oxford 2015, pp. 86-108.
[36] R. Cooper, S. Mosseri, A. Vromen, M. Baird, E. Hill, and E. Probyn, Gender Matters: A Multilevel Analysis of Gender and Voice at Work. British journal of management, vol. 0,0, 2021, pp. 1-19.
[37] K. Sawyer, C. Thoroughgood, and J. Webster, Queering the gender binary: Understanding transgender workplace experiences, in Sexual orientation and transgender issues in organizations, T. Köllen, Editor, Springer: Cham 2016, pp. 21-42.
[38] M. B. Ozturk and A. Tatli, Gender identity inclusion in the workplace: broadening diversity management research and practice through the case of transgender employees in the UK. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 27,8, 2016, pp. 781-802.
[39] D. Knights and V. Omanović, (Mis)managing diversity: exploring the dangers of diversity management orthodoxy. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 35,1, 2016, pp. 5-16.
[1] A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Understanding the future of work, in The Future of Work and Employment, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: Northampton 2020, pp. 2-17.
[2] C. Bailey and A. Madden, Contemporary challenges in meaningful work, in The Future of Work and Employment, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham 2020, pp. 65-82.
[3] G. Kirton, Diversity and inclusion in a changing world of work, in The future of work and employment, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: United Kingdom 2020, pp. 49-64.
[4] S. Kaine, F. Flanagan, and K. Ravenswood, The Future of Work and Employment, in Future of Work (FoW) and gender, A. Wilkinson and M. Barry, Editors, Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham 2020, pp. 119-138.
[5] A. S. Cheung, S. Y. Leemaqz, J. W. Wong, D. Chew, O. Ooi, P. Cundill, N. Silberstein, P. Locke, S. Zwickl, and R. Grayson, Non-binary and binary gender identity in Australian trans and gender diverse individuals. Archives of sexual behavior, vol. 49,7, 2020, pp. 2673-2681.
[6] A. R. Timming, C. Baumann, and P. Gollan, Employee voice and perceived attractiveness: are less attractive employees ignored in the workplace? Journal of Participation and Employee Ownership, vol. ahead-of-print,ahead-of-print, 2021.
[7] R. Hecker and M. a. Grimmer, The evolving psychological contract, in Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Development: an Australian perspective, P. Holland and H. De Cieri, Editors, Pearson Education Australia: French Forest 2006, pp. 183-210.
[8] Deloitte-Insight, The path to prosperity, Why the future of work is human, in Building the Lucky Country #7, D. Insight, Editor, Deloitte Insight. 2019.
[9] M. Visser, Pragmatism, Critical Theory and Business Ethics: Converging Lines. Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 156,1, 2019, pp. 45-57.
[10] C. Lee, Promoting diversity in university leadership: the argument for LGBTQ+ specific leadership programmes in higher education. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, vol., 2021, pp. 1-10.
[11] C. McFadden, Discrimination Against Transgender Employees and Jobseekers, in Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics, K.F. Zimmermann, Editor, Springer 2020, pp. 1-14.
[12] C. McFadden, Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender careers and human resource development: A systematic literature review. Human Resource Development Review, vol. 14,2, 2015, pp. 125-162.
[13] E. Moulin de Souza and M. Parker, Practices of freedom and the disruption of binary genders: Thinking with trans. Organization, vol. 0,0, 2020, pp. 1-16.
[14] D. Di Marco, H. Hoel, and D. Lewis, Discrimination and Exclusion on Grounds of Sexual and Gender Identity: Are LGBT People’s Voices Heard at the Workplace? The Spanish Journal of Psychology, vol. 24, 2021, pp. e18.
[15] G. Hadley, Critical grounded theory, in The SAGE handbook of current developments in grounded theory, A. Bryant and K. Charmaz, Editors, SAGE: Thousand Oaks 2019, pp. 564-592.
[16] J. L. Kincheloe and P. McLaren, Rethinking critical theory and qualitative research, in Key works in critical pedagogy, N. Denzin and Y.S. Lincoln, Editors, Sage: Thousand Oaks 2011, pp. 285-326.
[17] A. T. Beauregard, L. Arevshatian, J. E. Booth, and S. Whittle, Listen carefully: transgender voices in the workplace. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 29,5, 2018, pp. 857-884.
[18] A. Spicer, M. Alvesson, and D. Kärreman, Critical performativity: The unfinished business of critical management studies. Human Relations, vol. 62,4, 2009, pp. 537-560.
[19] J. Butler, Gender trouble. New York and London: Routledge. 2006.
[20] J. Butler, Performativity, Precarity and Sexual Politics. AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana, vol. 4,3, 2009, pp. i-xiii.
[21] J. Butler, Performative agency. Journal of cultural economy, vol. 3,2, 2010, pp. 147-161.
[22] J. Butler, Performative acts and gender constitution: An essay in phenomenology and feminist theory. Theatre Journal, vol. 40,4, 1988, pp. 519-531.
[23] A. Spicer, M. Alvesson, and D. Kärreman, Extending critical performativity. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 225-249.
[24] S. M. Schaefer and C. Wickert, On the potential of progressive performativity: Definitional purity, re-engagement and empirical points of departure. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 215-224.
[25] C. Wickert and S. M. Schaefer, Towards a progressive understanding of performativity in critical management studies. Human Relations, vol. 68,1, 2015, pp. 107-130.
[26] P. Fleming and S. B. Banerjee, When performativity fails: Implications for critical management studies. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 257-276.
[27] L. Cabantous, J.-P. Gond, N. Harding, and M. Learmonth, Critical essay: Reconsidering critical performativity. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 197-213.
[28] J. P. Gond, L. Cabantous, N. Harding, and M. Learmonth, What do we mean by performativity in organizational and management theory? The uses and abuses of performativity. International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 18,4, 2016, pp. 440-463.
[29] M. Learmonth, N. Harding, J.-P. Gond, and L. Cabantous, Moving critical performativity forward. Human Relations, vol. 69,2, 2016, pp. 251-256.
[30] S. Parker and M. Parker, Antagonism, accommodation and agonism in Critical Management Studies: Alternative organizations as allies. Human Relations, vol. 70,11, 2017, pp. 1366-1387.
[31] M. J. McIntosh and J. M. Morse, Situating and constructing diversity in semi-structured interviews. Global qualitative nursing research, vol. 2, 2015, pp. 1-12.
[32] K. Charmaz, Constructing grounded theory. 2 ed., Thousand Oaks: SAGE. 2014.
[33] K. Charmaz, The power of constructivist grounded theory for critical inquiry. Qualitative inquiry, vol. 23,1, 2017, pp. 34-45.
[34] J. Saldaña, The coding manual for qualitative researchers. London: Sage. 2015.
[35] S. Kempster and K. Parry, Critical realism and grounded theory, in Studying organizations using critical realism: A practical guide, P.K. Edwards, J. O’Mahoney, and S. Vincent, Editors, Oxford University Press: Oxford 2015, pp. 86-108.
[36] R. Cooper, S. Mosseri, A. Vromen, M. Baird, E. Hill, and E. Probyn, Gender Matters: A Multilevel Analysis of Gender and Voice at Work. British journal of management, vol. 0,0, 2021, pp. 1-19.
[37] K. Sawyer, C. Thoroughgood, and J. Webster, Queering the gender binary: Understanding transgender workplace experiences, in Sexual orientation and transgender issues in organizations, T. Köllen, Editor, Springer: Cham 2016, pp. 21-42.
[38] M. B. Ozturk and A. Tatli, Gender identity inclusion in the workplace: broadening diversity management research and practice through the case of transgender employees in the UK. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 27,8, 2016, pp. 781-802.
[39] D. Knights and V. Omanović, (Mis)managing diversity: exploring the dangers of diversity management orthodoxy. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 35,1, 2016, pp. 5-16.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:80724", author = "Robin C. Ladwig", title = "The Significance of Awareness about Gender Diversity for the Future of Work: A Multi-Method Study of Organizational Structures and Policies Considering Trans and Gender Diversity", abstract = "The future of work becomes less predictable which requires increasing adaptability of organizations to social and work changes. Society is transforming regarding gender identity in the sense that more people come forward to identify as trans and gender diverse (TGD). Organizations are ill-equipped to provide a safe and encouraging work environment by lacking inclusive organizational structures. The qualitative multi-method research about TGD inclusivity in the workplace explores the enablers and barriers for TGD individuals to satisfactorily engage in the work environment and organizational culture. Furthermore, these TGD insights are analyzed based on organizational implications and awareness from a leadership and management perspective. The semi-structured online interviews with TGD individuals and the photo-elicit open-ended questionnaire addressed to leadership and management in diversity, career development, and human resources have been analyzed with a critical grounded theory approach. Findings demonstrated the significance of TGD voices, the support of leadership and management, as well as the synergy between voices and leadership. Hence, it indicates practical implications such as the revision of exclusive language used in policies, data collection, or communication and reconsideration of organizational decision-making by leaders to include TGD voices.", keywords = "Future of work, occupational identity, organizational decision-making, trans and gender diverse identity.", volume = "16", number = "3", pages = "137-6", }
