Administrative and Human Resources Systems

Bias in Hiring

Description:
Gendered application fields, job descriptions, interview questions, uneditable profiles, and lack of pronoun options.

Workplace impacts:

• Creates barriers before a candidate is hired, which filters out qualified candidates from consideration
• Creates immediate stress, anxiety, and distrust towards the organization
• Forces disclosure of personal information
• Results in a homogenous workplace

Proactive actions:

• Ensure preferred or chosen name and pronouns can be used in all records without requiring a legal name change
• Remove gendered salutations and honorifics (Mr./Mrs.) from application forms and communications or offer and normalize gender-inclusive options such as “Mx.”
• Provide and ask for pronouns in pre-interview communications
• State on job postings that you are an inclusive employer building teams with a diversity of lived experiences by explicitly encouraging 2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled candidates to apply
• Standardize interview questions and use a scorecard for all candidates to reduce unconscious bias
•  Assemble a diverse hiring team

Reactive actions:

• In an interview, state your own pronouns and invite (but do not require) the candidate to share theirs
• If a mistake is made with name or pronouns, apologize briefly, correct it, and move on

Deadnaming in Records

Description:
Legal names and gender markers that are inconsistent with an employee’s identity can persist in HR systems, email, badges, and other platforms.

Workplace impacts:

• Forces disclosure of an employee’s gender identity
• Results in employees being referred to by the wrong names or pronouns
• Creates an unwanted disclosure (outing) risk in the workplace
• Causes significant distress, erodes trust in the HR systems, and reduces morale
• Creates unnecessary administrative work to correct errors

Proactive actions:

• Ensure preferred name and pronouns can be used in all records without requiring a legal name change
• Audit all department systems for instances of deadnames by identifying every location where names and gender markers appear
• Provide employees with clear, simple instructions for updating their names and gender markers
• Create and maintain a strict confidentiality process for all employee data

Reactive actions:

• If a deadnaming error is discovered in systems, HR should proactively and confidentially reach out to the employee to correct it
• If an employee is deadnamed in a meeting or email, a colleague or manager should correct the mistake promptly and respectfully
• Document the incident in a report and, in consultation with the affected employee, determine appropriate accountability steps

Convoluted Name/Gender Marker Change Processes

Description:
A lack of process or an inaccessible one for updating internal records.

Workplace impacts:

• Affects any employee undergoing a legal name or gender marker change
• Results in employees not being addressed by the proper names or pronouns
• Creates a hostile and invalidating work environment
• Places an unnecessary administrative burden on both the employee and HR staff

Proactive actions:

• Create a simple, standardized Name/Gender Marker Update Form
• Ensure the form automatically triggers updates across all connected internal systems (e.g., email, HR database, security badges)
• Establish a clear, simple, and confidential protocol for updates and include this process in employee onboarding

Reactive actions:

• If a mistake is made with a name or pronouns, apologize briefly, correct it, and move on
• If an employee needs an urgent update, provide an immediate interim solution while the formal system update is processed

Gendered Honorifics

Description:
The use of gendered honorifics (e.g. Mr., Mrs., Ms.) within the workplace to address individuals.

Workplace impacts:

• Pressures people to select  an inauthentic honorific or be singled out
• Creates unnecessary power dynamics and forces individuals to choose a binary gender category.

Proactive actions:

• Remove gendered honorifics from all communications and forms, or offer and normalize gender-inclusive options such as “Mx.”

Reactive actions:

• If a gendered honorific is used in error, apologize for exclusion and immediately correct

Breach of Privacy

Description:
A breach of privacy occurs when an individual’s personal information, such as their gender or transition-related details, is shared without their explicit consent.

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts anyone who has privately disclosed sensitive information for personal or professional reasons
• Forces unwanted disclosure (outing) of an individual’s identity
• Causes significant psychological harm and distress
• Constitutes a severe betrayal of trust with the individual and the organization

Proactive actions:

• Maintain strict confidentiality of all employee personal and medical information; do not share without explicit consent
• Train all staff on privacy policies and relevant legislation (e.g., PHIA)
• Create clear, accessible policies that define what information can and cannot be shared

Reactive actions:

• If a breach occurs, immediately consult the affected employee to understand their desired outcome and initiate reparations
• If a breach occurs, launch a confidential investigation in accordance with internal privacy and equity policies

Lack of Policies and Processes

Description:
The absence of clear, organization-wide policies for processes that impact 2STNBGD employees.

Workplace impacts:

• Creates uncertainty and inconsistent support for issues such as transitions, onboarding, or addressing rights infringements
• Negatively impacts everyone, including 2STNBGD employees and those who work with them, by creating anxiety and uncertainty
• Forces 2STNBGD employees to educate their coworkers, managers, and HR
• Results in inconsistent support across all departments and teams
• Generates more work for managers and administrators who lack proper guidelines

Proactive actions:

• Create and implement an Equity & Inclusion, Anti-Harassment, Anti-Discrimination, and Zero-Tolerance policy that explicitly includes gender identity and expression
• Train all staff on these policies and the associated reporting procedures
• Ensure the incident reporting process is accessible, safe, and confidential
• Review and update all pre-existing policies annually to maintain high standards

Reactive actions:

• If a situation arises where no clear policy exists, leadership must prioritize the employee’s safety and dignity above all else
• Use the incident as a case study to develop a formal, lasting policy
• If the lack of policy caused harm, apologize sincerely and take immediate corrective action
• Document the incident in detail for all involved parties

Workplace Culture and Social Dynamics

Description:
Misgendering occurs when coworkers use incorrect pronouns or gendered terms (e.g., “sir,” “ladies”); this is often due to incorrect assumptions based on voice or appearance.

Workplace impacts:

• Directly or vicariously impacts all 2STNBGD people
• Causes emotional exhaustion and psychological distress
• Increases gender dysphoria for affected individuals
• Leads to disengagement from the team and workplace

Proactive actions:

• Normalize sharing pronouns in email signatures, during introductions, and on nametags
• Use gender-inclusive language in all communications (e.g., “team,” “folks”, “everyone”)
• Facilitate the inclusion of pronouns in digital display names and accounts (e.g., Schedule time at the start of meetings for individuals to add pronouns in display names; Specific permission might need to be allowed in settings to include pronouns in digital accounts)

Reactive actions:

• If you misgender someone, apologize briefly, correct yourself, and move on
• If you witness a mistake, correct it promptly and politely

Description:
Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional, discriminatory comments or actions (e.g., “What’s your real name?” or exclusion from team activities).

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts all 2STNBGD people, either directly or indirectly
• Causes chronic stress and emotional exhaustion
• Leads to feelings of isolation and reduced psychological safety
• Results in reduced productivity and increased disengagement

Proactive actions:

• Provide regular externally-led training for all staff on 2STNBGD inclusion and identifying microaggressions
• Establish and communicate clear systems of accountability, as outlined in a Zero-Tolerance Policy
• Create and disseminate a clear model for conflict resolution to  inform employees of their options

Reactive actions:

• If you witness a microaggression, determine if a safe intervention is possible and report it through established channels
• As an employer, proactively intervene by enacting established accountability and investigation policies
• Document the incident in a report and, in consultation with the affected employee, determine appropriate accountability steps

Tolerating Bigotry

Description:
Allowing transphobic comments, jokes, or sentiments to go unchallenged signals a failure to support 2STNBGD colleagues.

Workplace impacts:

• Directly impacts all 2STNBGD employees and damages overall workplace culture
• Creates a hostile and intimidating work environment
• Signals that discrimination is acceptable within the organization
• Causes severe psychological harm and fosters isolation

Proactive actions:

• Leadership must publicly model allyship and reinforce organizational values of inclusion
• Implement and enforce a clear zero-tolerance policy for hate speech and harassment
• Provide regular, mandatory bystander intervention training for all staff
• Conduct regular internal surveys to evaluate feelings of belonging and psychological safety

Reactive actions:

• In the moment, challenge bigoted statements clearly and consistently (e.g.,”That kind of joke isn’t okay here.”)
• Report all violations of the zero-tolerance policy to HR or management for immediate action
• Document the incident in a report and, in consultation with the affected employee, determine appropriate accountability steps

Career Advancement Bias

Description:
Career advancement bias occurs when assumptions about competence or promotability are influenced by an employee’s gender identity or expression.

Workplace impacts:

• Stalled promotions and inequitable career progression
• Lack of access to mentorship and professional sponsorship
• Higher turnover rates among 2STNBGD employees
• Leadership and decision-making level lacks diverse voices and experiences

Proactive actions:

• Use anonymized skill-based assessments for internal promotion processes
• Establish mentorship and professional development programs specifically for 2STNBGD employees
• Ensure that all hiring and promotion committees are diverse and trained on unconscious bias
• If applicable, collaborate with unions to negotiate strong contractual protections that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression

Reactive actions:

• If bias is suspected, the employee should have a clear, safe, and confidential path to consult HR or their union representative
• If applicable, partner with unions to provide robust advocacy and representation for employees during grievances or discrimination complaints

Tokenization

Description:
When an employee is treated as a representative of their entire community or used for public relations purposes.

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts all marginalized people in the workplace
• Creates pressure and leads to emotional exhaustion
• Undermines an individual’s professional achievements
• Causes feelings of being used rather than valued
• Constitutes inauthentic and performative inclusion
• Causes excess emotional labour, a burden faced by underrepresented employees due to pressure to educate colleagues and strain from navigating a non-inclusive environment

Proactive actions:

• Do not rely on individuals to speak for or represent an entire community
• Allow employees to choose their own level of participation in optional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work, and compensate that work accordingly
• When determining salary, consider lived experience alongside traditional education and credentials
• Evaluate employees based on job performance, not their identity
• Ensure diverse representation on all projects from the start and compensate employees for their contributions to DEI work beyond their formal job duties

Reactive actions:

• If tokenization occurs, leadership must listen to the employee, apologize sincerely, and avoid defensive or over-correcting behaviour
• Document the incident and the conversation
• Re-focus conversations on the employee’s professional role and contributions

External Support of Anti-Queer Entities

Description:
When an organization provides support (e.g., donations, partnerships, or affiliations) to businesses or figures known for anti-queer stances.

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts all 2STNBGD employees and allies, creating a sense of betrayal
• Causes severe mistrust and questioning of the organization’s genuine commitment to inclusion
• Damages the organization’s internal culture and external reputation

Proactive actions:

• Conduct regular, objective audits of all partnerships and affiliations to ensure they align with organizational values
• Make clear, public commitments to support 2STNBGD communities
• Establish a transparent, values-based screening process for all new partnerships

Reactive actions:

• If a conflicting partnership is discovered, leadership must immediately and transparently acknowledge the issue and commit to a formal review
• Pause the partnership during the investigation and terminate it if it cannot be reconciled with the organization’s values

Lack of Community & Mentorship

Description:
When an organization fails to create formal structures for 2STNBGD employees to build community or access career guidance.

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts all 2STNBGD employees, hindering their ability to thrive
• Causes isolation and reduced psychological safety for 2STNBGD employees
• Creates a critical lack of career advocacy and professional sponsorship
• Creates higher turnover rates among 2STNBGD staff

Proactive actions:

• Create and fund official Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for 2STNBGD employees and allies
• Establish formal, structured mentorship and sponsorship programs for 2STNBGD employees
• Host and celebrate regular, gender-inclusive empowerment and community-building events
• Partner with “sister” companies and community resource centres to identify and implement best practices in supporting 2STNBGD employees
• Ensure ERGs have clear objectives, executive sponsorship, and adequate resources to be effective
• Formally recognize and compensate the work of ERG leaders and members who take on significant organizational responsibilities

Reactive actions:

• For a new 2STNBGD employee, proactively connect them with a mentor or or peer support system during onboarding
• Foster a culture of psychological safety by enforcing clear non-discrimination policies and providing transparent reporting processes
• Provide comprehensive healthcare benefits that include coverage for gender-affirming care

Physical and Remote Workspaces

Lack of Gender-Neutral Restrooms

Description:
The absence of gender-neutral options for restrooms, changerooms, and other facilities.

Workplace impacts:

• Causes significant physical discomfort and potential health complications
• Creates anxiety and anticipation of harassment or confrontation
• Leads to increased absenteeism and reduced presence at work
• Signals that the needs of 2STNBGD employees are not a priority

Proactive actions:

• Designate all single-stall restrooms as all-gender facilities
• Install clear, inclusive signage on all gender-netural facilities
• Include facility access and inclusion policies in employee onboarding
• Ensure facility options and policies are communicated for all organization events

Reactive actions:

• If harassment occurs in the facility, management must intervene immediately to support the individual and reinforce the inclusive policy
• Provide an immediate, practical solution for safe facility access while long-term structural changes are implemented
• Post temporary, inclusive signage until permanent inclusive signage is installed

Description:
Remote work platforms that default to legal names and lack pronoun visibility can inadvertently out employees and foster misgendering.

Workplace impacts:

• Creates fear of being outed against one’s will
• Leads to disengagement and reduced participation in virtual meetings
• Results in constant misgendering due to a lack of visual cues

Proactive actions:

• Audit all internal software (e.g., HR systems, organization directories) to ensure preferred or chosen names and pronouns are displayed universally, with legal names confined to essential payroll/legal documents
• Implement robust data privacy protocols to protect an employee’s trans status or deadname from unauthorized access or exposure
• Encourage and normalize pronoun use in email signatures and video call displays
• Provide a clear guide for employees on how to update their display settings, and include this in onboarding
• Determine individual accessibility and communication needs during onboarding to ensure accommodations are met

Reactive actions:

• If a system error reveals a deadname, treat it as a high-priority privacy incident and correct it immediately across all platforms
• At the start of a meeting, the host can prompt attendees to ensure their display names and pronouns are correct, regardless of who is in attendance
• If an incorrect name appears or a mistake is made, the host or colleague should provide a brief, polite correction to ensure others use the correct information

Gendered Dress Codes

Description:
Enforcement of binary expectations (e.g., “men wear ties, women wear skirts”) based on gendered assumptions rather than professional function.

Workplace impacts:

• Places pressure on employees to conform to a gender binary
• Triggers dysphoria and psychological distress
• Leads to inconsistent enforcement that targets 2STNBGD people

Proactive actions:

• Replace all gendered dress codes with gender-inclusive policies focused on safety, professionalism, and function
• Offer flexible uniform options (e.g., mix-and-match pieces) that support self-expression
• Train leadership and management on the updated, inclusive policy and their role in advocating for it

Reactive actions:

• If an employee is dress-coded unfairly, management must apologize for the error and reaffirm the inclusive policy
• Determine if staff require retraining on the updated workplace policies and procedures
• Investigate and address any practical barriers employees may face in adhering to the dress code

Description:
Absent or exclusionary signage for spaces and facilities or performative imagery that signals acceptance and inclusion without efforts to uphold it.

Workplace impacts:

• Causes significant physical discomfort and potential health complications
• Creates anxiety and anticipation of harassment or confrontation
• Triggers dysphoria and psychological distress
• Reinforces stereotypes

Proactive actions:

• Conduct a full audit of all signage (restrooms, rooms, safety, informational) for inclusivity and accessibility
• Create and display visual statements of inclusion and belonging at main entrances and common areas
• Display gender inclusive signage that is clear, universal, and unambiguous, using plain language
• Provide signage that briefly explains who may access a space. For example, an all-gender washroom may have a sign indicating that people of all genders are welcome to use the space
• Use inclusive imagery and icons without drawing attention through innuendos or humorous imagery
• Replace generic, exclusionary or performative imagery and make space for meaningful art or media that is inclusive of 2STNBGD and marginalized communities

Reactive actions:

• If an employee or visitor reports confusion or exclusion due to signage, treat it as a high-priority and correct it immediately
• Display temporary signage until new signage is installed

Benefits and Healthcare

Gender Affirming Healthcare Gaps

Description:
When employer health plans exclude coverage for queer people, such as fertility treatment, gender-affirming care, hormone therapy, surgeries, and mental health support, or use binary, gendered language when describing parental leave and family building policies.

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts all employees and employees with covered 2STNBGD family members
• Causes significant medical and financial strain
• Unnecessarily delays an individual’s medical transition
• Leads to presenteeism (working while unwell) and reduced productivity
• Excludes and alienates 2STNBGD employees who are parents or are planning to become parents
• Creates confusion and administrative costs

Proactive actions:

• Audit all health plans and remove exclusions for gender-affirming care
• Partner with healthcare networks and providers known for affirming 2STNBGD care
• Create clear policies for extended paid medical leave for procedures related to gender transition
• Proactively identify and remove barriers to accessing healthcare benefits and filing claims
• Redesign policies to include inclusive language describing parental leave and family building
• Include coverage for a variety of fertility treatments, such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), or other paths to parenthood common to queer people

Reactive actions:

• While advocating for permanent plan changes, provide a healthcare stipend or Healthcare Savings Account (HSA) contributions to offset out-of-pocket costs
• Advocate directly with insurance providers on behalf of employees facing gatekeeping or denied claims
• When an employee is preparing for parenthood, clarify that the parental leave policy is inclusive of people of all genders
  

Description:
When an employer fails to offer extended paid medical leave for gender-affirming procedures, forcing employees to choose between their health and their income.

Workplace impacts:

• Causes unnecessary delays in receiving critical medical care
• Creates financial uncertainty and strain for the employee
• Leads to workplace disengagement and negative impacts on mental health
• Signals that the organization does not fully support 2STNBGD employees’ well-being

Proactive actions:

• Formalize an inclusive paid leave policy for gender-affirming care that is equivalent to other other major medical leave policies
• Clearly communicate leave policy to all employees and HR staff

Reactive actions:

• When an employee requests leave, assure them of job security and approve the request immediately
• Offer flexible work arrangements, such as phased returns, flexible schedules, hybrid work, or remote work, to support recovery
  

Description:
When employers or insurance providers require unnecessary documentation, such as proof of legal gender marker change, to access gender-affirming healthcare benefits.

Workplace impacts:

• Causes financial strain by delaying or denying coverage
• Unnecessarily delays critical medical care and treatment
• Violation of employee privacy and personal dignity

Proactive actions:

• Remove requirements for proof of legal name change or gender marker change to access benefits
• Provide training to all HR, leadership, and administrative staff on trans-inclusive benefits and advocacy
• Partner with health insurance providers and medical practitioners who use informed consent models
• Offer paid training for employees that clearly explains their benefit plan and coverage
• Screen potential insurance partners for inclusive practices and remove administrative barriers

Reactive actions:

• If a claim is wrongfully denied, HR or leadership should immediately advocate for the employee with the insurer and expedite an exception
• Apologize for the error and compensate for any undue stress or financial cost incurred
  

Mental and Psychological Safety

Minority Stress and Emotional Labour

Description:
The cumulative burden faced by underrepresented employees, caused by constant microaggressions, the pressure to educate colleagues, and the strain of navigating a non-inclusive environment.

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts all marginalized people in the workplace
• Causes burnout, anxiety, and depression
• Reduces productivity and overall workplace engagement
• Requires additional time investment from leadership to manage
• Harms internal interpersonal relationships and team cohesion

Proactive actions:

• Provide resources to manage emotional labour caused by mandatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work, and compensate participating employees accordingly
• Ensure mentorship programs and ERGs have support structures for members with intersecting marginalized identities
• Integrate a diversity of 2STNBGD voices and perspectives into projects from the start to avoid tokenization
• Engage with cultural diversity and meaningful inclusion as an ongoing business practice
• Provide adequate Personal Time Off (PTO) and encourage its use for mental health

Reactive actions:

• Offer paid wellness days and actively encourage their use for mental health without stigma
• Provide immediate access to robust, trans-affirming Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counselors
• Create formal “safer space” protocols for debriefing after difficult incidents or discussions

Lack of Accountability

Description:
Reports of bullying, discrimination, or transphobia are dismissed, handled ineffectively, or addressed inconsistently.

Workplace impacts:

• Negatively impacts the entire organizational culture
• Erodes trust in leadership and internal systems
• Creates fear of retaliation that discourages reporting issues
• Eliminates psychological safety for all employees
• Fosters a culture of impunity for harmful behavior

Proactive actions:

• Establish and enforce clear, transparent accountability systems with known consequences
• Implement a “no wrong door” reporting policy, in which an employee may report an issue through multiple different channels, providing multiple safe and accessible methods for reporting issues
• Offer regular training for all employees on self-advocacy and bystander intervention
• Apply an intersectional lens to all equity policies and investigations to ensure they address compounded discrimination

Reactive actions:

• Acknowledge all reports immediately, follow up with the complainant, and outline the investigation process
• Offer the option for the complainant to include a support person in all proceedings
• If internal mechanisms fail, support the employee in escalating the issue to external authorities (e.g., Board, Union, Labour Board, Human Rights Commission)

Description:
Employer health plans are inadequate when they provide insufficient coverage for mental health care or lack access to gender-affirming providers.

Workplace impacts:

• Impacts all employees, leading to untreated mental health conditions
• Creates financial barriers that prevent access to necessary care
• Contributes to presenteeism, burnout, and reduced productivity

Proactive actions:

• Ensure benefits include comprehensive mental health coverage with 2STNBGD-affirming providers
• Curate and share a vetted list of 2STNBGD-affirming therapists and counselors
• Develop partnerships with mental health providers offering low-cost or sliding-scale options
• Create an annual mental health allowance or benefit fund for out-of-pocket expenses
• Advocate for better government regulation of mental health fields and coverage
• Direct employees to external resources like Indigenous health benefits or Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) services

Reactive actions:

• When an employee is in crisis, approve immediate time off without barriers
• Direct employee to immediately available, low-cost community resources and crisis support lines
• Offer extensions on medical leave on a case-by-case basis as needed for recovery

The following is the list of references consulted during the making of the ‘Belonging at Work’ Inclusion Guide and its companion glossary. Some modifications and additions have been made based on consultation with community representatives.

CADDAC | ADHD Symptoms, Impairments and Accommodations in the Work Environment

Justice of Canada | A Qualitative Look at Serious Legal Problems: Trans, Two-Spirit, and Non-Binary People in Canada

Accessibility Manitoba | Accessible Employment Standard Regulation

The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba | Bill 43 The Human Rights Code Amendment Act

Government of Canada 2SLGBTQI+ terminology | Glossary and common acronyms

Government of Canada | “How to Access Gender-affirming Care: Definitions”

The HRC’s Glossary of Terms for Gender Identity and Sexuality

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s Intersectionality, Inclusion, and Gender euphoria

Psychology Today: Emotional Labour