Article Transitioning In The Workplace - What That Meant For Me
By Insight UK / 6 Apr 2023
By Insight UK / 6 Apr 2023
I am an openly transgender woman working at Insight. However, until two weeks before I started work with PCM, almost four years ago now, I hadn’t formally transitioned in the workplace although I had done so in my life outside of work for many years prior. A year ago I published a piece talking about that stage of my life, and the detailed process, which has led directly to this blog. In the spirit of flying the transgender flag – and aligned to the culture that Insight have built, founded on Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging – here is just a small part of my experience of being a transgender individual within Insight:
It is not the received wisdom to transition between jobs but it has its advantages as well as its disadvantages. I had already decided that I was moving on before I had decided I was going to transition in the workplace – I needed a fresh challenge and I reached the “why not?” stage of my thinking around my transition shortly afterwards. I decided that the chance to build a new identity in a new place outweighed the employment protection that 10 years of service to my previous employer had afforded me.
After some interviews and a few dead ends I secured a role at PCM – and my first day arrived. The first day is always a little nerve wracking if you are someone who has been somewhere else for a long time. That said I will never be able to put into words quite how intimidating that first day was. Effectively, I had spent 24 years working as half a person, and suddenly I was presenting a whole person. Many people describe this as being a “different person”, but I prefer my version. Everyone in the office was amazing and welcoming, which really helped – I'm not entirely sure people even realised I was scared; that’s how at ease they put me.
Three weeks into my new position, PCM were acquired by Insight which, naturally, caused some further trepidation. Fortunately the transfer to Insight was just as smooth as my induction to PCM, but I am acutely aware that this is not the case for everyone, everywhere, even in 2023. Insight has been a truly great experience so far, and I can honestly say that I have not encountered a single act of prejudice from anyone within the business (or previously PCM). Although, being free to be who I am should not be something I view as a positive, but simply the default position! I am pleased, never the less, to work for an organisation where the core values and company culture simply do not allow for any mistreatment or bias; making it a truly great place to work, for everyone.
Insight runs a technical conference for its staff - Mastery - once a year in Phoenix, Arizona and it is a fairly large affair. It draws over a 1000 people, mainly from across North America, and in 2022 it was opened to the global Insight community. I put a session proposal forward and was invited to present, which was a great honour. I went to the conference and couldn’t have been more welcomed by individuals up to, and including, our CEO and CFO. In such a large diverse group the fact that through the entire week I wasn’t misgendered at all was incredibly affirming. It’s hard to explain what a big deal simple things like this can be - they shouldn't be, but they are. Insight really does have an amazing teammates worldwide, who truly reflect its core values.
Recently I was asked to support in the creation of an internal Transitioning at work policy within the UK, which is to be rolled out EMEA wide over the coming months. It has been a pleasure to work alongside committed and passionate teammates to launch this; particularly because Insight has not just taken a boilerplate text and put corporate banners on it - instead actual transgender teammates have been involved in the drafting and writing of the policy. The policy aims to support any and all transgender teammates, at any stage in their transition, as well as supporting non-binary teammates. This dovetails into other resources Insight already offered at a global level, such as private Microsoft Teams groups for transgender and non-binary identifying individuals, allowing them to find community with teammates around the globe.
Through initiatives like this, Insight is already a leader in Diversity and Inclusivity, and it is important for us to continually champion our core values – Hunger, Heart and Harmony - that do epitomise the culture here at Insight. Continuing to develop policies like this shows commitment to further leading in this space.
Being a Teammate at Insight has afforded me both the platform and the opportunity to try and start to move the conversation forward. Codifying policies such as this is just one part of the story - we need to move the conversation on so that the world at large is talking about how transgender people are, and have always been, part of society and contributing like anyone else. We need to provide positive examples and role models to people to show them that yes, transition is scary, but there are people out there who show you who you can be. We also need to show them that organisations such as Insight can provide welcoming and supportive environments where such individuals can blossom and flourish.
Insight and its inclusive values is a part of that story for me, and it is my aim that Insight become a leader in this space. To showcase how, when people treat each other with respect and empathy, great things can be achieved.
“Did transitioning impact my career ?” – Maybe, but that is primarily due to the years I spent worrying about transitioning and fretting over finally making the decision, which invariably impacted my performance. I wasn’t giving my full attention to my role whilst at work, and generally wasn’t performing at the highest levels. This almost certainly means I didn’t pursue opportunities and progress as far as I otherwise would have. In short - I was the architect of my own imprisonment.
“Has Insight provided a place where I can now continue to grow in my career?” – absolutely, in fact I got promoted into my current role a year after joining.
This is not true for every transgender individual, however, but it is my hope that one day it will be.
In writing this blog post, I hope to offer insight into the experience of one transgender individual within Insight. I whole-heartedly believe that if everyone was shown the same kind of support and acceptance that I have been given by everyone at Insight then no one else would need to worry – and I hope that one day that’s a reality for all.
Jacqui Greenland, Technology Lead
