- August Scott (43), is Salesforce’s manager for physical-security technology.
- Her company provides support for employees transitioning, as well as guidelines and support resources.
- She said that companies should listen to their employees and promote inclusive benefits.
This is an as-told to essay based upon a conversation with August Scott. Scott, a 43-year old manager of physical security technology at Salesforce, lives in Houston, Texas. This text has been edited for clarity and length.
Three lives were mys for 27 years: as a father, husband, and son, as well as as as an IT-security professional and August Scott.
One day in October, it clicked. I realized that it was time for me to live my life fully unfiltered. No more denial, no more covering, no more hiding — I was ready to come out.
Today, I am proud to be a mother, daughter and friend.
Many people within the LGBTQ community are aware that coming out is not something that happens once.
It is a process that requires time and can vary depending on which communities you are part of. In December last year, I made the decision to come out to my friends and family, combining two lives. The new year brought me ready to go professional.
Salesforce, where my job is, has a self service app called “Concierge” that allows employees to quickly find the right information. Concierge was the best place to start my journey. I started typing “gender transition” and didn’t know where else to go. Concierge suggested an article entitled “Gender Transition Guidelines.” I was only able to type the word “gender” once. The article gave guidance to employees and teams as they transitioned from one gender to the other. The article prompted me to open a ticket with the employee-relations department of our HR. This team would be my partner throughout my journey.
Together we created a “Transition Project Plan”, which outlined all the steps and support required for me to transition at my job. It included telling my leadership team, coming out to my colleagues, and changing my name/pronouns in our systems. I managed the plan, chose the dates to notify my bosses and team, and felt for the first time in my life and future that I was in control.
I also took advantage Salesforce’s many benefits gender-inclusive benefits. Lyra Health helped me find a therapist that specializes in gender-transition and a new LGBTQ-supportive primary care physician. I also found a coach. Instead of having to make calls to potential providers to ask about the LGBTQ policies and experience — outing myself to strangers over and over — they handled that for me, which was a huge relief.
The $500 reimbursement allowed me to buy a new wardrobe. I was able to achieve my lifelong dreams and goals because of the emotional and financial support provided by the company.
I was also supported by my coworkers
The company provides a group training called “Transgender 101” for the team of a transitioning employee to help educate them on what transitioning is — and is not — along with the do’s and don’ts of how to support someone along their journey. It covers everything from the meaning of gender identity and pronouns, to how to support colleagues and allies.
The best thing about Transgender 101 is the fact that it takes away the responsibility of having transgender employees educate their colleagues on the basics. Many times, companies put the burden on the transgender person to educate their coworkers and answer any questions they may be misinformed or uncomfortable. This is a huge emotional burden on top of the transition itself. I am grateful for this kind of training.
Through this process, I realized how fortunate I was to have an employer that offers many resources and guidance during my transition.
I know that very few people in my neighborhood have the same level of support.
This is not just important for employees’ individual benefit, either — it’s beneficial for businesses to empower employees to be their authentic selves. This takes a lot brain space, as you need to cover all bases and make sure that you don’t accidentally reveal your true identity to colleagues.
Today, I bring my best self every day to work, focusing on the task at hand and not worrying about whether or not I’m being outed. Based on my experience, here’s what every employer can do to encourage employees — especially those in the LGBTQ community — to be their authentic selves at work:
1. Listen to your employees and create opportunities for discussion.Companies must first understand the unique experiences and needs of transgender people to be able to tackle barriers effectively. Salesforce is a company that understands. OutforceOur LGBTQ employee-resources group, which meets regularly to share LGBTQ community needs and issues. Our community also has access to a private transgender or gender-nonbinary channel on Slack, which allows them to connect and build their community.
2. Advocate inclusive benefits and policies Companies have a powerful opportunity to support this community in places where the world has typically fallen short — including broadening benefit policies and healthcare coverage.
3. Representation is the key:In today’s competitive talent market, I wish to see more targeted recruitment initiatives for the transgender/gender-nonbinary community. Salesforce’s new representation goal, to have a workforce that is at least 2,000 strong, is an excellent example. 40% of women-identifying and nonbinary workers in four years. Gender diversity in the workplace is important. It’s crucial to recognize all genders.
