Interesting email at work...

[ShelbyDawn]

I work for a Fortune 100 multinational company, one of the real big guys...
Anyway, HR sent out a broadcast email to everybody in the company asking for voluntary responses providing additional information. They were looking into workforce diversification in an effort to figure out how to better serve the employees.

Anyway, among the questions was "Do you consider yourself Transgendered?"
Yes/No/Prefer not to answer

A million different thoughts ran through my mind and I am wondering if this is any indication that our little corner of the world is slowly gaining the public eye and moving ever so slowly toward acceptance.

I would be interested in hearing;
1.) how would you respond to such a survey at your work,
2.) what are your general thoughts on what this may or may not mean and
3.) I am dying of curiosity and wonder if anyone has a suggestion about how to get a look at the summarized data.

:hugs:

Shelby

PS. The other questions concerned military service and sexual orientation

[Chickhe]

Call me paranoid...but, all work related email is not anonymous, so answering a survey can only harm you. If the survey is done by an outside party then maybe if it is truly anonymous. So, would you answer a potentially political question in a work place that may or may not be supporting...I don't know.

[Rachelakld]

never an email.
Yes to a paper survey.
Wouldn't answer the military question, not as if they intend to install a cockpit to make it feel more Homely for me.
Sexual orientation - would they hire pretty hookers to help keep me satisfied ?

Maybe your survey was designed to "tick a box", Oh ya, look at us, aren't we on to It, PC BS.

[Lynn Marie]

I worked for a major communications company for over 40 years both in craft and management. Employee surveys are complete nonsense and serve no real purpose whatever. They are only done to make it look like the company cares. We all know that companies only care about money, everything else is fluff to keep the troops in line and the unions and government off their backs! Suggestions and ideas from the troops are solicited and summarily ignored. It's folly to expect anything more. No, I'm not bitter. I thoroughly enjoyed my work and my company was good to me. I'm just a realist and understand the limitations of the modern corporation.

[Gardener]

I am just not sure that these are areas about which employers should seek information on their employees. If the employee decides to raise the issue at work , well that is another matter. However diversity and equal opportunity in every aspect of life are important concepts and it is difficult to see how progress could be made without collecting information. Maybe the problem is the way in which the information is collected and the perceived lack of confidentiality?

[karens70]

I think I would join the paranoid brigade if I was you, especially since you said it was voluntary and there was no mention of it being anonymous.

[Jeanna]

Delete the email is my advice

[KaceyR]

I've heard about some polls like this. But usually if stuff is done it's done thru an independent company along with guaranteed anonymity. There have been other polls and inquiries but I can tell by the links (if web based) that it's an independent 3rd party doing this to keep things fully anonymous. (We have had regular 'grade our management' polls this way). If no guaranteed anonymity though, I myself would be reluctant to proceed and the poll would be feeling a bit unethical to me.

[Kate Simmons]

Unless you will be talking one on one with a HR rep, I would say forget it. Too many eyes otherwise. Everyone doesn't need to know. :)

[mykell]

delete, delete, delete....

[Shari]

Don't touch it.
Nothing but bad can come out of it.
I agree.
Delete, delete, delete.

[kimdl93]

I think you could simply ask for the summary report. Interesting to see companies taking an interest in the composition of their work force.

[NicoleScott]

Not to start another debate over definitions but...
Here on the forum we can't agree on what transgendered means, and we should be the experts, so I could never assume that outsiders who ask such a question would define TG the same as I do. But you can't ask the nameless survey to define TG so you can reply accurately.
If I were asked that question face to face, I would ask for a definition before responding. My answer could be yes or no, depending....
I would also ask "why do you ask such a personal question?"
No way I would respond to the e-mail survey.
Even for surveys on paper, by mail, I would look for clues (such as hidden/imbedded numbers or letters) that could be used for tracking and matching my answers to my identity.
In my opinion, if you participate in a survey, you are entitled to the results.

[Beverley Sims]

It is similar to some surveys conducted on this board.

Deletion and forget is the operative phrase, for surveys here some are obviously for college essays and some do appear more insidious.

I always give skewed answers to those I have suspicions about.
One answer I gave, not here though.

"I am straight, love gay sex and wear womens clothes because I am forced to do it."

Nothing like straight answers.

[Ineke Vashon]

'Prefer not to answer' is as good as a yes. Leaves the option to lie or to delete. I'm with the delete group.

Ineke

[linda allen]

I would ignore and delete the email. It's none of their business.

[robindee36]

Shelby, follow the other girls advice and give this a miss. Delete, send to spam, but let it go. At best it is an honest survey, but to what end. At worst it is a fishing exercise, don't bite.

Hugs, Robin

[Gillian Gigs]

I will add my comments, join the majority on this one and say stay away from these type of e-mails, or surveys. Surveys at best can and do get miss used and the results get twisted to whatever the maker of the survey wants. It is like the question, "Do you consider yourself Transgendered?", then there are the answers, "Yes/No/Prefer not to answer". The "prefer not to answer" will be considered as a yes, but you want to stay hidden. If you answer that way you will be no longer hidden! Even paper surveys can be traced back to the orginal writer, so one always has to be careful.

[larry]

I also worked for a VERY large Company. Now hear this !! The surveys are done by an independent as advertised. THEN-they are sent back to the Corporation and passed to several layers of Management who SHARE them and come up with action plans..

[stephNE]

Up to a few years ago, I also worked for a very large company. I would have worried about answering this type of question for them. I am pretty sure that if they had this info, and they needed to lay off a few, they would have used this in deciding who. They would not have admitted to it, and would have said the lay off was due to performance.

[Billiejosehine]

I have worked at several jobs were the company sent out surveys that were voluntary, but the funny thing was that the manager would make everyone do it and sign a paper that we did. In the survey it's primarily asked about the work environment and what I would change. The corporation would then gather all the info create a statistics report and action plan. The manager would use this during team meeting to get us motivated. If the survey is truly voluntary, I wouldn't do it.

[Desirae]

Count me in on the delete option. The ONLY way I would consider answering that question is of I was a fully transitioned transsexual who had already come out at work and transitioned on the job during RLE. Also, if your state doesn't have any gender identity protection laws on the books, there is nothing stopping your employer from firing you for that reason.

[JustMee]

I too would lean toward the paranoid side, my employer doesn't need to know any more about me IMO...however I do see one caveat, maybe they're gathering statistics in regard to services and support they should provide and everyone either not answering or answering falsely would lead them to believe "Hey we checked, no TGs here, we don't need to revise our gender policy".

[Valarie]

I work for a public university in Texas, and many colleges/universities are very accepting of different people (yes even in Texas). This reminds me of my interview, I was asked what I think about diversity, my answer, "It's great, I have no problem with people we are all just humans." If my job asked me I would probably put down Trans, I have no fears here, and any retaliation I would have perfect grounds for a law suit, plus my union (yes we have some unions in Texas) would come to my aid. I think it is good, people are starting to understand that gender is a personal choice, not something that can be as simple as checking M or F. At the same time, if information was leaked, it could mean problems for an individual. Always pros and cons, but I do think it is a good step for our society.

[Tora]

Delete the email and send a note in the mail.... Christmas Card

[Leslie Langford]

Include me here among the list of sceptics here, Shelby.

As a wounded workplace warrior only recently "retired" early from a major multi-national Corporation (not my choice..."down-sized", "restructured", "re-engineered, "right-sized", merged out of a job, declared "redundant"...pick your favorite euphemism here...), I have nothing but contempt and disdain for the modern version of the Corporate world and the soul-less, gut-less drones and apparatchiks that currently populate it.

Time was, companies used slogans like "People are our most important product" and even uber-capitalists like the original Henry Ford saw the value of paying their employees a decent wage - even if only to enable them to afford to buy the stuff that they were manufacturing. Nowadays, companies consider their employees to be an expense and a drain on the bottom line... a necessary evil to be endured until they can ship their jobs overseas where the cost of doing business is lower.

Do not believe their lies and the usual Corporate spin - they do NOT have your best interests at heart - only their own - and any information that you divulge will NOT be kept private. It will be used to take the current temperature of the organization and to find ways to better manipulate their employees - NOT for the betterment of the employees themselves.

And even if companies go through the motions of making it appear as if they do care about their employees, when push comes to shove, the financial results are wanting, and the knee-jerk reaction to let employees go in the name of cost-cutting is implemented, you will quickly find out that any loyalty that you might previously have shown your company is not reciprocated. Inevitably, they will toss you out as readily as yesterday's garbage and simply move on.

As for those employee surveys taken by allegedly independent third-party companies - just ask yourself one question: "Who is paying for their services, and where do their loyalties and obligations lie?" Right...it's not the employees. Anyone who believes that such surveys are benign, confidential, and informational only lives in a dream world and seriously needs to have a wake-up call.

I once drank the Kool-Aid and replied honestly to one of those infamous 360 degree employee feedback questionnaires orchestrated by an allegedly independent outside consulting firm. They, too, had pledged to keep specific comments that were provided confidential and only present them within the larger context of a more general summary report for each individual being reviewed. Naively, and with the best of intentions - constructive feedback and all that - I made the mistake of highlighting a number of shortcomings on the part of a senior H.R. executive on the basis of past interactions with her. Six months later, I found myself in a room sitting across from her, a number other senior executives, as well as an "outplacement" counsellor as she pushed an envelope across the conference table containing the contents of my termination notice as well as the details of my severance package in lieu of cause and prior notification.

Official reason? Downsizing? Coincidence? I think not.

[Stephanie Miller]

WHAT? You mean you don't believe in privacy, Easter Bunny, Santa Clause or the N.S.A. being honest?

[Melissa in SE Tn]

I would have answered: prefer not to answer. Ambivalence is not an affirmation or denial. You will have answered the survey with honesty. Also, always keep a copy of that survey to preserve the paper trail . As stated by many before, companies have no conscience when it comes to the bottom line.

[giuseppina]

I would decline to answer any questions on any such survey.

It's too easy for responses given in good faith with the best of intentions to be turned against the respondent if someone in authority takes offense and has the power to terminate employment, as Leslie learned. People don't appreciate being told what their faults are.

I feel the same way about employee assistance programs. I prefer to find my own help that has no connection whatsoever to employment.

[Sally24]

I embrace paranoia but I disagree with the others. In most cases, employers are barred from asking about sexual orientation and other personal non work related things. Large corporations do their best to avoid lawsuits so I would.guess that since they put this in print that it truley is anonymous. Answer how you want and chill out. Living in fear and paranoia is not worth the stress!

[GretchenJ]

If the survey had to be answered via logging into a third party site, with no control strings in the the URL that would identify who I am (can you tell I am in IT) I would go to a library in another town and answer yes.

Otherwise, I would answer "prefer not to answer"

[PretzelGirl]

I agree with Sally. This is a big company and they aren't going to put themselves at risk of a lawsuit. They are probably trying to see where they should focus their services. The remainder of the survey may tell the story. But if that is the case, they are misguided. Obviously from the replies here, their numbers would be very low. Not a surprise as we regularly say here it is hard to get a population count on us because of the stealth nature of what we do.

[MarcyRex]

In my former life in military, I had the "opportunity" to be point man on several surveys. You know, make sure everyone got one, present the party line, accounted for all returned. Those that had trust issues (rightfully so as this was DADT timeframe not to mention sooooo many anecdotal negative experiences) or didn't want to make time, I informed them to keep it blank and return in sealed envelope. A few trusted confidantes who hated the hypocrisy of the command, I told them to answer the questions that would red-flag for immediate counseling/intervention if they could be tracked down, one even put her name down and checked feedback desired. She was reaching end of tour so had nothing to lose. I kept track of the conspirators answers waiting for some kind of feedback.

None. No changes. No fallout. No followup with outreach opportunities. I did get a phone call regarding the above individual but only because she wrote in the margins I should be called for results. What was noted was 100% participation for the command. Great Job Commander! [/eyeroll]

Surveys are not for the benefit of the workers.

[lingerieLiz]

I've done work for several top Fortune companies. I would not do the survey unless you are out or want to be out. At one very progressive company they were doing their diversity training and encouraging people to step forward. The company required all employees and consultants to attend. I happened to be talking about a different subject with an employee when the time came to attend the meeting. As we were walking to the meeting he started telling me that he was the leader of the local gay employees group. It was interesting the challenges he had faced in getting recognition for his fellow gays. The reluctance of identifying themselves and some valid fears. It is not easy to be out as we all know regardless of our diversities.

[Allison_Leslie]

I like to reply honestly first before I read the other responses to these kinds of questions.. so at this point I have NOT read anyone's response.. so here goes my honest ansewer :

1.) how would you respond to such a survey at your work,
you really should be asking question 2 first.. You really should NOT respond until you find out what this means. This is your JOB

2.) what are your general thoughts on what this may or may not mean and

EVERYONE usually has SOMEBODY higher up that they actually trust. Now, suffice it to say you may be outting yourself JUST by asking what they mean,
but if you can find out if this questioning is meant for pruning the work force, I'd answer NO to #1. TO PROTECT YOUR JOB. FIND OUT FIRST.

3.) I am dying of curiosity and wonder if anyone has a suggestion about how to get a look at the summarized data.
Talk to someone you trust higher-up who works in HR or who is helping with this "study" and find out if they might be willing to share
some data with you or not.

DO NOT LOSE YOUR JOB OVER THIS PLEASE.
If you TRULY feel it is harmless, as it will definately be written as such.. BE CAREFUL, but answer truthfully as long as you are 100 percent SURE it wont
affect your job or your conditions at work.

[Vickie_CDTV]

Email... uh... what email???

To be honest, it sounds like some sort of government or special interest group is trying to shake the company down. I wonder what prompted to such an inquiry. I just don't believe that a company would somehow suddenly "care" and suddenly decide to "help" some group or another. Call me skeptical, but... I would wonder if they are thinking about firing some perfectly qualified cisgender employees to make room to hire some transgender people just to shut the government or some PC-group up and get them off the company's back?

[Sally24]

On a personal experience note. My company had an outside vendor redo our employee handbook 10 years ago. Non typical gender presentation was added and the presenter used the term transvestite. He asked for confidential feedback and I let him know that crossdresser or transgendered was preferred. I also talked with our insurance provider about whether electrolysis was covered under our Medicap program. Both gentleman involved made it very clear that confidentiality was key to them keeping their jobs.

[CarlaWestin]

Hit Delete

I doubt that corporation would expend the effort to make sure every employee was cozy and warm without an ulterior motive. I'm sure that from an HR point of view, I can show up as Carla and nobody is allowed to say anything. That just ain't happenin', Honey.

[Jenni Yumiko]

It's for hrc.org. It's a survey to find out where your company sits in the corporate equality index.
Incidentily, I found out my company pays for hormone therapy and srs. They are a Fortune 500 and one of the top in the CEI.
(My boss is gay and my director is a FTM mid op)
Also to note if your part of a fortune 100 company, the odds backlash are super low as others have surmised. Large companies won't do anything to endanger their EEO. As that would have huge negative reactions across news and media outlets and a boycott of said company would hurt them much more than letting an employee stay. (Right wing Christian companies are obviously not included, read chika-fila)
Employers knowing what percentage of its population make for better negotiations on things like gender dysphoria types of insurance benefits.

[mariehart]

I wouldn't be so paranoid. I too worked for a big ticket Fortune 100 company, fortune 50 indeed, actually two and both worked hard at being good to their employees, discouraging any form of discrimination. Their surveys were anonymous and carefully controlled. I would assume similar in this case? If they want the truth it has to be that way. On one famous occasion the question was: 'If you were offered the same terms and conditions in another company would you leave?' They got a 100% yes. When this got back to New York, it was our management that got their asses handed to them. They were also very progressive about LGBT and set up a group within our division. I didn't join even though practically everyone around me thought I was gay or something. It was comforting to know that if I had decided to come out or even decide to come to work dressed as a woman. It would be accepted or at least not bad for my career, not that I had a career you understand!

If it's anonymous then I would find it acceptable. If not then perhaps delete!

[Kristina_nolagirl]

I guess I'm in the minority here. I think if your not willing to put down the truth to help out our cause, you have no right to bitch about not "being accepted"

Companies today absolutely care about the health, well being and diversity of their employees. Why? Because a happy, long term employee is the most profitable type and are becoming few and far between these days. Especially a top 100 company. They send out so many of these surveys that your 1 little answer amongst 1000's of others will not be a big deal.

I think we as CD's make up big deals about nothing. The general public does not care that we like to wear a dress and certainly does not go out on witch hunts to burn us at the stake like so many people here seem to believe. Yes the average person finds it quirky and weird, but after a quick laugh, they forget about it. We are the only people whos mind is constantly occupied with our crossdressing and I guess that's what creates this notion that everyone cares so much about what we do - when only we really do. Humans are selfish by nature - we care infinitely more about what we do then some crazy guy who wears a dress sometimes. That's my 2¢

[DonnaT]

asking for voluntary responses

I would be interested in hearing;
1.) how would you respond to such a survey at your work,
2.) what are your general thoughts on what this may or may not mean and
3.) I am dying of curiosity and wonder if anyone has a suggestion about how to get a look at the summarized data.


https://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/lgbt-equality-at-the-fortune-500

http://www.equalityforum.com/fortune500

If your company is on the list as being compliant, then you should be able to comfortably fill in the survey.

I'd send a response email asking what their agenda was, what did they hope to achieve/learn from the responses. Ask for examples on what they mean by "how to better serve the employees."

For example, bathroom issues are constantly brought up with respect to having trans employees. The survey could result in single stall bathroom, or non-gender specific bathrooms.

[JenniferR771]

Years ago at a Tri-Ess meeting I met a guy/gurl that was an officer in GM Plus. The group was dedicated to recognizing sexual diversity in the workplace. PLUS stands for People Like Us.
Maybe its working, as a woman just became CEO at General Motors: Mary Barra or something like that.
http://www.gm.com/company/aboutGM/diversity/gm-plus.html

Some top companies are comfortable with gays in the workplace. Think about major tech and software companies. Clothing and beauty companies. Transgender on a survey would not be a big deal.

On the other hand, a friend has been unemployed for two years after his HR department said it was OK to begin transition on the job--fired the next week.

[giuseppina]

I wouldn't be so paranoid. ...

Once fact enters the equation, paranoia is disqualified. That is how my psychiatrist explained it to me.

There is ample evidence above and elsewhere that LGBT status, among other things, can be used as a trigger to collect data on other negative issues with employees who are then fired for performance reasons. The employee then has little recourse, as the onus of proof of discrimination rests with the ex-employee.


... If it's anonymous then I would find it acceptable. If not then perhaps delete!

Email is never truly anonymous, as a poster with expertise in the IT field pointed out above. I wouldn't even use a public terminal unless the respondent's identification truly anonymised the response. One way to do this is give everyone the same userid and password to the survey without the requirement of using email. Those in the know will use a public terminal, not company or personal hardware, as that is easily traceable.

[mikiSJ]

Was the email sent to you specifically, or to a list. If to a list, ask someone else if they got a survey request. If you can believe the survey was sent to a broad audience, then I would print it out, write it bold letters across the sheet "STOP THESE INANE SURVEYS" and put the printout in the suggestion box (do the still have those?).

[Jaymees22]

I would delete, you said it was voluntary. I learned from my military experience NEVER VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING!!!

[dizzy]

We had a survey a couple years ago at my place of employment and HR said it was an anonymous and voluntary and being done by a 3rd party, they then had a code that we had to enter so we could access the survey. After talking to a few people we discovered our codes were all different. So I decided to not do mine and guess what, a few days before the deadline I received an email telling me I had not done my survey. How did they know it was suppose to anonymous. Since it voluntary I would ignore it specially since you are suppose to answer via email.

[Wildside_md]

In my experience HR is not a friend of the employee and a survey done under one management team could be used against you by another management team. I would not answer or not be honest. Its none of their business anyway.

[Cassandra Lynn]

Anyway, HR sent out a broadcast email to everybody
If there was any way to reply back with total anonymity I myself would be all over it.
But one does have to wonder, what is there to be gained for your company from the honest answers.



PS. The other questions concerned military service and sexual orientation
Sorry, another red flag.
My ex worked in HR at a fairly large corporation, the basic MO for asking such highly personal questions was during investigations and it was surely done quietly.

[Tracii G]

I worked for a very very large corporation that was worldwide and we got ours in paper form.
In email form I wouldn't respond but that is just me.
That very question was asked so I said yes to being TG. Keep in mind this was approx 6 years ago and nothing came of it.No questions from my boss and no tranny police.
They had a very strict pro gender expression policy so I didn't see a problem answering the question.
My guess all the survey papers were tossed in the trash can soon after and never read.

There were times the big wheels would come in for employee evaluations and when the questions would get more personal I would answer none of your business thank you next question please.
That started a shit storm with the one big wheels and he got slightly agitated with me so I said to him this is a job performance evaluation not a personal evaluation correct?
He said well yes it is. I said well how is my work performance and customer service reports? He said well lets look at the file.
He looked and said it looks like you have a 100% performance record no accidents or traffic violations,no log book violations,no customer complaints and 70 customer service compliments and two one million mile safe driving awards. I think we are done here LOL

[EllieOPKS]

Just say NO and leave it at that. You would be part of the 99.9% that said No. Seems pretty simple to me.

[CynthiaD]

When someone asks you a question that is none of their business, you have no moral or legal obligation to answer truthfully. There are only two answers to a question like this, yes and no. "Prefer not to answer" means yes. Leaving the question blank means yes. I recently took a survey like this (my company is TG unfriendly), and my answer was NO. I do not consider this a lie. It was simply my way of saying "mind your own business."