Transitioning as a REMOTE employee

[Richelle]

My work situation is different than most. I am what my company calls a remote employee. My office is in Chelmsford MA., however I live and work in Costa Mesa, CA. This has allowed me to transition over the last of years, so that most new people I meet see me as my true self, a middle age women. The past two years the only time I presented as male was when I was in one of the company’s offices or at a customer site.

I decided that needed to change. So, last September when I was in Chelmsford, I told the Director of HR that I was transgendered and would want to transition at work in 2018. When I had to spend two weeks in Chelmsford in January, the two of us had a lengthy meeting on how to do that. The outcome of our conversation was that I asked her to talk to her Executive VP and my VP. It turned out, to my surprise, that my VP was very supportive and had some experience with someone else being transgender.

In mid-February, she had a meeting with all of her direct reports and told them about me. She instructed them to be very supportive and to tell everyone that they should start using my female name and use female pronouns. My direct boss did just that last week and started referring to me as she in our weekly staff meeting.

What is complicating the transition is how to deal with the different clients I have been interacting with. Some over ten years? I decided that for clients were the project is almost completed to continue working with as a male. All new projects that I will be assigned to, I will be introduced to client as a women. For those that have just started, my VP or Director will talk to the clients about me being a woman and using a different name. We are currently working with our IT support team to get me a second email with by feminine name.

So far 2018 looks like it will be an excellent year for me.

Richelle

[pamela7]

that sounds like you've worked this out really well. If i may ask, how do you feel though about still being represented as a male with some of the older clients? I find it really difficult when some old clients still use my old name even though they know.

[Richelle]

that sounds like you've worked this out really well. If i may ask, how do you feel though about still being represented as a male with some of the older clients? I find it really difficult when some old clients still use my old name even though they know.

Of the 7 clients that fll into this catergory I have only meet two of them in person. So, since they realy do not know me other than a voice on the end of the phone or email signuture I do not have a problem.

Richelle

[Jenny22]

Richelle, my OC, Costa Mesa sister, I wish you well on your journey. It sounds like a beautiful one in the making.

[Rianna Humble]

Hi Richelle, that sounds like a very sensible way forward to me. Although I wouldn't have been able to handle presenting male from time to time, it seems you have given this a lot of thought and are demonstrating to your managers that you have the reputation of the company at heart - which should stand you in good stead.

[Richelle]

My transition at work as a remote employee has been smoothly. Everyone I deal with here in the US has been very good to do their best to remember to use my feminine name. Sometimes when they forget and write my ale name in an email they quickly try to recall the email and resend it with my new name.

It does get a little confusing on the couple of clients that have not yet been told about by transition. Especially when we are on conference calls with a client. Since they hear the same voice, it takes effort to remember to use one name with on client and another with other clients. Overall, I am happy with the response of my coworkers. In a conversation with my director, she mentioned that she has a sticky note on her monitor to help her remember to use by feminine name and pronouns.

I am also very happy now that we had been able to set up a new email account with my new female name. The next step is to order business cards so when I go out to see a client as a woman, I will have cards and email address that match who I really am.

Richelle also known as Richi