Transgender rights and inclusion in the Thai workplace

Trans Leaders are the Future of Inclusive Business

As part of Sasin’s ongoing efforts to engage new communities and untapped talent, we partnered with TransTalents to produce an interview and seminar series with trans Thai leaders.  Thailand is perceived as a country that is most tolerant of LGBTQ+ groups, but trans professional leaders are speaking out that organizations still need to adjust gender-inclusive laws and policies for the workplace, especially for transgender people. Sasin School of Management, in cooperation with TransTalents Consulting Group, held a panel discussion on the subject, “Trans Leaders are the Future of Inclusive Business,” on November 30. Joining the panel discussion were Nikki Phinyapincha, Founder of TransTalents Consulting Group, Kanattsanan Dokput, Head of Customers Service of DTAC, Koko Tiamsai, Internal Communications, Diversity, and Inclusion Manager of Food Panda, and Jessy Dangboonrueng, Head of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships of Ninja Van Logistics. Professor Drew Mallory, Sasin’s Inclusive Ambassador moderated the discussion.

“We are not asking for privileges to be in the company– we need a fair game. When it comes to the job market, competition, and getting into a company, we need fair game and a support system, how we can equitably access to opportunities and resources.” – Nikki Phinyapincha, Founder of TransTalents Consulting Group

When it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, the panel agreed that transgender people are not given equal job opportunities as cisgender people. They are often stuck in stereotypical roles such as being an announcer for an entertainment gossip news channel or a salesperson in a cosmetic store. Koko stated that there’s never been a transgender person who became prime minister. “Seventy-seven percent of transgender people from 4,000+ LGBTQ+ people in Thailand got rejections on their job applications because of their gender,” said Nikki, adding that besides the obstacle in getting a fulfilling career, transgenders face legal, social, cultural, and other systemic barriers to work. A transgender person might have a job, but might not be able to get promoted in the leadership role or be in a position to influence goals in an organization. Koko stated that trans-inclusive policies must come from the top down with policies addressing specific issues on job discrimination, adding that companies act like a country, able to influence and negotiate transgender laws with the government. Nikki agreed that while there is the Gender Equality Act in Thailand, the law only addresses practical matters that don’t apply in business. “If we need inclusion, it cannot happen by default, it must be intentional,” Kanattsanan added. There is also the issue of organizations that claim to practice inclusivity when they are rainbow-washing or claiming that they are committed to diversity for their profit, rather than being considerate of transgender rights. This also pertains to brands that cater to LGBTQ+ groups. “People are asking themselves why I am buying from this brand, what is the ethos of this brand. If you want to resonate with more customers it’s about developing these policies so that people can connect with your business and not just your product, but what your product stands for,” said Kanattsanan. Similarly, having trans-inclusive policies is not enough. The inclusive culture that create safe and empowering space must be implemented in the workplace. “If you say that your company are trans-inclusive but you have zero trans employee, that’s a reflection of your brand authenticity towards this issue,” said Nikki. Koko added that it’s important to look at the different policies in the company and look at the specific needs and struggles of an employee. “We need to look into a deeper level and look at what policies there are for trans employees like if they need to have gender affirming surgery do you have any mental health support for trans employees? ” said Koko. Nikki added to Koko’s idea that true inclusion is about making conditions better for the community and following up on the impact of policies and campaigns and engaging people in the community. As a founder of TransTalents consulting group, she also mentors and coaches her employees on what they are struggling with and give guidance on how to overcome the problem. When it comes to structural transformation, besides putting in the right policies, Jessy said that transgender people need a community in the office or a safe space to open up and talk about their challenges and get them the opportunity to be included in decision-making table. For instance, Jessy created a pride day celebration at work. “Once you get the ball rolling, you start seeing how this could work. When people want to jump in, that’s how people want to get involved,” said Jessy, “Have an internal budget for it, do partnerships with an external program, and build on that. If you don’t know how to start, start small and simple.” As the head of the business development department, Jessy said that he had to look at 200 Curriculum Vitae a month. When it comes to recruitment, it is crucial to have a more robust recruitment process where the employer gets to know the worker as a person, getting beyond the CV, university, and GPA. “It’s about asking people you interview how they look at their career growth in three years, how they can get resources and tools for you to achieve your career goals, and talking to them and giving opportunities for them,” said Jessy. An issue about HR not complying with policies has been brought up. For example, if there is a policy to hire 1 percent of transgender people as an employee, they might pay the fine so they don’t have to comply with the policy. Kanattsanan said that to prevent such an occurrence, it is crucial to figure out what the cause of the resistance to the change in inclusion policy is. Koko added that educating the government unit or the medical field about gender is what organizations can do to decrease resistance to policy changes. “They could be willing to implement trans policies but don’t know how to start, or lack an understanding of gender issues. They may be afraid of unknown things. Once you find the cause of the resistance, then find out what can be done to fix it,” said Kanattsanan. 2023 will see several more TransTalents x Sasin events covering a number of recruitment/retention, creativity, and value-production issues as it pertains to transgender leaders and the future of inclusive business. Bookmark this page to stay updated on upcoming events related to IDEALS activities.