When steve becomes Stephanie

Henrietta Mercer, the senior vice president for human resources at LaSalle Chemical, is facing a challenge unprecedented in her career: Steve Ambler, recently appointed the company's group sales director, has decided to change his gender identity. Before Henrietta can finish crafting a corporate response, someone slips a copy of her confidential memo to the executive committee to one of Steve's colleagues, whose outraged reaction suggests the difficulties that may lie ahead. How can she help him transition in a workplace where not everyone is on board with the plan? Linda E. Taylor, the director of work life, equity, and inclusion at Raytheon Missile Systems, advises Henrietta to offer lots of gender identity training. When Raytheon employees question the morality of condoning transgender choices, she replies that the company doesn't pass judgment on its employees' private lives and that working for Raytheon means adhering to its policy of inclusion. Ronald K. Andrews, a vice president and head of human resources at Prudential, says it is crucial to work very closely with the person transitioning and points out that the individual's courage may be what most strikes colleagues. Prudential held a meeting to educate account executives and provide them with talking points before they spoke directly to key clients - not one of whom was lost. Stasha Goliaszewski, a scientist and engineer at Boeing, started her gender transition after four years with the company. HR support helped with other employees, and her professional expertise helped when she called on customers. She advises large companies to prepare their gender-identity policies and not be caught off guard, as Henrietta was. Statistics show that, sooner or later, they are bound to encounter the issue.