The transgender community in India is gradually finding a place in the mainstream of employment. Companies like KPMG, Infosys, Accenture, Nestaway and Sodexo have created policies and hiring plans to make their entry into the formal workplace easier. Startups like Periphery, which provides transgender talent in particular to companies, are also helping to create employment opportunities for this community.
5 lakh transgenders have solid work
Nishant Agarwal, chief operating officer of Periphery, estimates that there are about ten million transgenders in the country and about five lakhs of them have confirmed work. This community faces major challenges such as lack of education, discrimination in housing and misconceptions in society. Despite this, the periphery started in May 2017 has so far hired 125 people. The company has been started by Neelam Jain, an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
Just the right training needed
Agarwal says that there are a lot of talented people in this community. They just need to train properly. Companies like Amazon, ThoughtWorks and ANZ are clients of Periphery. Startups have held positions in these companies from housekeeping to programming and even as assistant vice president. Through the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights Act) 2019, the people of this community have got the right to live with their families. The doors of education have also been opened for them, which has been a major obstacle for this community.
What is the challenge?
Lakshmi C, managing director and HR lead at Accenture India, says, "The lack of skill is the biggest challenge in hiring transgender." To overcome this challenge, the company has started a six-month internship program. The aim is to create a skilled talent pool of transgender candidates. The online platform Nestaway, which provides rent to people, has recently hired five transgender employees. Ismail Khan, Nestaway's chief business officer, says it matches his company's motive, 'a house where there is no discrimination'.
Lack of soft skills is also a challenge
Lack of soft skills is also a challenge for transgender candidates. The periphery teaches them how to be employable, how to talk and how to present themselves in interviews. Spokespersons from KPMG stated that the lack of documents and the 'extremely small talent pool' are also major hurdles for the community. The company hired a senior resource professional to help create a talent pool for the LGBTQ community and a recruitment requirement and preparation for interviews.
Challenges after hiring
The environment they come from can make it challenging to meet and interact with other employees after hiring. Shreya Oberoi, Sodexo's Diversity and Inclusion Head (India), says, "Transgenders of socio-economically weaker sections have a habit of living in the close community." They beg to meet financial needs or take the profession of sex worker. 'The company has released' Transgender Guides' which help managers to understand the basic terminology associated with transgenders and 'spread awareness rather than preservation'.