Trans employees, transitioning, and job satisfaction

- After sex reassignment surgery individuals experience higher job satisfaction.
- After sex reassignment surgery individuals experience better mental health and higher life satisfaction.
- After sex reassignment surgery the relationship between mental health and job satisfaction is stronger.
- After sex reassignment surgery the relationship between life satisfaction and job satisfaction is stronger.

While trans employees have become more widely recognized in society, our understanding of their work experiences remains underdeveloped. In the current study, we investigate whether transitioning is associated with job satisfaction in England, Wales and Scotland. Using longitudinal data collected before and after sex reassignment surgery associations between job satisfaction and mental health/life satisfaction are examined for trans men and women. The estimations suggest that employees experience higher job satisfaction, mental health and life satisfaction after sex reassignment surgery than before. In addition, the estimations suggest that after sex reassignment surgery, the associations between job satisfaction and mental health/life satisfaction are stronger than before. Moreover, the estimations suggest that employees not only experience higher job satisfaction after sex reassignment surgery, but also during transitioning. The results suggest that, firms should not treat transitioning employees in a biased way, since their transition might entail positive personal and workplace advancements.