Creating a gender-neutral toilet in the workplace can be a significant step towards inclusivity. We’ve gathered five expert tips from CEOs, founders, and financial experts on how to achieve this, covering aspects from designing for inclusivity and accessibility to creating a welcoming, inclusive space.
- Design for Inclusivity and Accessibility
- Use Clear Gender-Neutral Labeling
- Ensure Visible and Accessible Location
- Promote Awareness Among Employees
- Create a Welcoming, Inclusive Space
Design for Inclusivity and Accessibility
When specifying a gender-neutral toilet in the workplace, it’s important to consider the needs of all users. To create an inclusive space, the toilet should have a locked door for privacy, be accessible to people with disabilities, and have adequate space for a wheelchair to maneuver.
The design should avoid traditional gender-specific symbols or colors and instead opt for a more neutral and welcoming aesthetic. For example, you can use gender-neutral signage or create a space that includes elements from nature or art.
To summarize, the goal is to create a safe and welcoming space for all employees, regardless of their gender identity.
Use Clear Gender-Neutral Labeling
Nothing makes me cringe harder than seeing a stick man and a triangle-dress stick woman on a bathroom sign. Relying on these caricatures, i.e., having both present doesn’t convey “inclusivity” to me, defeating the purpose of gender-neutral bathrooms.
By presenting the gender binary, you go against the very message of gender-neutral bathrooms. Rather than reinforcing the gender binary, along with outdated stereotypes about those supposed binary genders, you must be clear about the intention.
Instead of relying on images, just clearly state “Gender-Neutral Toilet” or “Gender-Inclusive Toilet” in plain writing. This avoids reliance on anachronistic notions of gender and promotes the underlying message of inclusion.
Ensure Visible and Accessible Location
One of the biggest points of confusion about gender-neutral bathrooms, I’ve found, comes from when they are too far apart from the rest of the bathrooms. Having a men’s sign, a women’s sign and a gender-neutral sign is helpful, but if the gender-neutral bathroom is around the corner, then it may lead to some confusion.
Promote Awareness Among Employees
Creating accessibility for specifying a gender-neutral toilet in the workplace can be an important step toward promoting inclusivity and creating a safe and welcoming environment for all employees.
Make sure that all employees are aware of the availability of gender-neutral toilets. This can be done through emails, newsletters, or by posting signs near the toilets.
Create a Welcoming, Inclusive Space
To ensure that a gender-neutral toilet in the workplace is specified properly, it is important to label it as “Gender-Neutral” or “All-Gender” clearly, ensure it is a visible and accessible place, provide ample signage and directions, equip it with all necessary amenities, and regularly clean and maintain it.
These measures will create a welcoming and inclusive workplace for all employees, regardless of their gender identity or expression.
