Job Applications At Virgin Atlantic Soar Uniform Policy Change

Since Virgin Atlantic ditched its gendered uniform policy – allowing women to wear pants and men to wear skirts – job applications have doubled. So while other airlines rare struggling to fill vacancies, Virgin has no issue recruiting the best employees.

“We saw a 100% uplift in applicants following the campaign, ‘See the world differently’,” Shai Weiss, Virgin’s chief executive officer, said.

Along with gendered outfits, other sexist requirements have been changed. Female cabin crew are no longer required to wear makeup, tattoos can be visible, and staff are now allowed to wear pronoun badges.

Pronoun badges will also be available to customers, who can ask for one at any check-in desk. Customers with gender-neutral markers on their passports will also now be able to select gender-neutral markers for their ticket bookings, according to LGBTQ Nation.

“In lieu of passports with gender-neutral gender markers being available for all, Virgin Atlantic is implementing a longer-term plan to amend communication preferences to ensure customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns across all touchpoints,” the company said in October when they updated the policy.

“At Virgin Atlantic, we believe that everyone can take on the world, no matter who they are,” said Virgin Chief Commercial Officer Juha Jarvinen. “That’s why it’s so important that we enable our people to embrace their individuality and be their true selves at work. It is for that reason that we want to allow our people to wear the uniform that best suits them and how they identify and ensure our customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns.”

Jaime Forsstroem, Cabin Crew for Virgin, celebrated the changes. “The updated gender identity policy is so important to me. As a nonbinary person, it allows me to be myself at work and have the choice in what uniform I wear.”

Read related myGwork articles here:

Virgin Atlantic Staff Can Choose Uniform Regardless Of Gender

Virgin Atlantic Launches LGBT+ Flight to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Stonewall

British Airways To Retire “Ladies And Gentleman” For Gender-Neutral Greeting

Keep up to date with the latest myGnews

LGBTQ+ professionals, LGBTQ+ Graduates, LGBTQ+ professional network, LGBTQ+ professional events, LGBTQ+ networking events, LGBTQ+ Recruitment, LGBTQ+ Friendly organizations, LGBTQ+ Friendly companies, LGBTQ+ jobs