How to Foster Allyship at Workplace
Do you remember your first day at work? Not really… but I can remember how I felt. Entering a foreign environment unsure of my place in the group, unsure of who I could trust, unsure if I would be accepted, and unsure if I would belong.
Considering an average employee spends 1/3rd of their lifetime at work, it stands to reason that from our time at work, the people we are surrounded by, and the workplace culture we are part of will have a considerable effect on the other areas of our lives. What can companies do to alleviate the apprehension that comes with starting a new job? One of the solutions could be to cultivate a culture of “allyship”.
The word “ally” comes from the Latin word ‘alligare’, which means ‘to bind to’. Allyship in the workplace means using your personal privilege to support colleagues from underrepresented segments. Allies wield their influence to amplify the voices and elevate the employee experience of their underrepresented co-workers. These efforts promote greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) throughout the organisation.
We are passing through an incredibly tumultuous period globally. Leaders are contending with the aftereffects of the pandemic, the hybrid workplace, and the speed at which companies are being forced to reinvent themselves, to name just a few.
We have entered a new moment of living in the ‘BANI’ (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible) world, according to anthropologist and author Jamais Cascio.
Covid may be receding in the rear-view mirror, but the changes it has triggered have ushered in a BANI world. Now throw in the phenomenon of ‘quiet quitting’. Leaders must do everything to keep their employees engaged. Fostering a culture of DEIB by way of allyship is one of the many subtle initiatives leaders could emulate.
“Changing the day-to-day experiences of people in the workplace means you have to change the culture. If you’re going to change the culture, that means you need all employees at every level to activate and to be part of the solution,” says Rachel Thomas, co-founder & CEO of LeanIn.Org.
While the onus to create systemic change inside organizations doesn’t fall solely on individuals, organizations, and systems are made up of people.
In the workplace, allies assist in creating a stronger, more positive environment by helping you to know you are valued in the team, by allowing you to be the truest version of yourself, and by doing so, create a culture of trust in the workplace. Knowing that you are accepted regardless of your race, gender, beliefs, or sexuality reduces worry and anxiety, and allows you to put your full attention into work. It allows you to ‘belong.’
Being an ally isn’t just a matter of tolerance or even quiet support. It involves deliberate intent and steps towards empathy and specific actions towards improving the experience of underrepresented colleagues. One such action-oriented initiative some organisations have started is towards addressing workplace microaggressions.
Many organisations are aiming to raise awareness about workplace microaggressions and propagating allyship to combat it. Getting better at noticing and responding to microaggressions — and at being more aware of our verbal and non-verbal communication — is a journey, one with a real effect on our mental health and well-being at work. The goal is not to be fearful of communicating with each other, but instead to embrace the opportunity to be intentional about it.
Microaggressions are not so micro in terms of their impact on one’s career, job satisfaction, etc. They should be taken seriously because at their core they signal disrespect and reflect inequality. Possibly one of the primary triggers for ‘quiet quitting’. Intervention when witnessing any microaggression by countering them with micro-affirmation is a crucial part of emulating allyship.
Allyship in the workplace is not one size fits all. Change starts with individual leaders’ taking responsibility for their own attitudes and behaviours. Senior executives have the clout to effect change among their peer group, who likely see them as more objective and authoritative than underrepresented employees. Let the relationships you’ve built over time be the change agents you as a leader need to effect allyship at work.
Incorporating best practices in the talent management lifecycle to include diverse candidates, insisting upon inclusion in the selection process, adjust the language in JDs to remove bias (e.g., request for blind resumes), and intentionally hiring and developing employees from underrepresented groups are areas where leaders can step up.
Allyship is a journey. It takes courage, continual learning, and humility to proactively create a better workplace for all colleagues. Growth does not happen overnight. It comes from a daily commitment to habituate new inclusive behaviours and actions. Along the way, we will all learn from our mistakes and foster an ally culture of collective learning and accountability.
Being an ally is not a status symbol. It is an active, interpretative process — a choice that we all as leaders and change agents must make every single day.
