What It Is and Why It Matters In Your Workplace
Have you ever heard someone describe themselves as an ally? Have you given thought to what it means? Allyship is a foundational building block for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
An ally is anyone who consistently and intentionally works to promote a culture of inclusion, building an environment that benefits the whole community.
You might think that allyship is a position confined to members of privileged groups. However, anyone can be an ally. The nature of privilege cuts across all groups. If you’re a man, you can choose to become an ally of women. If you are able-bodied, you can serve as an ally to those with disabilities (differently-abled); and if you’re a white woman, you can be an ally to Black people across all genders.
Allies use any privilege they might enjoy to support and promote the advancement of members of marginalized groups. By amplifying the voice and experience of these groups in the workplace, they help build a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
A good way to think of it is simply lending some of your own privilege to others who do not have that same privilege.
Allies can uplift others by mentoring, building strategic partnerships, and advocating for their interests in the workplace. Allyships may be a formalized workplace relationship, or they may be casual and informal in nature.
Most importantly, allyship is a long-term bond or commitment. In fact, the word originates from the Latin allegare, meaning “to bind.”
Responsibility
Allies take on the responsibility of observing and acting on opportunities to use their influence to uplift others.
This happens through very specific habits of mind. For example, if there’s an opportunity for promotion within the company, you might ask yourself if you can recommend a member of a marginalized group for that promotion. You can talk to your colleagues about specific words or phrases often used in workplace language that make them feel excluded. You can make an intentional effort to use a person’s pronouns of choice after they have informed you of their preference. Finally, when there’s an important decision to be made, ask yourself if the voice of every group is represented at the table.
It’s important to note that responsibility is the appropriate motivator for these actions, rather than guilt. Effective allies seek guidance and input from others out of real desire to make a difference; they commit to taking action even when it’s uncomfortable to do so. Most importantly, they follow through and do what they say they are going to do.
Another responsibility of allies is to educate themselves on the oppressions and aggressions against certain groups, rather than depending on others to instruct them. They do research by paying attention to current news stories and investigating the real experience of marginalized groups.
Lastly, allies develop an openness to criticism and a willingness to be held accountable for their own words and actions.
Acknowledgement
An effective ally humbly acknowledges their limitations in understanding the experiences of others. We should never make assumptions about another person’s challenges or experiences. We must exercise humility in admitting that we don’t know everything, and that we may be unaware of the problems that others experience. In short, we have to acknowledge our own privilege.
This can be a challenge because of all the baggage that comes with the word “privilege.” It’s common to go on the defensive when this comes up in conversation.
If we stop and reflect, most of us can list a number of advantages that we often take for granted. Have you been turned down for a promotion or some other kind of advancement because you were too old? Have you ever had to hide the fact that you are visually impaired or suffer from ADHD when applying for a job? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, then you are a member of a privileged group, and it’s important to acknowledge that. Other examples of privilege include:
- Never getting stopped when going through immigration because of your ethnicity
- Never having to dress differently in order to be taken seriously at work
- Never feeling pressured to change your first or last name to fit in
- Never having to change your hairstyle in order to feel like you belong at work
- Never having to correct someone on your preferred pronouns, more than once
Listening
Whether in the workplace or anywhere else, most people love to talk. They are quite willing to share their opinions and ideas. However, most of us are not as good at listening.
Being an effective ally means becoming a good active listener. Instead of immediately jumping in with the perfect solution to the problem, we take the time to listen and empower others to find the best solutions for themselves.
Active listeners do not assume they already know everything; instead, they are always open to opportunities to learn. For example, if you hope to be an ally to black women, you can benefit from finding or sponsoring a support group for black women and listening with an open mind to their concerns. In the same way, you can network with members of the Hispanic, Differently-abled and the LGBTQ community.
Before doing this, look around at those who are closest to you, those coworkers you see every day. This is the best starting point to begin establishing a relationship of trust and to seek opportunities for allyship. Check in with these colleagues on a regular basis. Ask them if they need anything, and really listen to their answers. This small action, when done consistently, is a huge step in building a work culture of diversity and inclusion.
Taking on diversity and inclusion in the workplace can feel like a huge and daunting task. Allyship is a small but impactful place to start.