WTS

Effective Allyship in the Workplace

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Photo credit: Cecilia Castelli - Be a Better Ally (hbr.org)

In 2022, companies remain committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace by moving from awareness of the problem, to further understanding why it persists, and ultimately taking action on what they can do to make it better. WTS Boston’s Diversity Committee wants to spotlight effective allyship and key tips to advance it in organizations to encourage continuous engagement in DEI in the workplace.

Harvard Business Review defines allyship as, “a strategic mechanism used by individuals to become collaborators, accomplices, and coconspirators who fight injustice and promote equity in the workplace through supportive personal relationships and public acts of sponsorship and advocacy.” This is different from performative allyship which can be detrimental to diversity and inclusion efforts.

Performative allyship generates a false sense of support for underrepresented members of an organization while advancing or rewarding the “ally” for appearing to provide support. This dynamic, when challenged, often creates a sense of defensiveness from the “ally” and taps into attitudes and beliefs that underrepresented people should be ‘grateful’ to the efforts regardless of their intention. Research shows this undermines an organization’s core values and effective efforts to create a sense of belonging and inclusion among groups or organizations.

So how do we build more effective allyship in the workplace? There are three core strategies for building true, effective allyship in the workplace.

  • Be diligent: The existence of performative allyship is happening in all organizations and can benefit from establishing accountability systems that correspond to company-wide trainings, workshops, or taskforces.
  • Clear expectations: To advance equity and diversity in the workplace all members, especially leadership, in an organization must recognize and participate in effective allyship practices.
  • System-level: Effective allyship must be made part of the overall business goals and strategies of the organization. This creates the proper incentives and equal distribution of effort that aligns with internal policies and practices.

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