3 Easy Ways to Turn Your Allyship into Action in the Workplace
Although supporting diversity and inclusion has come to the forefront of society in recent years, there is still a lot of work to do. Having a diverse workforce is absolutely crucial to the success of any business! Not only does it help support groups of people who have been historically overlooked, but it allows organizations to have a truly well-rounded organization that is made up of many different kinds of people who all have unique talents, abilities, and problem-solving skills.
In fact, studies show that organizations with diversity and inclusion integrated into their culture are actually more resilient and perform better than organizations without. It’s no secret that organizations all over the world have implemented racial and gender biases in their hiring processes – whether on purpose or not – and it’s high time that those who have the power to make a difference assume the responsibility to take action.
Creating a diverse workforce is easier than you might think. Here are three easy ways that you can turn your allyship into action at work:
Don’t be color blind; be color brave when hiring
Melody Hopkins gave an inspired TedTalk in 2014 called, “Color Blind or Color Brave?” In this talk, she cites a corporate study that found that organizations were most successful when they deal with diversity, or the lack thereof, head on instead of claiming that they “don’t see color” when looking at applicants.
Instead of not seeing color when recruiting talent, make required to have a diverse slate of candidates for every open position. As a leader, you are in the unique position to make real change in your organization. You have the responsibility to! Once you acknowledge that the current system is flawed, you can begin to make it work the way you want it to – for the betterment of your company and your community, at large.
Mentor and sponsor diverse talent
Not only do studies show that mentorship programs are vital for employing and retaining diverse talent, but they also show that people from underrepresented backgrounds are more likely to say that mentorship was paramount to their success.
Take Dr. Eli Joseph, for example. He is an Ivy League professor, medical examiner, and TEDx speaker; he received his doctorate in Business Administration from Felician University at the age of 24, and he says that he wouldn’t have been able to do it without the mentors that he has along the way.
A very simple way you can make an effort is to mentor and sponsor diverse talent, invest in their development by attending conferences and offering mentorship services to those who align with your work and values. For example, there is the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), an organization dedicated to “amplifying Black excellence and leadership in business.” I’ve attended several of their conferences over the years and found their programs informative and empowering. This is an excellent resource for black talent to leverage their knowledge and help others succeed.
If your organization has a mentorship program, participate! If it doesn’t, see what it will take to establish one. If that seems like more of a long-term goal and you’re eager to take action NOW, use the tried-and-true Word of Mouth method. Make it known within your organization that mentorship is a key component to the success of your organization and its employees. Open your doors, your mind, and your heart to supporting new-hires and ambitious employees – be color brave and intentionally seek out minority mentees.
Hold yourself and others accountable
Research shows that, despite spending millions of dollars per year on diversity and inclusion efforts, most companies are still falling short as far as results go. Why? Because outside of “diversity training,” organizations aren’t giving employees a safe space to talk about diversity in the workplace.
Research shows that “when employers require bias reduction training, hostilities can actually increase.” This means that you, as an ally, have the responsibility to intervene when these hostilities occur.
These situations can be quite delicate and should be handled as such. Kelly Charles-Collins, attorney, speaker, author, and consultant, gives advice on what people can and should do when they witness discrimination, harassment, and bullying at work:
Find the right time and place. If you witness disrespect in a meeting or group setting, wait until after and speak to the offender one-on-one to root cause and address the issue head on
Make it known that biases will not be tolerated. Say a leader interrupted someone while they were speaking. Be bold and pull them aside and say, “I’m not sure if you were aware, but you interrupted them while they were speaking.” This makes them aware that they were behaving inappropriately and let them know it’s unacceptable.
Acknowledge the situation. If you see they are uncomfortable, remove them from the situation into a more casual setting. Seek to understand their perspective and provide reassurance of support.
Throughout my years as a black woman in corporate America, I have seen changes made that I am certainly proud of. But I understand that we still have a long way to go, and that we will not get on the right path unless we all do it together.
“Let’s speak the truth: people are protesting because Black people have been treated as less than human in America. Because our country has never fully addressed the systemic racism that has plagued our country since its earliest days. It is the duty of every American to fix. No longer can some wait on the sidelines, hoping for incremental change. In times like this, silence is complicity.”