An ally is someone who is not a member of an underrepresented group but who takes action to support that group to help make their workplace more diverse and inclusive for all.
For workplaces to become truly inclusive it is up to people who hold positions of privilege to be active allies and to take responsibility for making changes that will help others be successful.
Allies at all levels can take action with simple, everyday efforts that make a real difference and in this series, we highlight some things that you can do to be an ally and to support your colleagues from underrepresented groups.
#40: Provide a Safe Space for Open Discussions
It is important to engage with all your employees and colleagues and to help amplify the voices of those from underrepresented groups who perhaps go unheard or ignored. A great way to do this is to hold facilitated discussions (also known as inclusion groups, circles, or roundtables) to get feedback and actively implementing the action points.
These may take the form of a chat, how staff are feeling and what they think their organisations could be doing better. Sessions should include the Black Asian and Ethnic Minority employees and also include a presence from a network lead, committee member or inclusion champion who can actively feedback and help develop actions that may arise out of these sessions.
Alternatively, they might focus on giving your employees a safe space to discuss issues affecting them personally.
Different types of sessions can be run depending on your objectives. Examples of sessions that can be held with your employees include:
- Safe Space (Race Equality Matters)
- Tea Break (Race Equality Matters)
- Talley Talks
- Listening Circles
- Focus Groups
Read the full “How to be an Ally” series here.
