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.
#55: Acknowledge and honour multiple religious and cultural practices and holidays
Make sure that you offer accommodations for employees who need to observe certain religious practices or holidays.
This could include time off or flexible scheduling to allow employees to attend religious services or participate in cultural traditions.
In particular, make sure that managers approve these requests when they are asked for by employees and that they are respected once given.
While you may have policies regarding how many people can be given time off on a particular day, or that annual leave is subject to client demands, make sure that you also have policies in place to ensure that employees religious and cultural practices are taken seriously in the same way that time off at Christmas is respected.
Read the full “How to be an Ally” series here.
