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.
Spotlight Sessions
As an alternative to “Lunch and Learn” Sessions, why not invite all colleagues to share information about themselves in “Spotlight Sessions” where they can share information about themselves and help foster inclusion at team level or more widely in the organisation. Having this embedded in your workplace culture naturally encourages everyone to be happy and open to be their true selves.
By hosting “Spotlight Sessions” employees can volunteer to talk to everyone else about any topic that is close to them. This can really help empower employees who would otherwise not have the freedom to talk about these topics, engage everyone and strengthen bonds. It gives them an opportunity to be heard. It can equally apply to all your employees and does not have to be limited to EDI topics.
Read the full “How to be an Ally” series here.
