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In the ever-evolving workplaces of today, being an ally must go beyond the buzzword. From advocating for marginalised colleagues to small acts of visual solidarity through supportive lanyards, genuine allyship requires consistent effort, self-awareness, and intentional action. But where do you start with such an important task? Luckily, this guide to allyship in the workplace breaks down 8 practical steps you can take to move from good intentions to actual impact.
What Is Allyship?
Before we get into the steps, it is useful to unpack exactly what allyship is, and why it matters: otherwise, as a word that gets thrown around a lot, it risks becoming just a surface-level descriptor.
At its core, allyship refers to being supportive and showing up for others in truly meaningful ways. In the same way that the term is used in sports or even geopolitics, it’s all about using your time, resources, and position to stand beside people. In the context of the workplace, said people are likely to be those who face barriers you might not.
You can be an ally to people of different races and ethnic backgrounds, religions, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, or any group that is marginalised or faces significant barriers. The important thing is supporting others, even when it’s not convenient, and especially when it matters the most.
Allyship Has Many Benefits…
To be an ally in the workplace is a moral and social responsibility, but it also brings tangible benefits to employers and organisations. Those that actively promote allyship are creating a more efficient and better performing workplace. Here are just some of the key benefits:
- Increased Employee Engagement – If employees feel truly valued, they are much more likely to stay engaged and feel invested in their work, boosting morale and loyalty across teams.
- Improved Productivity – Plenty of research has explored the strong links between inclusion and performance. For example, the 2023 European Business Review found that companies with robust allyship policies reported a 21% increase in productivity compared to their counterparts.
- Elevated Financial Performance – With better allyship tends to come better financial performance, and the numbers speak for themselves. Research by McKinsey suggests that companies with greater representation and inclusive practices also outperform their peers financially.
- Better Innovation and Collaboration – In teams with strong allyship, a wider range of ideas and perspectives will be brought to the table, leading to more creative solutions and more comprehensive decision-making.
- Stronger Brand Reputation – With the rise of ethical consumption, consumers are increasingly drawn to organisations that take a clear stand on the social issues they care about.
- Enhanced Employee Retention – Organisations that value diversity and demonstrate allyship through action – not just words – are likely to see higher levels of employee retention. Not to mention, they also attract top talent who are looking for inclusive, supportive environments.
So, put it this way: allyship isn’t just good for people, but it’s good for business too.
…But Avoid Being Performative
Sounds great, right? Yes, allyship can have a powerful positive impact – but only when it’s done right. Performative allyship, on the other hand, can often do more harm than good.
Being an ally doesn’t mean that you, somehow, haven’t worked hard to get to where you are. Rather, it means that you recognise the influence and access you have, and you’re choosing to use it to support others. As such, allyship in the workplace is especially important because of the power hierarchies unavoidably involved: when someone in a position of influence (think a manager or supervisor) undertakes true allyship, it opens the door for other colleagues to follow.
What Is Performative Allyship?
The most common way organisations get allyship wrong is by making it all about appearances. This kind of performative allyship – also known as ‘woke-washing’, or pinkwashing in LGBTQ+ contexts – can destroy trust and contribute to further exclusion. Common examples include:
- Posting a generic statement on social media but not following up with tangible action or support.
- Only showing up during certain high-profile awareness events or months like Pride or Black History Month.
- Publicly stating support but not actively advocating for a group’s needs when decisions are made that directly impact them.
Ultimately, the goal of allyship in the workplace is not to be seen as a “good company” or to make money off the back of diversity initiatives, but to actively help remove barriers and create the space for others to thrive.
8 Steps To Encourage Allyship In The Workplace
So, now you know exactly what allyship is and isn’t, how exactly do you go about integrating it? Knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming, so here are 8 clear steps with examples of allyship in the workplace, from the small-scale such as lanyards, to the large-scale such as policy changes.
1. Establish Networks
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), affinity groups, and even informal networks can be foundational to a healthy culture of allyship. Such groups allow employees from marginalised communities to connect with others who understand their lived experiences, whilst also creating a structured means by which they can have an influence on workplace policies and leadership.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Inviting members of these groups into meetings so they can actively contribute to key decisions.
- Funding their initiatives – from running events and providing branded materials like lanyards and badge holders to mentorship programmes.
- Offering logistical support to make sure these networks are recognised by the wider company community.
2. Support Local Initiatives
Supporting local initiatives can help to demonstrate that your organisation’s allyship extends beyond branding, and into the wider community.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Partnering with local charities that serve marginalised communities.
- Sponsoring events like inclusion workshops or local cultural celebrations.
- Encouraging staff to participate via paid volunteering hours or in-company fundraising.
3. Integrate Training
Learning is the heart of meaningful allyship. However, it should go beyond tick-box sessions, offering thoughtful, practical, and tailored understanding to your workforce.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Offering training on specific topics like unconscious bias, microaggressions, or inclusive language.
- Inviting speakers with lived experiences to tell their stories.
- Reinforcing the fact that allyship isn’t about always “getting it right”, but more about being willing to learn and adapt.
4. Include The Small Steps
Even the smallest steps can signal inclusion and increase the confidence of someone seeking support. Widely recognised symbols like rainbow lanyards to indicate support for LGBTQ+ colleagues, pronoun badges for said lanyards, or ally pins can help colleagues identify individuals to approach.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Pairing these small cues with training, so individuals wearing them are informed and the items serve a purpose rather than just being performative.
- Posting inclusive signage in shared spaces.
- Clearly communicating visually where accessibility features are located.
5. Listen To And Implement Feedback
The best forms of allyship are those that prioritise listening to communities over speaking for them. Step back and allow others to speak and then use your influence to create change.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Gaining feedback regularly through surveys, suggestion boxes, or focus groups.
- Sharing what’s been done in response and setting clear timelines for changes.
- Involving those giving feedback in change processes.
- Offering avenues for anonymous feedback to minimise perceived risk and power imbalances.
6. Foster An Overall Inclusive Atmosphere
An inclusive workplace is where individuals don’t have to hide or change parts of themselves to feel safe, included, or accepted. Making inclusion part of your everyday culture – rather than just token policies or awareness weeks – ensures everyone feels seen and heard at all times of the year.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Taking offensive comments seriously, even if they’re just ‘banter’. In a shocking recent study, whilst 67% of employees consider themselves allies, only 36% have actually spoken up at work. ‘Jokes’ shouldn’t be an excuse for harm.
- Using inclusive language – such as respecting pronouns, avoiding slurs or ableist language, and being mindful of cultural references.
- Paying attention to who is being heard, and more importantly, who isn’t, in meetings.
- Encouraging all staff to speak, contribute, and lead.
7. Be Consistent
It shows when support is inconsistent. If you’re only showing up some of the time, your allyship in the workplace will feel shallow and inconsequential. Consistency shows that inclusion is a core value that permeates further than PR stunts.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Embedding inclusive practices into annual goals.
- Following through on claims and promises, even if no one is watching.
- Going above and beyond when providing disabled staff reasonable adjustments.
- Reviewing your progress and welcoming accountability.
- Ensuring accessibility in physical workspaces and providing quiet spaces for sunflower lanyard wearers, for example.
8. Be Intersectional
Intersectionality refers to how overlapping aspects of identity (such as race, gender, and class) can compound experiences of discrimination. Allyship that only addresses a singular identity at any one time can miss and marginalise those who sit at the crossroads of multiple experiences.
Implementing This Step Looks Like:
- Ensuring your policies and programs avoid cliches and overgeneralisations and rather reflect diverse needs.
- Asking individuals how they can best be supported, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Allyship In The Workplace: Final Thoughts
There’s no perfect formula for implementing allyship in the workplace, because people don’t fit into a singular category. It’s for this reason that true allyship should adapt to the specific needs, identities, and lived experiences of the people around you. It asks us to keep learning and listening.
So, whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your current strategy, remember that allyship is most powerful when it’s consistent, intersectional, and people focussed.