Race & ethnicity in the workplace: The road to active allyship
December 07, 2020
A recent study from McKinsey & Company points to the relatively negative sentiment that exists around inclusion in the workplace. While 52% of employees speak positively about diversity, for example, only 29% of employee comments on inclusion are positive.
Regardless of ethnicity or background, says McKinsey, every individual should have the opportunity to fulfil their professional potential. To that end, we need advocates who are prepared to take consistent and meaningful action to ensure their organizations are safe and inclusive for all kinds of people.
Organizational culture plays an important role in exposing biases and intervening when threats like racism occur at work. Hiring diverse talent and being a passive supporter of change is no longer enough – together, employers and employees must take the road to active allyship.
Make it happen here.
Challenges faced by Black talent in the workplace
Black talent is often the victim of biases and micro aggressions at work, hindering representation, progression, and advancement.
According to The McGregor-Smith Review, not only are employees from Black and under-represented ethnic backgrounds more likely to be judged heavily in the workplace, they’re less likely to apply for and be granted promotions.
In a previous article, we noted that:
- Black, Asian and under-represented ethnic individuals represent more than 20% of the UK’s undergraduate students, but only 10% of entry level employees within six months of graduation, and 5% of senior level positions.
- 25% of HR directors and 36% of D&I (diversity & inclusion) practitioners reported having no Black, Asian or other under-represented ethnic employees on their main board.
- 100% of respondents in both groups reported that Black, Asian and under-represented ethnic employees represent less than 11% of senior executive or leadership teams.
Faced with a distinct lack of role models – and despite wanting to progress in their careers more than their White colleagues (74% versus 42%) – Black employees are often held back at work.
What is allyship?
Allyship is a way to encourage inclusivity in the places we all live and work. While an ally isn’t necessarily a member of an underrepresented group, they take positive action to support diverse groups.
As opposed to passive allies – who agree that change needs to happen, but do little about it – active allies put their privilege to work by using their influence and credibility to advocate for their underrepresented peers.
- Champions send meaningful messages to a broad audience by willingly deferring to colleagues from underrepresented groups in meetings, highly visible events, and conferences.
- Sponsors support the work and reputations of colleagues from underrepresented groups by recommending them for opportunities or sharing their career goals with workplace influencers.
- Amplifiers work to get marginalized voices heard and respected by inviting colleagues from underrepresented groups to speak at staff meetings or write for company newsletters.
Don’t let these labels fool you, however. Rather than an identity, allyship is a lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized individuals and groups.
While true allies believe in and are devoted to the cause they support, others may be more concerned with the pat on the back they’ll receive for speaking out against racial injustice. Condemning racism – while failing to take meaningful action – is performative allyship at best.
Interestingly, some companies and individuals believe ignoring our differences is the key to allyship. However, refusing to see differences where they exist does little to change the experiences that individuals from Black and under-represented ethnic backgrounds must navigate in the workplace.
Importance of understanding one’s privilege
A structural, historical bias exists within the UK and elsewhere; a privilege that favors and benefits certain individuals, while blocking the progress of:
- Blacks and other under-represented ethnicities
- Women
- People with disabilities, and
- Anyone else who has experienced discrimination driven by preconceived notions of what makes a good hire or staff member
Whether they’re aware of it or not, organizations and individuals tend to hire in their own image. And according to McGregor-Smith, while Black and under-represented ethnic groups in the workplace are more likely to be overqualified than White ethnic groups, White employees are more likely to be promoted than all other groups.
Despite individuals at the top of the privilege hierarchy holding no more inherent value than anyone else, they’re often treated as though they do. For active allyship to prove effective, we have to recognize that privilege exists and acknowledge our responsibility to do something about it.
Role of allies in the workplace
Relating to people who are different from us can be hard. But actively noticing and responding to others’ needs fosters more effective working relationships. Workplace allies play an important role in mentoring, sponsorship, and building networks that deliver positive action and accountability at all levels of an organization.
Improving inclusion through allyship often begins with understanding more about the people we employ or work with and the values they hold.
To be a better ally, individuals should look for opportunities to:
- Reverse mentor individuals from different ethnic backgrounds
- Listen and learn from their colleagues’ actual experiences at work versus their career aspirations
- Introduce peers from underrepresented groups to influential colleagues, recommend them for highly visible opportunities, and openly acknowledge their accomplishments
- Educate themselves by reading, attending sessions, and learning about the lived experience of under-represented ethnicities
Formal and informal networks and peer groups – especially within work communities – play a pivotal role in allyship by giving ethnic minorities a voice and providing support for talent seeking new opportunities.
How to take action
Causes like racial justice can seem overwhelming, but change always starts with ourselves.
- Pay attention to your own power and privilege in the workplace.
- Learn as much as you can about the challenges and biases faced by under-represented colleagues.
- Take recognizable action to start conversations and advocate for change.
Remember: Passive allies are sympathetic bystanders; active allies stand up.
By being passive, we often make allowances for good people to be overlooked and behaviors that aren’t acceptable to continue, missing the chance to surface opportunity and recognition.
Here are some tips for becoming an active ally:
A – Acknowledge and respect different experiences. Avoid assumptions.
L – Listen, learn, and educate yourself about difference and your own biases.
L – Lead with empathy and compassion to build trust and continue the conversation.
Y – Your role: Take action and be an advocate. Show your support for others’ ideas and work, give credit where it’s due, and don’t condone biased behavior.
Organizations must lay the groundwork for allyship to flourish in the workplace by opening up conversations around race, setting targets to increase Black, Asian and other under-represented ethnic representation in leadership areas, reporting their progress annually and publicly, and mandating unconscious bias training for all staff.
At Bloomberg, we believe in creating an organic culture of allyship by building relationships based on listening to and learning from marginalized individuals and/or groups of people different from yourself. Allyship is active. We all have the power to set or shift the culture in our teams by promoting continuous learning, educating across diversity, and creating a sense of safety and comfort that allows for all voices to be heard.
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