Be an EDI ally at work
You may have heard the word “ally” in a workplace discussion about equity, inclusion and diversity (EDI), and wondered what it really means.
There is not one simple definition, and there are many types of allies, but an ally in the context of EDI is often described as someone who is not a member of an underrepresented group and who actively supports and purposefully promotes a marginalized group to advance change.
Allies take various actions to help others. If you want to be an ally at work, try one of the following ways to practice allyship and amplify your support of colleagues from underrepresented groups.
- Add your pronouns to an email signature, name tag, video conference account or online profile such as LinkedIn. Doing so can help normalize this practice and make it easier for coworkers to share theirs.
- Join a diversity-related channel in your organization’s online discussion forum, such as Slack or Teams, and contribute to the conversations.
- Change your video conference background to a diversity-themed one. Many organizations create branded ones for Pride, Women’s History Month, Juneteenth and other diversity-related celebrations throughout the year. Check out UCLA’s approved virtual backgrounds.
- Celebrate a local cultural event, attend a Pride parade or recognize a religious or cultural holiday (such as Diwali or Kwanzaa) with your coworkers.
Regardless of your position in the workplace, if you better understand the imbalance of opportunity that others face, you can begin to work to change it. By supporting your coworkers through allyship, you can work towards creating a safer space for everyone in the workplace.
For a more in-depth look at allyship, check out the TED post How to be an ally: 13 ways to do it by Melinda Briana Epler or read the Harvard Business Review article, 7 Ways to Practice Active Allyship by Poornima Luthra.
(The suggested amplification actions above come from Karen Catlin’s Better Allies Newsletter.)
