Everyone deserves to feel included and safe at work. Learn more about diversity, allyship, and how you can be an ally to increase diversity and inclusion within your organization. Diversity and allyship go beyond corporate jargon. These terms are important and have a profound impact on our lives and our organizations. We can achieve more by creating a company culture that values diversity and surrounds ourselves with people who are similar to us. While everyone has the right to feel safe at work, it is more important for some than others.
A culture that encourages and practices allyship allows everyone, regardless of social and ethnic background, gender or sexual orientation, to feel at ease being their best self at work. Hannah Lloyd, vice-president of channel sales at inSOC, and chair of UK Business Technology Community’s executive committee, said that you never know who your ally might change.
Lloyd spoke out about diversity and allyship in the CompTIA community. She also discussed ways you can be an ally and help increase diversity and inclusion within your organization at a CompTIA UK Business Technology Community Meeting. Here’s what she had to share:
Supporting women in a male-dominated industry
It is no secret that the tech industry has historically been dominated by men. It is crucial to create a safe and accepting environment in your business to ensure that all employees feel included and supported. Lloyd says that the number of women working in tech has increased within the CompTIA community, as well as outside. However, there is still much to do.
“As a young woman in her twenties, and being neurodiverse with ADHD, I’ve come a long ways and CompTIA was always my safe space. Lloyd said that it was important to have a lot of male friends to help me achieve this goal. Lloyd, a young woman in technology, understands the importance mentorship and allyship. Mentorship and being open to having a mentor are great ways for women to learn and grow in the tech industry.
She said that the first step is to implement mentor programs and initiatives that empower women in your organization. To ensure that women continue to succeed, you must examine how your organization can move beyond these initiatives.
Life is not binary
It is crucial that women support other women in tech and that men support their female colleagues. However, it is equally important that all employees support LGBTQIA+ and transitioning members of the community. This will ensure that everyone feels safe and empowered at work.
Consider how you can support and include people in your company who want to be their best selves. Lloyd says, “By trying to be inclusive, we can be exclusivist through putting other people’s perceptions of gender on us in an unconscious way.” You can help your company create a culture that encourages people to reach their full potential by learning about others and being open-minded. How can you be an ally for your LGBTQIA+ colleagues Here are some tips to make your workplace more inclusive:
Be an ally
Stand up for what’s right
Don’t make assumptions
Ask questions and be open to hearing from others
Be compassionately curious
Educate yourself
Join and implement employee resource groups
These are just a few of the many things you can do in your company to support your LGBTQIA+ colleagues. Talk to your company to learn how you can help and be a better ally.
Related Blog: 5 Ways To Be a Ally With Your LGBTQIA+ Colleagues At Work
Neurodiversity – The Brain is a Complex Thing
Lloyd stated that we need to remove labels from the workplace in order to make it safe and comfortable for everyone. “I have grown two businesses from a start-up with no customers to a global brand. We now have customers around the globe. ADHD has helped me achieve this feat, but not because of it.
Everyone has the right to feel accepted at work. For neurodiverse people, that could mean making accommodations that promote equity.
To be truly inclusive, you must support the strengths of the neurodivers as you would any other person and accept the things they struggle with.
Racial Diversity
Leaders must be willing to work with people from diverse backgrounds to instill change.
“How can we support people from different backgrounds in the community?”