Allyship 101
At OMG we want to share practical advice and guidance on how to ensure workplaces are inclusive and how best to support people from a variety of backgrounds for the longevity of their careers. We strive to create a more inclusive and diverse gaming landscape, fostering a community where everyone’s identity is celebrated and their contributions are valued.
It's not enough that LGBTQ+ employees aren't discriminated against - being an ally means supporting and celebrating everyone.
Being an ally
An ally supports an underrepresented group, challenges oppression, and advocates for the community. Allyship is an active, ongoing process.
Being an ally to underrepresented groups is not simply about speaking up if you see or hear something wrong. It's about ensuring those who speak up are heard and the appropriate action is taken. On a company-wide level allyship can be demonstrated in lots of ways by creating an open culture that welcomes diversity.
Committed to DEI
The hiring process is often the first impression an employee will get of the company so it's an important opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. See our article on diverse hiring for more information. Importantly, this continues through onboarding.
Putting your DEI commitments front and centre shows how important they are to the organisation. Knowing there are specific policies in place and where to find them is reassuring to new hires who may feel less confident in asking for the information. As a new starter they are assessing the company culture and their own place within the team. LGBTQ+ employees often have to risk-assess workplaces and decide whether it is safe or will be detrimental to be open about their identities.
Being committed to DEI means more than just saying so. Transparency around procedures, goals and clear plans to achieve them, admitting to shortcomings, and working with the team to improve, fosters trust and shows inclusion is a priority for the team.
Diversity Training
Too often diversity training is seen as simply a box-ticking exercise. This sends a clear signal about a commitment to being allies - or the lack of. It ought to be a positive experience and welcomed by everyone in the team. This attitude can be set by the leadership team.
Regular training sessions, coaching, and discussion keeps the whole team - including new starters - up to date with best practice, changes in company procedure, and in the law. Best practices, our understanding of what it is to be an ally, and what underrepresented groups need can change quickly and sometimes people can feel out of the loop or unsure. Regular training keeps everyone on the same page.
Go beyond pride month
Allyship is not just for Pride month. Without a year-round commitment any Pride celebrations can just look like a marketing opportunity. Pinkwashing or rainbow-washing, like its eco-equivalent greenwashing, prioritises public relations and profit over meaningful action.
Championing LGBTQ+ staff also needs to happen in the other eleven months of the year. Pride is a special time to celebrate but it's not the only time. It's also important to acknowledge intersectionality and how people can belong to multiple underrepresented groups.
Getting specific on policies
All businesses have to abide by the law but that is a bare minimum.
You might think a member of your team can ask about something that isn't explicitly covered in your current documentation - but they might not. If someone is having issues at work, or dealing with big personal changes, it can be daunting or tiring to take the initiative. They might fear being seen to make a fuss or rock the boat and singling themselves out. They might want to explore options privately or in their own time. Team leads, the leadership team, or HR should be available to answer questions or hear concerns but recognise this might not always be a team member's first port of call. In the case of bullying or harassment it is even more important to have robust reporting mechanisms and options for if the complaint involves people who would otherwise be in the reporting chain.
Relevant, inclusive policies and documentation show the company has considered and are open to the needs of their team. All companies should regularly audit their policies and procedures and seek feedback from staff. Older companies can become entrenched in their existing policies that could probably do with a refresh, or complacent that everything has always worked out fine so far. New companies might not have DEI policies as a priority and adopt a ‘we'll cross that bridge when we come to it’ attitude. This includes anti bullying and harassment policies
Don’t let overwhelm hold you back from making necessary changes. There are advocacy groups, diversity consultants, specialist HR or legal advice, all available to help. An employee group within the company (discussed in more detail later) can help show areas that might need developing. OMG has advice on hiring diversely and links to great organisations like Stonewall and Gendered Intelligence.
Inclusive, accessible, non-gendered language
Using inclusive, accessible, non-gendered language is wide-ranging but can have a big impact in making team members feel included.
One quick change is normalising sharing your pronouns. Anyone can include their pronouns in email signatures or on messaging apps, if they want to and feel comfortable doing so. It signals you care about other people’s identity and gives people confidence to share their pronouns with the understanding this will be respected. Don’t make assumptions about the pronouns someone uses and don’t assume they will always remain the same. Inclusive Employees have shared why they use pronouns in their signatures. https://www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk/blog/why-we-use-pronouns-in-signatures/
Most businesses have changed their ‘chairman’ to ‘chair’ and so on but gendered language and assumptions persist. Our own unconscious biases can make them hard to spot so it's important to think critically and be receptive to feedback from people who can spot issues we can't. One person might regard “Hi guys” as a gender-neutral greeting but it can be alienating.
An important part of allyship is making sure people feel safe and that they can speak up if they are uncomfortable - that their concerns will be taken seriously and not belittled or ignored. Microaggressions can be subtle or unintentional but no less insulting and send a clear message to the subject. Challenging this, and supporting others when they do, is an essential part of being an ally and building a safe, inclusive culture.
Practice empathy and try to be aware of the gaps in your knowledge
Unconscious biases affect our view of the world and their unconsciousness means they can be hard to spot. ‘Culture fit’ is a common one in business and leads to homogenous teams. Try to think about what this really means and the real world implications, challenging your own assumptions and biases. Swapping ‘culture fit’ to ‘cultural add’ challenges the narrative and promotes diversity.
Educating yourself is essential to being a good ally. There are lots of articles, videos, podcasts, and books that can help give you insights. An LGBTQ+ employee group (discussed later) can be an important voice in your company. Some individuals might be happy to talk and guide your understanding but not everyone will - for lots of different reasons and that's perfectly okay.
If someone in your team does want to talk - listen! This could be uncomfortable and challenging. Don’t get defensive. Centre the individual and their experiences so you can try to understand things from their point of view. With an open mind you and the company will be the better for it.
An LGBTQ+ employee group gives your LGBTQ+ team members a voice. Known by various names, including staff diversity groups, they are a way for underrepresented members of staff to come together, provide their perspectives, give feedback on procedures or initiatives, and hold the company accountable to its diversity commitments.
There are many elements to being an ally and it might seem overwhelming. There may be missteps and difficulties. The key is to keep listening and to be open to change. With this commitment you can build real inclusion and diversity in your team that will benefit everyone.
OMG is here if you have any questions or would like to discuss any of the issues raised in this article. Please feel free to contact us at leadership@outmaking.games