What Allyship Really Looks Like at Work
Allyship is a powerful practice that helps shape workplaces where everyone feels valued, included and empowered to contribute. It means creating space for different experiences, identities and voices to be heard, respected and supported.
While Pride Month gives us a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come with LGBTQ2+ inclusion, it also reminds us that allyship is an everyday action and not just for the queer community but for all minority and marginalized groups. True allyship is rooted in trust, transparency and an ongoing effort to create meaningful change.
There are many avenues to look at from a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) perspective, here are just few that deserve attention.
Trust and Transparency
Before we can support others, we have to be willing to build trust. That means being honest about what we don’t know, open to learning and willing to speak up when something isn’t right.
Trust is created when people know they can be themselves without fear of judgement or punishment. Transparency reinforces trust by demonstrating that leadership is committed to open communication and is not avoiding difficult conversations or withholding information. Together, trust and transparency form the backbone of a healthy, inclusive workplace culture.
Allyship means listening without defensiveness, asking thoughtful questions and being open to feedback. Even when it’s uncomfortable. It is not about perfection, but about consistently showing up with humility and meeting people where they are.
LGBTQ2+ Inclusion and Gender Diversity
Pride Month is an important time to celebrate progress, but it’s also a chance to acknowledge the work that’s still needed to support LGBTQ2+ and gender-diverse employees.
In a 2022 survey, 26% of LGBTQ2+ employees in Canada reported experiencing discrimination or harassment at work. Inclusion in this context involves reviewing policies, language and culture to ensure all employees feel safe and seen.
Allyship includes:
Using inclusive language (like sharing pronouns and avoiding gendered assumptions)
Speaking up when someone is being misgendered or humiliated based on gender or sexual orientation
Providing gender-inclusive facilities and benefits
Creating employee resource groups or safe spaces for dialogue
Being an ally to the LGBTQ2+ community is about positive role modeling and making structural changes that help people bring their full selves to work every day.
Indigenous Youth
One area where allyship and inclusion are especially important is in supporting Indigenous communities. According to a recent RBC study, Indigenous youth are the fastest-growing cohort of youth. In fact, the median age of Indigenous Canadians is 29 years old, compared to 41 years for the non-Indigenous population.
This demographic shift signals that Indigenous youth will play an increasingly significant role in shaping Canada’s future workforce. As such, employers have a responsibility to foster inclusive environments where Indigenous employees can thrive. Moreover, both the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action urge corporate Canada to ensure equitable access to employment opportunities for Indigenous peoples.
Lynn White is the CEO of Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society (ACCESS), an organization rooted in Indigenous values and committed to increasing Indigenous participation in the labour market. ACCESS emphasizes the vital need for culturally grounded and respectful work environments. Serving the urban Indigenous population in Vancouver, ACCESS provides training and employment pathways that honour both personal growth and community connection.
“Creating inclusive spaces goes beyond policy,” says White. “It means reflecting Indigenous identity in visible and meaningful ways - through welcoming environments that include Indigenous artwork, land acknowledgments, and opening the day in a good way, perhaps with a prayer or song to set intention and bring people together in spirit.”
ACCESS builds strong partnerships with post-secondary institutions and employers who not only welcome Indigenous learners and workers but also actively embrace Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. “When our people are surrounded by symbols of their culture and supported by those who understand its value, it brings a sense of belonging and pride,” White shares. “It helps us feel grounded, even when we are away from our families and home territories.”
Workplaces that lift up Indigenous youth - by offering mentorship, career-building opportunities, and leadership development—create lasting change. “There’s a real opportunity across this country to do more,” says White. “When employers make space for Indigenous excellence to thrive, everyone benefits.”
Age Diversity
Age diversity is an important, and often overlooked, part of workplace inclusion, especially as mature workers aged 55 and over now make up more than one in five employed Canadians. Despite being the fastest-growing demographic in the labour market over the last 20 years, age bias - particularly against older workers - continues to be a real issue.
Too often, aging workers face assumptions that they’re out of touch, slow to adapt, or no longer a good “fit” for today’s fast-paced workplaces. On the other hand, younger workers may be dismissed as inexperienced or unreliable.
The reality is, both groups bring unique strengths. Senior team members offer decades of experience and deep institutional knowledge, while junior employees contribute fresh perspectives, digital fluency, and new ways of thinking.
Allyship in this area might look like:
Re-examining recruitment and promotion practices for age bias
Offering reverse mentorship opportunities
Designing benefits and policies that reflect a range of life stages
Allyship in this context is about challenging age biases. Age in itself is not a barrier to embracing technology or being unreliable - employees across generations in the workplace add value.
Mental Health and Psychological Safety
Mental health is an essential part of diversity and inclusion. Invisible challenges, like anxiety, depression, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or trauma, affect how people show up at work. But because we can’t always see these struggles, they’re often misunderstood or dismissed.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 1 in 5 people in Canada will experience a mental health problem in any given year. That’s a significant portion of the workforce.
Psychological safety is what allows people to say, “I need support” or “I made a mistake” without fear of being judged or penalized. When leaders model vulnerability and openness, it sets the tone for everyone else.
Ways to support mental health at work:
Train managers and staff to recognize and respond to signs of burnout and stress
Incorporate wellness or mental health days to your paid time off policy
Offer flexibility around work hours or location
Allyship in this area means building a workplace culture where people feel safe, supported and accepted in all aspects of their humanity.
Why Inclusion Fuels Innovation
Inclusion supports both individual wellbeing and organizational success. Diverse teams are more creative, more effective and better at solving problems. When people with different backgrounds, ages and identities work together, they challenge each other’s assumptions and bring new ideas to the table.
On the flip side, homogenous teams are more likely to fall into groupthink - a tendency to go along with the majority opinion, even when it’s not the best choice. True innovation requires discomfort, disagreement and curiosity.
Allyship helps prevent groupthink by actively inviting in different perspectives and making sure those voices are heard.
Building trust and inclusion into the foundation of your workplace creates the kind of environment where teams can grow and learn, far beyond simply meeting DEI expectations.
Moving from Performative to Proactive
Many workplaces start their DEI journey with good intentions. Allyship becomes meaningful when good intentions are followed by consistent, thoughtful action. If DEI only shows up during certain months or events, it risks becoming performative.
To move from performative to proactive, consider:
Reviewing all policies with an equity lens to ensure inclusive and barrier-free systems
Running regular equity audits to assess gaps in hiring, pay and promotion, being mindful of legislative requirements like pay transparency or pay equity provisions
Providing DEI training that goes beyond compliance
Creating employee feedback channels that are safe and anonymous and being open to the feedback received
Be strategic about DEI and work this into corporate planning but take it one step at a time. Do one thing, then do the next. Real change happens step by step.
Final Thoughts
Allyship is an ongoing journey, one that involves asking questions, listening with intention and continuing to show up even when the path feels uncertain.
When we lead with trust and transparency, we build stronger workplaces. Workplaces where people - regardless of their background, identity, or age - feel like they belong.
Get in touch with us today to discover how our customized HR on Retainer services can alleviate people and culture pain-points while supporting business deliverables. Let’s work together to support your team, streamline operations, and adapt to the evolving workplace.
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