How to challenge performative allyship in the workplace and support Black employees year-round
Though Black History Month is recognized every February, it’s important to learn about, reflect on, and celebrate the unique contributions and achievements of Black Americans, along with acknowledging the challenges that they continue to face. As Sara Clarke Kaplan, the Executive Director of the American University Antiracist Research & Policy Center, recently pointed out, "There is no American history without African American history.”
Just as the Black experience is a crucial part of American history, it is also a crucial part of the American present—including at work.
But what if your workplace doesn't see it that way? What if you’re in an environment that recognizes Black History Month with an event or press release, but does nothing to address systemic inequities or support its Black employees through the rest of the year? What if your workplace’s allyship is only performative?
My workplace just wants to check the “diversity” box
We hear regularly from texters who struggle with the fact that their workplaces and company leadership say that diversity and equity are important, and may even celebrate Black History Month, but their actions tell a very different story.
This is an example of performative allyship. It means that a workplace’s promise of allyship isn’t actually about helping underrepresented workers, but more about checking the “diversity” box and aiming to be rewarded without actually taking action.
One way this shows up is when organizational staff and/or leadership do not reflect or represent the communities being served. One texter who reached out to Empower Work shared the following:
“The board [of the nonprofit where I work] is entirely white, middle aged and older, able bodied, educated, middle class, cisgendered....[but] the organization predominantly serves Black and African American communities."
Unfortunately, this trend is all too common.
We hear from many people who feel a disconnect in their workplace: leadership might say diversity is important, or go through the motions of supporting diversity-related initiatives, but they do not foster a supportive or inclusive environment. Many leaders may even get defensive when others point this out.
That same texter also shared:
"[The Executive Director, a white woman] believes the org already has been doing equity work, however, the founder, the board, all leadership is white..... [a] foundation told her that the board needed more diversity and she immediately said they needed more women.....”
This is a good—and unfortunate—example of a leader who isn’t as open-minded or inclusive as they believe themselves or the organization to be. An important aspect of creating equitable workplaces is starting within your own team and leadership first - workplaces should commit to equity and inclusion in every part of the organization. Indeed, even in addressing diversity in the workplace, it’s important to underscore the importance of intersectionality: that employees who hold two or more historically marginalized identities have unique experiences of oppression and lack of opportunity.
If this is happening in my workplace, what can I do?
If you find yourself stuck in a workplace that only performs allyship during Black History Month but fails to take action the rest of the year, you may find yourself feeling frustrated, disappointed, or at a loss for what to do. You may even find yourself questioning your own experience—especially if you’re one of the only people pointing out the disconnect.
If you’re feeling this way, though, chances are good that others are too.
Depending on the specifics of your situation, here are a few things to consider as you decide what you’d like to do:
Connect with likely allies at work. Is there a coworker who might have a similar perspective, an employee resource group, or someone who might help you strategize if you want to take action? Finding others who see what you see will help you feel less alone, and will make it easier to envision collective change.
Consider what’s within your control—and what you have capacity for. Is there a way to share feedback with leadership, or convene an informal meeting to start brainstorming ideas? How much of your own time and energy do you want to spend trying to push these conversations forward? It’s not your responsibility to change an entire organization, though there may be small ways you can help.
Prioritize your own mental health and wellbeing. Systems and culture don’t change overnight, and working to make these large-scale types of changes can be taxing. Be sure you have support systems in place as you start to take these first steps.
Reconnecting with your own agency in a situation that feels overwhelming or out of your control is one of the most effective ways to move forward. Empower Work is in your corner: reach out and chat with a trained peer counselor at 510-674-1414 to talk through your situation.
If you’re looking for ways to become a better ally, here are a few suggestions:
Exercise allyship beyond Black History Month. The responsibility of educating people about the Black experience in the US–and in workplaces–shouldn’t rest on the Black community. Allyship can be exercised year-round by non-Black employees. Being an ally means educating yourself on the depth of the Black experience but also looking within yourself by challenging your own assumptions, beliefs, and attitudes. This could mean speaking up and bringing biases in the workplace to light.
Continue to learn and listen. If you’re often asking yourself, “How can I become a better ally?”, one of the most important ways to learn is to do the work and individual research. This could mean finding resources about how to be more inclusive at work, reading books on how to do better as an ally, or listening to podcasts that discuss the Black experience. Choose a form of learning that works for you and continue to practice it year-round. The work is never done.
If I have a leadership role at work, how can I help support Black employees beyond Black History Month?
If you’re someone with positional power in your organization, such as working in HR or having a formal leadership role, there are specific steps you can take to support Black employees throughout the year.
Educate yourself on the difference between equity, diversity, and inclusion. Many workplaces focus on diversity, or the mere numbers of representation. Equity, on the other hand, is about addressing unfair systems, and inclusion is about putting practices in place to ensure that people of all backgrounds are supported in the workplace.
Understand that culture change comes from the top—especially when it comes to putting equity and inclusion into practice. In an interview about intersectionality in the workplace, Latasha Woods, a brand manager at Procter & Gamble, reflected on the importance of company leaders showing—not just saying—that they prioritize inclusion: “People spend a lot of time on what they know the boss cares about. If they see the boss cares about inclusion they will too.”
Remember that feedback—even challenging feedback—is a good thing! If an employee shares something that’s difficult for you to hear, just remember:
Sharing honest feedback takes courage. They may be expecting you to respond defensively or make excuses, yet the issue is important enough for them to share anyway.
Feedback implies a belief that things can be different. If the person giving feedback thought the workplace could never change, they would probably save themselves the stress of having the difficult conversation.
Stay committed to your own process of learning and action. For more on this, check out our series on contributing to a more inclusive workplace: Part 1: Commit to Learning, and Part 2: Take Action.
Building workplaces that uplift and support Black workers—and other BIPOC and historically marginalized workers—takes conscious, sustained efforts by many. This work is never over. Though Black History Month may be just recognized in February, you should consider how you can help promote equity in your own organization—every day, regardless of the time of year.
The good news? Empower Work is here to help, and a trained peer counselor is just a text away: 510-674-1414.
Note: Empower Work provides non-legal support for workplace challenges. This information, while authoritative, is not legal advice or guaranteed for legality. Employment laws and regulations vary by state. We recommend legal assistance or consulting with state resources for specific interpretation and decisions.
