Allyship: We can all do something.

Allyship:  We can all do something.

I’m on the national Board of Directors for the Women’s Affordable Housing Network (WAHN), and our goal is to promote opportunities for all people to succeed in our industry sector.  We quickly recognized that to accomplish that goal, we needed the help of our male allies who comprise the majority of the leadership positions in organizations. 

All of us have been fortunate enough to work with wonderful allies, so we wanted to recognize those men who actively work to make room for women and other underrepresented groups in the industry.  We recently hosted a panel discussion with these allies, and the takeaways transcend any specific industry sector, so I wanted to share what I learned. 

Being an ally isn’t complicated.  Most people outside of HR are intimidated by all things related to diversity, equity and inclusion.  But there are small ways to make big impacts in the lives of the women and other underrepresented groups at your organization. 

Host inclusive events.  One of our allies shifted the traditional golf-outing paradigm to something more inclusive and approachable, like Bocce Ball.  Business is done on the golf course, but if someone doesn’t know how to golf, or doesn’t have the time/money to invest in learning, opportunities are missed.  There may be some Bocce Ball phenoms out there but choosing an activity that is open to all instantly elevates its inclusivity.  You don’t have to give up golf outings altogether but providing an opportunity to learn golf basics would be another great first step at inclusivity. 

Call out inappropriate behavior. If you witness something that is disrespectful, make it clear that the action or words aren’t appropriate and won’t be tolerated.  Follow up with the individual privately to ensure they understand why their words or actions crossed a line; many times, it’s unintentional. 

Also, listening and validating a female coworker’s experience is also empowering for her.  We’ve been told we’re overly emotional, even crazy, for our reactions to certain experiences.  Having a male ally listen and say, “you’re right.  That was disrespectful,” allows us to find our voices and call out that behavior in the future. 

Check the room.  If you’re always in the room where it happens, look around to see who is missing.  Whether it be in the conference room where policies are being debated, the boardroom where organization vision and strategy are created, on a Zoom call with clients, advocate for those missing to be included, or do your best to consider their interests.  Ask yourself, “how can we make sure their voices are heard?”

Practice inclusive professionalism.  Bring people to the forefront who might not have had the opportunity to provide their expertise.  Promote diversity on panels, boards.  Our allies have all recommended women and people of color for panels they themselves were approached to participate in.   Make sure they’re included in conversations with clients, are copied on emails, are handling projects that give them chances to stretch and shine.  Be a mentor.  Get to know people in your organization you don’t normally cross paths with and ask how you can help them succeed.

Support your team’s development.  Organizations that not only allow but encourage participation in professional networking organizations foster inclusive environments.  Do you have a budget for membership fees, conference costs, continuing education?  Have you invited your teammates to join organizations you belong to? 

Examine your policies.  Many employee handbooks are ripe for revision.  No one enjoys doing it, but give yours a read, or even better, have women and other underrepresented team members take a look.  Invite your team to suggest changes and determine what’s possible.  One of our allies was a voice for overhauling their organization’s parental leave policy. 

Measure your results.  Data isn’t easy to come by in our industries, but we need benchmarks to see if we’re improving.  Women make up roughly 10% of the total workers in construction, or 971,000 women, according to the most recent survey of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  According to a 2022 survey by ULI, 26% of the real estate industry is female.  Measure your organization against those numbers and set goals about where you’d like to be.  Adjust your recruiting efforts to target women and other underrepresented groups.

Being an ally is a way of thinking.  It’s not one event or circumstance, but a day-to-day habit or way of thinking, that creates a strong ally. Allyship is leveraging networks, advocating for professional development and equitable policies, and listening. 

We all might not be able to do all the things these allies shared, but we can all do something to make our organizations, and our industries, more inclusive.