Many critics and companies are quick to point out others’ failed diversity initiatives and lack of equity or parity. However, it’s less common to see celebration for those doing allyship well – and we want to change that! Here are a few ways to identify and celebrate awesome allyship with professional women and moms of color:
#1 Increased retention
The proof is in people sticking around! Companies with high retention, particularly of their professional women and moms of color, are most likely doing allyship well. By implementing deliberate steps toward allyship, companies can greatly increase the number of employees they retain and, consequently, save thousands of dollars in turnover costs.
Who’s retaining their employees? We’re recognizing Salesforce! According to Comparably, Salesforce’s retention rate ranks in the top 10% of similarly-sized companies. Their allyship efforts include a newly-formed Racial Equality and Justice Task Force and a commitment to doubling the U.S. representation of Black employees in leadership positions by 2023.
#2 The support of your allies
What good is allyship if your allies aren’t on board? One definite marker of an individual or company making admirable allyship efforts is the support of the group they’re allying with. One way to make sure that you or your company are making effective efforts is to listen. Sit down with the people you’d like to ally with and find out what they really want and need, and then make changes.
One company allying with women specifically is Hilton. Hilton was ranked first in Fortune’s “Best Workplaces for Women 2020.” They jumped up to #1 from #14 in 2018! Hilton identified what women employees really wanted in the workplace and put those items into action. Their initiatives include several programs to help women develop at different stages in their careers as well as benefits geared toward families, such as flexibility in the work environment, extended parental leave, and even adoption assistance.
#3 Community impact
If a company is doing allyship well, the benefits don’t stop within the company; they spread to the community! If an individual or company is creating positive change for the group they’re allied with, they’re likely doing something right. Community impact might be as small as within a school or local organization or as large as a national or global movement. No matter the size, impact is an excellent way to identify incredible allyship.
Today we’re celebrating The Mom Project for their work both inside their company and within their niche community! Their goal is to create opportunities for women so they don’t have to choose between having a family and having a career. The Mom Project digitally connects professional women to world-class companies that meet their needs for pay and flexibility. To impact the community, The Mom Project founded RISE, a scholarship program to help moms and women of color upskill their tech certifications. RISE also assists with job placement and offers moms and women of color support and community.
At We Optimize Work, we’re enthusiastic about helping executives and companies ally with professional women and moms of color. Let us partner with you so that you can start doing allyship right! Email Domonique at info@weoptimizework.com or reach out to her personally on LinkedIn to get started.
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