A medida que repensamos el futuro del trabajo, los líderes deben incorporar nuevas formas de generar empatía y mostrarse ante sus equipos como aliados y defensores, tanto en los lugares de trabajo físicos como en los remotos.

Los aliados en el lugar de trabajo son personas que se esfuerzan por aprender sobre las experiencias únicas de sus colegas, desaprender sus prejuicios y estereotipos, y reaprender nuevas habilidades con la comprensión de que existe un desequilibrio en las oportunidades, que debe cambiar para que todos tengan éxito.

Los lugares de trabajo remotos e híbridos ofrecen más inclusión y flexibilidad para las personas con discapacidades, los padres y otros cuidadores, las personas LGBTQIA y las personas de color que experimentan regularmente microagresiones y acoso.

Managers, Here’s How to Be a Better Ally in the Remote Workplace
Melinda Briana Epler
c.2022 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp.

Melinda Briana Epler is the CEO of Change Catalyst, where she works with tech companies to address diversity, equity and inclusion. She is the author of «How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace.»

From HBR.org

People with underrepresented identities continue to experience higher rates of stress, exhaustion and burnout. As we rethink the future of work, leaders must incorporate new ways to build empathy and show up for their teams as allies and advocates in both physical and remote workplaces.

LEARN, UNLEARN, RELEARN.

Allies in the workplace are people who make an effort to learn about their colleagues’ unique experiences, unlearn their biases and stereotypes and relearn new skills with an understanding that there is an imbalance in opportunity that needs to change in order for everyone to succeed. On teams, this growth begins with managers initiating interactions that <a href=»https://hbr.org/2013/12/the-focused-leader» rel=»nofollow»>develop empathy</a> and open communication.

In remote settings, you and your team are not going to have random water cooler chats or run into each other in the hall. If you want to build better relationships and gain a real understanding of one another, you need to be intentional and schedule those moments.

RE-CREATE THE WATER COOLER.

Virtual team-building exercises and informal group activities are a great way to encourage remote or hybrid team members to connect. Our team meets weekly for 30 minutes to catch up on each others’ lives with just two rules:

— We divide the duration of the meeting by the number of people in our group, and use that as a time limit to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to talk.

— We can’t talk about work.

PRO TIP: If your team is having trouble connecting, there are plenty of virtual team bonding activities to consider. I’ve heard about teams building gingerbread houses, cooking, creating terrariums, making art, playing trivia or digital games and more.

OFFER ALLYSHIP LEARNING.

Our research finds that most people want to learn about allyship through interactive training. Many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practitioners offer remote workshops. Ask your DEI, human resources teams or employee resource groups what learning opportunities they offer.

PRO TIP: If you don’t have a learning and development budget, advocate for one.

DO NO HARM.

Allies make corrections to their own words and actions so that they don’t unintentionally harm people through biases and <a href=»https://hbr.org/2020/07/when-and-how-to-respond-to-microaggressions» rel=»nofollow»>microaggressions</a>.

DO NOT LET MICROAGGRESSIONS GO — IN ANY SETTING.

Our research shows that people who have experienced discrimination want allies to take action when someone harms or belittles them. As a leader, you must practice consciousness and intentionality by regularly considering how your words and actions might make someone else feel.

In a virtual setting, common verbal microaggressions include: interrupting, taking more than your share of time, dismissing or taking credit for someone else’s ideas, diminishing someone’s experience, stereotyping and using <a href=»https://hbr.org/2020/07/when-and-how-to-respond-to-microaggressions» rel=»nofollow»>racist</a>, <a href=»https://hbr.org/2020/11/research-small-wins-can-make-a-big-impact-on-gender-equality» rel=»nofollow»>sexist</a> or <a href=»https://hbr.org/2020/12/why-you-need-to-stop-using-these-words-and-phrases» rel=»nofollow»>ableist language</a>.

PRO TIP: Before making decisions, you can check your biases by pausing and asking yourself:

— What assumptions am I making?

— How might biases be influencing my thoughts?

— Am I treating all individuals fairly?

— Are my responses inclusive, respectful and transparent?

INTERRUPT INTERRUPTIONS AND OTHER MICROAGGRESSIONS.

In video meetings and internal chat messages, speak up if you hear or see something inappropriate. Be mindful of who’s talking regularly and whose opinions haven’t been heard. This is very important on hybrid teams when people “in the room” may feel more connected and willing to speak up than those who are joining remotely.

PRO TIP: Check in with anyone who experiences a microaggression. During a private meeting you can say something like, “I wanted to check in with you after what happened. First, I want to let you know that wasn’t OK with me. Second, I want to find out how you’re doing. Third, I wanted to let you know what I’m going to do about it, and ask if you have any feedback. It’s OK if you don’t.”

MIND YOUR MICROEXPRESSIONS.

On video, our facial expressions and body language are amplified. If we’re looking off to the side, multitasking or otherwise appearing to be less than fully present, it can impact how the person on the other end feels and experiences the call. Work to be fully present, and even prime yourself to think about the emotions you want to bring into a call.

PRO TIP: In chats and emails, remember to pause before hitting send to make sure you’re sending a thoughtful message to the human or humans on the other end.

ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE.

Advocacy is a key piece of good allyship, and it’s particularly important for managers. Overwhelmingly, we found that people want allies to show trust in them, help boost their confidence and mentor them.

PROVIDE REGULAR CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK AND MICROAFFIRMATIONS.

During your one-on-ones, make sure that you are providing consistent, equitable and actionable feedback. <a href=»https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167220916622″ rel=»nofollow»>Women</a>, <a href=»https://hbr.org/2019/03/women-of-color-get-less-support-at-work-heres-how-managers-can-change-that» rel=»nofollow»>particularly women of color</a>, tend to receive <a href=»https://hbr.org/2016/04/research-vague-feedback-is-holding-women-back» rel=»nofollow»>less quality feedback</a> that can help them make needed course corrections and develop as leaders.

Microaffirmations are another form of feedback that can be valuable in remote settings. Nonverbal feedback like nodding, showing you’re paying attention to someone speaking, indicating you want to learn more or showing you’re confused by one of their points can help someone in the moment.

PRO TIP: You can build up someone’s confidence through microaffirmations, inviting them to speak and lead important projects, recommending them for a job or promotion or being their champion. Remotely, you will need to be more intentional about these actions as you likely have limited time with each person on your team.

ADVOCATE FOR YOUR TEAM’S MENTAL HEALTH.

More employees are experiencing <a href=»https://hbr.org/2021/02/beyond-burned-out» rel=»nofollow»>burnout</a> than ever before, especially those with underrepresented identities. Most teams would benefit from a focus on mental health and stress reduction during this time. A few actions you might take:

— Schedule weekly or biweekly check-ins.

— Don’t be afraid to have impromptu chats.

— Encourage people to take their paid time off.

PRO TIP: If something traumatic or painful happens in the news — like racial, gender or religious injustice — it’s important that you research exactly what occurred and address it appropriately with your team. This might be as simple as recognizing what’s happening at the top of your team meeting and inviting people to let you know if they could use time off to process. What happens outside of work often impacts us at work — and showing empathy in these moments can build team trust, improve psychological safety and increase feelings of belonging.

REMOTE AND HYBRID workplaces offer more inclusion and flexibility for <a href=»https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2021/05/12/how-hybrid-remote-work-improves-diversity-and-inclusion/?sh=1e276c2c321f» rel=»nofollow»>people with disabilities, parents and other caregivers</a>, <a href=»https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/22/remote-work-can-be-more-equitable-and-inclusive-to-lgbtq-employees.html» rel=»nofollow»>LGBTQIA folks</a> and <a href=»https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/13/workplace-microaggressions-remote-workers/» rel=»nofollow»>people of color who regularly experience microaggressions and harassment</a>. Use this guidance to recognize what people need and support them.

Tenga cuidado con las alianzas performativas ya que estas tienden a mantener es estatus quo.

Un aliado se revelará a través de acciones, no de palabras.

Al identificar a aliados masculinos, las mujeres pueden trabajar con ellos para ayudar a desmantelar las estructuras de poder sistémicas que impiden la igualdad de oportunidades para el desarrollo y el avance profesional.

How Women Can Identify Male Allies in the Workplace
Tsedale M. Melaku and Christoph Winkler
c.2022 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp.

Tsedale M. Melaku is an assistant professor of management at the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College. Christoph Winkler is founding program director of the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Iona College.

From HBR.org

Women have faced significant obstacles attempting to climb up the ranks in the workplace. The journey continues to be fraught with many structural barriers that <a href=»https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace» rel=»nofollow»>prevent them from gaining access</a> to the same level of opportunities enjoyed by most men. Women continue to struggle to find the support and advocacy they need and identify the allies who can help them.

Anyone and everyone can be an ally. But <a href=»https://hbr.org/2021/02/male-allyship-is-about-paying-attention» rel=»nofollow»>male allies</a> who recognize and understand the importance of fostering an inclusive, welcoming and equitable workplace culture can help break down the barriers that women face at work. Since men often sit in powerful positions of organizations, women can work with them to help dismantle the systemic power structures that prevent equal opportunity for professional development and advancement.

How can women identify male allies in the workplace? Here’s a guide to spotting them.

TAKE THE TEMPERATURE.

It’s easier to chart a pathway toward allies if you’ve seen patterns of people who have helped marginalized group members advance, particularly women of color. It’s a red flag if you’re not seeing members of underrepresented groups presented with opportunities for growth. These observations could potentially be a sign of a weak culture of allyship, among other workplace equity concerns within the organization.

LOOK FOR PATTERNS.

Ask yourself these questions when trying to identify an ally: Does this person speak up in pressured moments, deploying their privilege by stepping in and raising eyebrows to the inequities witnessed? Is there a pattern of performance when it comes to public displays of support that do not add up to concrete results? Are there people who have a genuine interest in advancing marginalized individuals? If so, who are they?

BEWARE OF PERFORMATIVE ALLYSHIP.

We know that authentic allyship comes with attempts by those with privilege to deploy it to advocate publicly and privately for those who are marginalized without promoting their virtuousness. And they do this to effect change. Performative allyship is the opposite, where individuals label themselves allies and profess to be in solidarity with equity projects without committing to doing the work. <a href=»https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0011000017717712″ rel=»nofollow»>Performative allyship</a> maintains the status quo.

TRUST YOUR GUT, TAKE A CHANCE — BUT …

Once you have identified someone you perceive to be an ally, put in the time to nurture a trusting relationship. But continue paying attention to how members of the <a href=»https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/08969205211003316″ rel=»nofollow»>organization are demonstrating a commitment to building and sustaining an equitable workplace</a>. It’s imperative that white women, too, deploy their white privilege to support other marginalized groups. The question then becomes, once women rise, how can they move toward lifting those who they know are facing similar if not more structural barriers in the workplace?

Having a true ally in the workplace is not only knowing that you have an accomplice, collaborator and advocate, but that others will, too. An ally is bound by the profound commitment to challenge and dismantle existing systems of inequality to ensure that everyone has access to professional advancement and a safe and equitable place to work. Remember: An ally will reveal himself through actions, not words.