Aitch Are Gives You...
It's not often you spend an hour on Zoom and are sorry that the call has to come to an end, but this was one of those rare occasions...
Let me explain. The amazing Chikere Igbokwe joined the latest instalment of the International HR Forum's virtual Annual Do and hosted an interactive, hard-hitting and thought-provoking session on allyship in the workplace. As founder of allyship.co.uk, Chikere's mission in life is to create a community for allies to learn, connect and fully understand the discrimination faced by black and minority groups. But, I hear you ask, what is an ally, in this context? It is someone who uses their power and privilege to support and advocate for black and minority groups by appreciating what is going on and the challenges being faced. So what makes for a good ally? The following would be a good start:
Blimey. Micro-aggresions. That's a new one. What is it? Micro-aggressions are comments, which can be made unintentionally and even with no malicious intent, that are nonetheless demeaning in nature as they relate to someone's race. An example Igbokwe gave was someone asking her why she couldn't have a "normal" name. So what is HR's role in all of this? Surely it is to make sure there is no place for potentially contentious issues in the workplace? Well, actually, no. It is to actively promote allyship in the workplace by, for example:
So, how do I become engaged with allyship? Here are some great resources:
Before I go, a final challenge for you, that Chikere posed to the attendees... If you struggle with answering all or some of the following, then just how diverse is your world, and how much of an ally can you truly be?
You can (should!!) connect with Chikere on Twitter (@chikereigbokwe) or via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chikereigbokwe/).
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AuthorSenior HR executive who has seen it all. On a mission to simplify the world of work. Archives
May 2020
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