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Positive work environments are essential to the success of businesses and individuals. Inclusion plays an important role in this. EY Research shows that nearly two-thirds (63%) of Gen Z employees consider it “very or extremely” important to work for an employer who shares their values. These employees prioritize fulfilling careers where they feel valued over making money. McKinsey recently reported that allyship is a critical success factor for DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives. It also promotes a positive future for all your staff and colleagues. Some experts even declare that the “alliance” is the best skill set of 2023.
We often encounter vague statements about what it means to be an ally. Here are some real-world examples from the fintech industry that demonstrate effective partnership.
Support others
As a disabled person working in the fintech sector, Kris Foster, founded Open Book to increase awareness of people with disabilities. He speaks of the “transformative power” of the alliance. He says being an ally means supporting those around you. You can do this by “challenging stereotypes, building deeper relationships, and helping others see the human behind preconceptions and prejudices.” Kris shares different perspectives and lived experiences through posts, podcasts, events and panel discussions. He believes that the “real ally” is found in those “who pass the microphone” to allow more voices to be heard.
Showing the paths to success
Maggie Jiang is Vice President of Transaction Banking at Norwegian financial services group, DNB. She says being an ally is ‘community awareness‘. She is passionate about “demonstrating that there are multiple paths to success.” She says this is especially important for “communities of people who don’t know what’s possible.” It does this through connection and education programs. Encourage the sharing of atypical professional paths and career developments.
Report bad behavior
Sarah Persova, head of the Fintech Dojo engineering team, believes that allies use the power of their action by “calling it”. She says, “Don’t just say you’re accommodating. Be accommodating. Don’t just say you’re going to hold someone accountable. Empower them, defend them and stand with them. She gave the example of someone at a meeting who stood up and said: This is not acceptable – this is not how we should treat people. “Listening” to someone involves asking them what they want. You can set business standards for meetings and ideation sessions.
Recognize fairly
Sarah Wachter is responsible for communications and branding at the European integrated banking company Swan. She says recognition is a form of allyship and works well to highlight great work, regardless of hierarchy. You should “notice whose work isn’t highlighted as much as others, for whatever reason.” Whether a senior manager or an intern, it’s beneficial to celebrate great work and follow through on opportunities to lead and grow. This state of mind must be diffused in all teams: “it is not necessary to be a manager to slow down others”.
Inclusive growth
Amélie Berille is the head of talent acquisition at Swan. She underlines the need to favor “new talents” rather than “migrant seniors”. “If you want to recruit only senior profiles from successful engineering schools… you will move talent from one company to another. » By doing so, she says, “you contribute nothing to the ecosystem”. The Allies will focus more on recruiting, coaching and training juniors.
Look for accessible opportunities everywhere
According to Amélie and Sarah, the Swan product team is their “greatest ally and champion of inclusiveness”. Across the company, Swan tries to ensure every interaction is accessible. This includes viewing technical documentation, marketing materials, website, etc. “What names do we use? Do these names represent nationality and gender diversity? asked Sarah, adding, “We’re careful not to label these John Does every time.” »
Building an inclusive environment
CJ Barton is the COO of WealthKernel, an integrated and flexible investment company. To create better environments, they have “zero tolerance for brother culture or mocking jokes.” CJ focuses its alliance efforts on encouraging all points of view and open debate. They say it’s about “not allowing one homogeneous section of your business to become the norm and everyone else to be the other.” This creates an “us versus them” mentality. If you appeal to people who don’t adhere to the traditional image, voice or ideas of a particular industry, you will attract more people like them and demonstrate that diversity is possible.
Have strong role models and go back to school
Clare Jones, HR Director at GSS – Global Screening Services, believes that strong role models are crucial in businesses and society in general. She says these models should “be visible, be accessible and have a voice.” The emphasis is on having visible role models that others can relate to and help shape their journey. Businesses can also interact with their teams and encourage ideas and suggestions. For example, this can work through employee resource groups or volunteer committees. Leaders don’t have to find all the answers and sometimes the best ideas come from the wider business. Businesses may consider engaging with schools, colleges and universities. This can inspire our next generations. Career paths will be opened up in areas that people might not have considered. Further expand the talent pool to a much wider population in a sustainable manner.
Allies multiply opportunities
Rebecca Jones, Customer Success Manager at Access PaySuite, focuses on payments. She believes allies should distribute opportunities across seniority levels. This can take many different forms, including ‘intergenerational mentoring‘. When mentoring a Gen Z, she discussed the power of having a digitally native mentee. They questioned everything and fought back, asking, “Why does this have to be this way? » This approach brought an open-mindedness and healthy challenge to the company that it had never seen before in other generations. Listening to others in these circumstances encourages further action. This might take the form of inviting these people to meetings and encouraging them to contribute their ideas. They can also practice speaking in front of more experienced members. It goes further by highlighting how you can invite these people to your networking events and show them the benefits you get from it.
Create safe spaces
Tandem Bank is a financial institution committed to a sustainable future. Kirsten Lightfoot, their head of talent and development, believes that creating a safe space for everyone is essential to being an ally. According to Kirsten, it is crucial to listen to everyone’s point of view, not just those who are used to speaking out. Tandem Bank People Council members present segments at monthly and quarterly meetings. This “creates a friendlier space for people to connect and feel represented.” This helps individuals build their personal brand. This opens up opportunities for people who might not benefit from this level of exposure on a daily basis.
Workplace inclusion is about everyone wanting to create better workplaces for everyone. These examples can help anyone become an active ally by following one of these steps.