What does true allyship look like?

In today's business landscape, it’s crucial for organizations to prioritize inclusivity. While Canada is renowned for its commitment to inclusiveness, HR professionals need to ensure that carries across into their organizational strategy and values.

June is known as Pride month – but that doesn’t mean that LGBTQ+ commitments should be confined to one month alone. Pride holds great importance, not just for the LGBTQ+ community, but for society as a whole. It’s a time to celebrate diversity, embrace individuality, and foster a sense of belonging. For organizations based in Toronto, known as the Pride hub, this becomes even more significant.

Speaking to HRD, Tania Gupta, associate director – HR at Horizon Media Canada, explains that it’s all about allowing your people to feel truly heard.

“So for example, setting up a station where we can write our views, our thoughts for the Pride community,” she says. “Express them and support the restaurants or the communities that work for people from Pride communities. This could include charity donations or even a happy hour where we talk about the logistics and challenges that the Pride community is facing right now.”

How to support the LGBTQ+ community

When it comes to promoting any kind of inclusivity at work, it’s important that HR lead by example – and not try to run the show. By allowing the LGBTQ+ community to take the lead on their own initiatives, employers are more likely to achieve authentic diversity – and not be accused of paying lip service to the cause.

According to data from the Harvard Business Review, LGTBQ+ employees are 84% more likely to be proud of their company if it’s known to be ally-inclusive. Despite this, 20% of organizations don’t have any LGTBQ+ policies in place – and, of those with policies, only 30% of HR managers say they’ve updated them in the past 12 months.

This is why true allyship is important. As Gupta tells HRD, allyship gives comfort to employees from different backgrounds and communities – and as such is really important in organizations.

“For example, if you're looking for vendors for an event, getting into that zone, finding them from a particular community could show that you’re open to accepting invitations from anywhere,” says Gupta. “And that there’s no discrimination.”

“When we, at Horizon Media, do something like this we always keep our people in mind,” she says. “We want to ensure that we’re doing everything possible to be inclusive. However, because we’re trying to do a lot of things we miss on certain points.

“For example, I’m trying to promote DEI – I tried to celebrate every culture. There’s an Asian culture, an Hispanic culture – there’s a Pride movement. So trying to do everything all at once means that sometimes you miss out on some parts – and that can become a big blowout to you.”

Listen to the LGBTQ+ community

Gupta advises that when you’re planning all these events, which HR often is, it’s important not to overdo it.

“We’re doing it in a certain capacity,” she tells HRD. “We are honouring everyone as people – as humanity.”

And for employers looking to make a real difference for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride and beyond, it all comes back to the community itself.

“It’s about valuing that community,” says Gupta. “Understanding that they’re the same. They don’t necessarily need a recognition – they just need to be felt. To feel like they belong and that they’re no different from us.”

As Gupta tells HRD, employees who’re members of the Pride community should always receive equal opportunities in the workplace.

“Voices should be heard,” she says. “And wherever there’s any requirement, accommodations should be made.”