Welcome to the first instalment of a new column on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. In this offering, diversity, equity, and inclusion are briefly considered before going on to discuss what an Ally does, further expanding on the concept of Allyship in practice following on from a guest editorial in the November 2023 issue (Sengstock, 2023). Future columns will include topics such as neurodiversity, gender identity, and disability, all with a focus on paramedic practice.
Equality
The concept of equality in the workplace is not new. We should all be familiar with the concept of equal employment opportunities, which has now been a core component of the recruitment strategies of ambulance services for many years. Building an equal, diverse, and inclusive paramedic workplace is no longer a nice-to-have approach, it must be a core component of the recruitment strategy. Through recognising and harnessing the advantages of diversity in the workplace, people and organisations can achieve their full potential, with the result being a psychologically safe and well workplace.
Allyship
For many, the term ‘ally’ will not be new, although the concept of allyship being applied more broadly than support and advocacy of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is potentially something most people will not have considered (Brown and Ostrove, 2013). While some allies will have lived experience as a member of a marginalised group, this is not a prerequisite to becoming an ally. An ally actively supports, empowers and/or advocates for another person or group, working to mitigate bias, eliminate prejudice, and fight inequality in the workplace, and society more broadly (Arif et al, 2022).
Allies have a key role to play in supporting an organisation's equity, diversity, and inclusion strategy through key roles they can play in the organisation. Providing support to individuals in marginalised groups who may lack the power, status, or opportunity to advocate for themselves is a primary role undertaken by an ally (Arif et al, 2022).
Listening
One of the simplest ways that an Ally can offer support is to listen, be open, and create a safe space. Incorporating diversity and inclusion into everyday conversations allows allies to elevate the importance of inclusion in the workplace. Allies, particularly allies in leadership positions, can leverage their privilege to send the message that non-inclusive behaviours and/or discrimination will not be tolerated within the workplace, or the organisation. Having leaders champion diversity and inclusion increases the likelihood that diversity and inclusion will be embedded in organisational culture (Warren and Warren, 2023).
Breaking down barriers
Breaking down barriers to success for marginalised employees is a key role undertaken by allies, particularly allies with leadership responsibilities, as they are better placed to provide career development and advancement opportunities. Increasingly, organisations are requesting senior leaders to step up and sponsor an employee resource group, serving as a mentor who bridges the gap between organisational leadership and the employee resource group. Acting as a conduit between organisational leadership and the employee resource group allows leaders an opportunity to understand some of the unique challenges faced by marginalised groups, both inside and beyond the organisation.
Modelling inclusive behaviour
Modelling inclusive behaviours is a key role played by allies, ultimately influencing the shift in cultural norms to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As an either an ally, or an employee resource group champion, there is an opportunity to educate others about inclusions and the behaviours which might detract from inclusivity in the workplace.
Offensive or derogatory comments towards another individual or group in a conversation that an ally is a party to can be used as an opportunity for an ally to educate others on why a comment was offensive or inappropriate. This approach allows others to be aware of their words or actions and the impact that these have on others.
Advocating for change
Allies advocate for change, and for those individual allies outside the group impacted by the non-inclusive behaviour or policy, there is less personal risk and an increased opportunity to be heard (Arif et al, 2022). While some allies will have lived experience in a marginalised group, champions without this lived experience tend to be better placed to advocate for change as their motive for change will not appear self-serving and they are more likely to be successful in securing change.
While paramedics who identify as sexually or gender-diverse are increasingly accepted in the workplace, they continue to face challenges resulting from the hypermasculine culture of paramedicine (Sengstock and Curtis, 2023). As a profession, paramedicine tends to have both a public, and private, persona which can have a significant impact on the willingness of sexually- and gender-diverse paramedics to disclose their ‘true’ identity.
Redefining the norm
Bizzeth and Beagan (2023) draw on the concept of ‘heteroprofessionalism’, arguing that being professional has an encoded requirement to be, or to present as, heterosexual. As Sengstock and Curtis (2023) argue, there is a fine line between being accepted into the fold and being excluded. Male paramedics who are considered to be too feminine, and female paramedics who are considered to be too masculine, regardless of their sexual identity risk exclusion as they do not fit the accepted norm.
Recognising microaggressions
As a result of the increased legal protections for diverse populations and the expansion of human rights protections, Bizzeth and Beagan (2023) argue that one of the key approaches to policing heteroprofessionalism is through the use of microaggressions. Microaggressions consist of a range of behaviours such as disparaging comments, jokes, avoidant behaviours, being overlooked or discounted, being tokenised or exoticised (Bizzeth and Beagan, 2023). It is important to note that these behaviours may be interpersonal or environmental, being built into workplace or organisational practices and policies.
Microaggressions tend to result in regulation through a fear of consequences and this may lead to members of sexually- and gender-diverse populations, along with minority groups more generally, remaining invisible within the workplace.
Becoming allied
Allies, and employee resource group champions, have a key role to play in the establishment of the ‘allied organisation’. An ‘allied organisation’ can be considered as an organisation that is supportive of equality, diversity and inclusion, and actively challenges behaviours, policies and practices, which detract from equity, inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
The key roles of allies go some way to ensuring a psychologically safe and well workplace. However, at the end of the day, equity, diversity and inclusion is everyone's responsibility.