Authentic allyship: How small actions create big change

Despite considerable progress in workplace equality, women still make up just 25 percent of the tech workforce, and only 11 percent of executive roles are held by women. These stark figures highlight the need for intentional, authentic allyship to overcome systemic barriers and accelerate advancement.

How can small, consistent acts of allyship meaningfully accelerate career growth, and close the leadership gap?

Understanding allyship

Allyship is not performative or occasional: it is a consistent, intentional practice. It starts with intentional listening: giving colleagues our full attention when they share their experiences, without interrupting or rushing to offer solutions. Speaking up against bias is equally vital; addressing inappropriate comments with respectful questions: “can we rethink how that might be perceived?”

Allyship asks whose voice is missing, shifting decision-making toward equity. Continuously learning about different cultures, identities, and perspectives builds the empathy and awareness needed to lead with impact.

The State of Allyship Report emphasises that allyship is not only vital for inclusion but also for business success. It shows that employees who feel supported by allies are more likely to take on leadership roles, seek promotions, and stay longer in their organisations.

A catalyst for career growth

Authentic allyship is a two-way growth engine. It opens doors to mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership opportunities, while building organisation-wide emotional intelligence, cross-functional relationships, and inclusivity. The 2024 UKRI Workforce Equality Monitoring report highlights that allyship is linked to greater career satisfaction and progression for those actively involved in driving inclusion.

Before key decisions, such as hiring or assigning a project, leaders should ask: “Whose perspective haven’t I considered?” The answers to this question will identify people to consult, who have a different lived experience or background. This small shift builds more inclusive outcomes and strengthens leadership through broader insight.

Supporting stronger leaders

Allyship enhances the leadership capabilities of allies through opportunities to mentoring women in tech (including reverse mentoring). It also creates space for diverse voices to lead, encouraging more inclusive, effective leaders. And, by championing others, allies demonstrate collaborative, forward-thinking leadership that accelerates their own career progression while driving meaningful change.

At our recent panel event on the power of allyship in career growth, our experts explored how allies play a pivotal role in building and maintaining relationships, seeking feedback to continuously grow, and creating a network for sustained career development. These experiences naturally shape more thoughtful, trusted leaders – ones who are invited to lead culture initiatives, mentor diverse talent, and represent their teams not because they sought visibility, but because they earned trust.

Leaders can identify a person in their network – especially someone from an underrepresented group – to support through mentorship or sponsorship. Set a clear intention: what’s one thing to help them achieve in the next six months? Whether it’s preparing for a promotion, expanding their network, or building confidence in a new role, allyship can be the catalyst for their next career milestone.

Cultivating critical skills and cultural change

For allies, it’s not about recognition or advancement, but about listening deeply and learning and helping others thrive in a psychologically safe environment. Supporting women in tech, engaging in reverse mentoring, and amplifying underrepresented voices fosters empathy, inclusive decision-making, and stronger relationships across teams. In championing others, allies help build a workplace where everyone can grow, and in doing so, they grow too.

In our work with HYDRA, a team focused on updating radar infrastructure to support the UK’s air defence strategy, we embedded psychological safety into the cultural fabric of the organisation, helping leaders to understand and action psychological safety within sustainable, high-performing teams. We identified opportunities to strengthen psychological safety to achieve sustainable high performance through regular programme activities, also developing a Team Charter to amplify the team’s strengths.

According to the IWF Foundation’s 2024 State of Allyship-in-Action report, authentic allies are three times more likely to influence inclusive culture change. Conversely, when allyship lacks integrity, employee trust drops by 40 percent, and engagement and retention rates decline – especially among underrepresented groups.

Allyship isn’t a destination. It’s a continuous journey that everyone can embark upon. By starting with small, intentional acts – listening deeply, amplifying unheard voices, and challenging inequities – we sow the seeds for meaningful change. Step by step, we can all transform our workplaces into spaces where everyone can thrive, grow, and lead.