How to Be an Ally to Colleagues After Violence Against Their Community

How can you support a colleague after a mega-threat — a highly publicized, harmful, and often violent event outside of work that often targets historically marginalized groups? It can be difficult to know what — if anything — to say; in fact, employees often perceive these conversations as difficult, sensitive, and high-risk. But silence can be riskier, conveying that the threatened aspect of someone’s identity is not valued or important in the workplace. To help guide people who want to speak up but aren’t sure how, research suggests using three pillars of allyship — self-education, social support, and advocacy — to recognize a coworker and offer support.