Ahead of International Women’s Day, a new poll by Hays reveals the key barriers that prevent individuals from practising effective allyship at work. While allyship is widely recognised as essential for fostering fair, inclusive and equitable cultures, many respondents still feel unsure about how to put it into practice.
Key Findings:
- 30% cited a lack of skills or awareness as the biggest barrier to allyship,
- 27% said they feared “getting it wrong”,
- 27% said they do not see the value of allyship,
- 16% pointed to competing priorities or lack of time as a barrier.
When asked to identify the biggest barrier to effective allyship at work, 30% of respondents cited a lack of skills or awareness. A further 27% said they feared “getting it wrong”, while another 27% said they do not see the value of allyship. Sixteen per cent pointed to competing priorities or lack of time as a barrier.
Allyship means actively using your voice, influence and actions to support and advocate for others, especially those with different lived experiences. It is not a title or formal role, but a set of behaviours grounded in awareness, consistency and accountability.
Beyond the moral and cultural importance, allyship has a clear impact on businesses performance. Studies show that workplaces where people feel supported, valued and included consistently demonstrate higher engagement, stronger collaboration and lower turnover. When colleagues experience allyship they report greater trust in leadership and a stronger sense of belonging, factors linked to higher discretionary effort, reduced conflict and improved team performance. Increases in psychological safety also support innovation enabling people to share ideas, challenge assumptions and take calculated risks. Collectively, these dynamics improve overall productivity and are associated with stronger financial outcomes for businesses.
Hannah Sargeant, Director of Colleague Experience, Engagement and Change at Hays comments:
“This poll highlights the barriers that can make allyship feel challenging, from gaps in skills and awareness to concerns about getting it wrong. It does also show there is still significant work to do in helping individuals to understand the importance and value of allyship.
“While the findings focus on individual factors, these don’t exist in isolation. Organisations play a crucial role in providing the clarity, capability and psychological safety that help their teams take meaningful action, as well as showing the commercial impact having an inclusive culture has.
“Allyship is more than the right thing to do - it strengthens performance. When people feel seen, valued and supported, they do their best work, leading to stronger collaboration, better decision‑making and greater innovation.”
With International Women’s Day approaching, the findings highlight the importance of equipping employees with the tools and confidence to practise allyship every day. Building these capabilities is a strategic investment in organisation on top of creating equitable workplaces.