Black women in corporate America remain underrepresented

Photo Courtesy: Slate Magazine

A new “Women in the Workplace” study, conducted by Lean In and McKinsey and Co., finds that women’s progress at work has stalled, and that many women feel isolated and subject to harassment in the workplace.

According to the 2018 study, women remain underrepresented at every level in corporate America. The study says women of color are especially underrepresented in the workplace.

The study found, “Women of color lag behind white men, men of color, and white women. They are far less likely than others to be promoted by a manager, more likely to face daily discrimination, and less likely to receive support from their managers.”

The annual report surveyed human resources practices for 222 companies and 70,000 employees, detailing their experiences regarding gender, race, and work-related issues.

President of Lean In, Rachel Thomas, says, “Last year’s numbers are sadly a very similar story to what we’ve seen the last three years, with progress possibly stalling.”

The study says, “nearly half of the study participants report being the only black person in their department or in the entire organization, which leads to microaggressions like colleagues and managers questioning their judgement in their area of expertise and being asked to provide more evidence to prove their competence.”

A black woman, who works as a mid-level administrator, was quoted in the report.

She says, “I feel like I have to represent my entire race. I need to come across as more proficient, more than competent, more than capable. I have to be ‘on’ all the time. Because in the back of someone’s mind, they could be judging the entire race based on me. It is hurtful that despite the civil rights movement, I’m still the only black person in the room.”

In the article, “The Psychic Stress of Being the Only Black Woman at Work,” Maura Cheeks, says, “Being black and female in the workplace means constantly having to walk a tightrope, balancing your own emotions with perceptions and intentions of others, making everyone feel comfortable, instead on nervous, in the process.”

Cheeks says the conversation has shifted when it comes to the challenges facing women and minorities.

“We can talk more openly about the gender pay gap and diversity quotas. But what we have perhaps missed are all the intangibles that make it so difficult for black women to succeed in corporate America,” says Cheeks.

Economist and CEO of The Center for Talent Innovation, Sylvia Hewlett, says, “black executives frequently report feeling invisible to their bosses and their contributions ignored or undermined, and nearly 40 percent have experienced racial discrimination in the workplace.”

Hewlett also says, “A quarter of black professionals say others are given credit for their contributions and one in ten have been mistaken for someone's assistant.”

In her article, “Why More Black Voices Need to Be Heard in Corporate America,” Hewlett mentions a black female editor’s first memories of editorial meetings.

“Her [the black female editor] suggestions were ignored until someone else made them a few minutes later. And then everyone would hear it, understand it, and follow it.”

According to the study, “Women in the Workplace 2018,” these microaggressions have real consequences for women of color.

The study says, “Feeling invisible can lead to frustration and disengagement for black professionals. In fact, 20 percent of black professionals say they are likely to leave within the year and only 44 percent were satisfied with their rates of advancement at their companies.”

While black women face significant obstacles at the workplace, the “Women in the Workplace 2018” study says there are steps employers can take to drive organizational change. These actions include “setting company goals, tracking and reporting progress and rewarding success, ensuring hiring and promotions are fair, fostering an inclusive and respectful culture, and making the “only” experience rare.”