27.02.2023

Workplace racism against women is rampant globally

Three years after many global CEOs pledged to fight racism following the 2020 murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, a new report from Catalyst reveals that half (51%) of women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups experience racism at work.

The report, Exposé of Women’s Workplace Experiences Challenges Antiracist Leaders to Step Up, which includes data from a study of 2,734 women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, finds that women with darker skin tones, as well as queer (63%) and transgender (67%) women are particularly likely to experience racism at work, compared with cisgender heterosexual women (49%). A quarter (25%) also believe that senior leaders in their organisation would discriminate against an employee based on their ethnicity, race, or culture.

Survey respondents report a wide range of overt and covert forms of racism, including negative assumptions, belittling insults, disparaging remarks, discriminatory actions, and outright racial slurs. The emotional weight of these episodes contributes to enduring racial trauma, a form of psychological injury. It also contributes to the “emotional tax” that many women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups pay in the workplace, whereby they are on guard to protect against bias and discrimination.

“These findings show that racism is an ongoing and pervasive part of the workplace experience for women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups,” said report author Kathrina Robotham, PhD. “This report demonstrates the compound disadvantage that women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups face when they belong to multiple marginalised groups. It goes beyond talking about women’s experiences as a monolith and highlights the effects of skin tone and hair texture, two aspects of identity that do not receive much attention, on women’s experiences of racism. It’s time to end the blatant racism that occurs around the globe for women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups and create accountability for nurturing antiracist workplaces.”

An Organisation’s Culture is Key

The data show that an organisation’s “climate of silence”—i.e., when employees do not feel safe or are discouraged from speaking up about work-related problems or concerns—is linked to an increased likelihood of experiencing racism at work. A climate of silence can allow sexist and racist behaviors to flourish. Sixty-seven per cent of women from marginalised racial and ethnic groups who work in a climate of silence experience racism at work, compared to 46% of those who do not.

In contrast, employees working in “diversity climates”—where individual differences are valued and people from marginalised groups are able to advance—are less likely to experience racism at work (61% vs. 43%). Diversity climates are also linked to increased job satisfaction and engagement and decreased employee withdrawal.

CEOs and Seniors Leaders Need to Combat Racism

Senior leaders play a critical role in whether or not racism occurs in their workplace. CEOs and senior leaders set the tone for organisational climate, and they can interrupt racism with allyship and curiosity, i.e., actively speaking out against racism, calling out biases, and inviting and listening to new perspectives. When senior leaders do not demonstrate allyship and curiosity, over half (56%) of respondents experience racism, compared to 46% when senior leaders do exhibit these behaviors. However, 49% say their senior leaders do not engage in allyship, and 43% say they do not exhibit curiosity.

What Advice Does This Report Have for Senior Leaders?

Use allyship and curiosity to prevent experiences of racism. Educate yourself about the barriers that people from marginalised groups face in the workplace; cultivate empathy by listening; and speak up when you witness racism.
Strengthen the organisational climate. Lift the silence that hides experiences of racism at work by speaking out. Demonstrate that you value diversity by critically evaluating your policies for fairness.
Create accountability programs. Develop feedback systems to measure and track experiences of racism. Hold employees who act counter to the organisation’s values accountable by taking swift action.