It’s common today for organizations and industries to state their commitment to attracting workers of color. In the tech industry, for instance, companies like Google and Apple say that they want to increase diversity, and leaders in health care are slowly starting to grapple with the need for more black doctors given demographic changes.
How Organizations Are Failing Black Workers — and How to Do Better
It’s common today for organizations and industries to state their commitment to attracting workers of color. But change has happened slowly, if at all. Research shows that organizations are failing black workers in three key ways, especially if they are employed in professional occupations. First, many organizations rely heavily on social networks and personal connections in order to fill available positions, which is shown to exclude people of color. Second, companies tend to have lukewarm, ineffective, or simply nonexistent policies around diversity and inclusion. Finally, managers tend to channel black workers into the least secure and least prestigious jobs. Organizations can do better, and research offers insights into some of the most effective ways forward.