African American Statistics

• In the first decade of this century 85% of new workers will be women, minorities and immigrants!
• By 2005, minority purchasing power will reach 45 trillion!

Source: Resources for cultural diversity at Work

Women of Color Face Ceiling Barriers to Advancement

• Women of color report a concrete ceiling barring their advancement The components of the concrete ceiling:
• Not having an influential mentor or sponsor, 47%.
• Lack of informal networking with influential colleagues, 40%.
• Lack of company role models who are members of same racial/ethnic group, 29%.
• Lack of high visibility assignments, 28%.

Women of color cite success factors:

• Access to high-visibility assignments, 50%.
• Performing over and above expectations, 49%.
• Communicating well, 46%. Having an influential mentor or sponsor, 44%.

Good diversity programs can foster retention:

• Women who intend to stay with their employer are more likely to believe that their cultural differences are appreciated (50% vs. 16% who intend to leave).
• Women who intend to stay with their employer are less likely to believe that many adjustments to fit in are required (50% vs. 79% who intend to leave).
• A third of women-of-color respondents (34%) think that diversity programs have created a positive work environment.

Some diversity programs are not as effective as they could be or were intended to be for women-of-color managers:

• While 75% of the women of color surveyed are aware of training in their corporation to raise awareness about race and gender issues, only 22% say their managers receive adequate training in managing a diverse workforce.
• Almost half of the respondents cite pervasive stereotypes in evaluating their work environment. More than half (53%) of those women believe that corporate diversity programs are less than effective in dealing with issues of subtle racism.
• Only 26% of women of color say that career development is an important part of their company's diversity program.
• Only 17% say their managers are held accountable for advancement of women of their own racial/ethnic group.

Women of color who intend to stay with their employer are more likely to have managers who:

• Provide them with opportunities for visibility (65% vs. 41% who intend to leave).
• Explain/interpret organizational politics (52% vs. 24% who intend to leave).
• Map out clear developmental goals for direct reports (46% vs. 17% who intend to leave).

Source: Catalystwomen