LeanIn.Org publishes the first report on the situation of Latina women in the United States corporate environment
SOURCE LeanIn.Org
SAN FRANCISCO /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Recently, LeanIn.Org released its first report on the Situation of Latina women in the corporate environment in the United States. Based on five years of data from Lean In and McKinsey & Co’s Women at Work study, the largest study of its kind, the report highlights the various challenges Latina women face in the workplace.
Most alarming, Latina women experience the largest drop in representation from entry level to general management. In 2023, the representation of Latina women decreased by 78% across the entire process, more than any other employee group, while the representation of white men increased by 64% (and the same trend holds for the years above). As a result, Latina women represent only 1% of high-level executive positions, making them the least represented of any employee group.
The situation of Latina women in corporate America highlights the systemic barriers that lead Latina women to face the largest drop in representation from entry level to general management:
Latina women begin their careers significantly underrepresented: Only 5% of entry-level corporate workers are Latina, compared to 9% of the population, making them the most underrepresented of any group of women at the start of their careers.
They are overlooked for promotions at two critical points: The “broken rung” on the first step into management remains a major barrier for Latinas. Later, they experience a second significant gap in promotions in the move to the vice presidency, just as the general direction begins to appear:
For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 74 Latina women are promoted
For every 100 white men promoted to vice president, only 90 Latina women are promoted
Together, these two obstacles, the first preventing Latina women from entering management and the second preventing them from entering senior leadership, make it nearly impossible for Latinas to gain traction at the highest levels of corporate America. .
Ambition remains strong despite lack of support: Compared to white women and women in general, Latinas are more interested in being promoted to the next level and becoming senior leaders (87% Latinas vs. 81% women overall and 78% of white women), but receive less support from managers and senior colleagues. For example, managers are less likely to make sure Latinas get credit for their work (47% of Latinas vs. 53% of white women and 51% of women overall).
Isolation and microaggressions hinder progress: Latinas are almost three times more likely than women overall to be “only” of their race, that is, the only or one of the only Latinas in the room, and have a profoundly more difficult work experience. Latinas alone are more than twice as likely as women overall and white women to:
Hearing or hearing insults about their culture or people like them (15% of Latinas vs. 7% of women in general and 5% of white women)
You are expected to speak for everyone with your identity (20% of Latinas vs. 9% of women overall and 5% of white women)
Having colleagues express surprise at your language skills or abilities (21% of Latinas vs. 8% of women overall and 5% of white women)
Flexibility remains out of reach for many Latinas: Despite the growing importance of flexibility in the workplace, and Women at Work research showing that such flexibility can support employees’ ambitions, Latina women face disproportionate barriers to access it. They have less flexibility to work remotely, set their own schedules, or step away to handle unexpected events. Even when Latinas have flexibility, they don’t always feel like they can use it:
Only 1 in 4 Latinas say it’s “no big deal” to take advantage of opportunities to work flexibly, compared to 1 in 3 women overall
The report highlights the urgent need for companies to address the biases and barriers that hinder the advancement of Latina women and outlines practical steps companies can take, including:
Expanding recruiting efforts to include colleges and professional organizations serving Hispanics
Work to eliminate bias in hiring and promotions, establishing clear criteria and setting up “bias monitors”
Ensure employees receive anti-bias and allied training alike, with an emphasis on practical recommendations about what they can say and do
The full State of Latina Women in Corporate America report, which includes solutions organizations can implement to support and advance Latina women, is available at http://leanin.org/research/state- of-latinas-in-corporate-america.
ABOUT LEANIN.ORG: An initiative of the Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation, LeanIn.Org helps women achieve their ambitions and works to create a more equal world.
