As diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) programs face increasing dismantling across corporate America, the challenges Black women face in predominantly White workplaces are more critical than ever. Dr. Elizabeth Linos, Emma Bloomberg Associate Professor of Public Policy and Management at Harvard University, appeared on the Black Press’ Let It Be Known to discuss her groundbreaking study, ‘Intersectional Peer Effects at Work: The Effects of White Co-Workers on Black Women’s Careers.’ The research explores how the racial composition of teams affects the career trajectories of Black women.
Dr. Linos’ findings are seen as especially relevant considering ongoing debates about the effectiveness and future of DE&I initiatives. Her study, which tracked 9,037 new hires in a professional services firm, revealed that Black women are disproportionately impacted by being placed on Whiter teams. Black women were 51% more likely to leave the firm within two years and faced a significant decrease in their chances of promotion when working with predominantly White colleagues.
“One of the main metrics used to define employee success is billable hours, and so, regardless of your race and gender, employees who report lower billable hours are also likely to receive lower performance scores,” Dr. Linos said. “The ‘penalty’ (how much your performance evaluation drops based on a reduction in billables) is larger for Black women than other groups.”
The research emphasizes that Black women assigned to Whiter teams often logged fewer billable and more training hours, which directly correlated with lower performance evaluations. This created a cycle of disadvantages that reduced their chances for promotion. “Ultimately, I interpret these findings as confirmation that while, as a society, we may be making progress in diversifying workplaces on some dimensions, Black women may still face additional hurdles for promotion at work,” Linos said.
Dr. Linos’ findings are alarming, mainly as DE&I initiatives, designed to counter such disparities, are increasingly under scrutiny and at risk of being rolled back. The study also uncovered that these challenges were not universal across all demographic groups. Hispanic, Asian, and Black men did not experience the same adverse effects from working with White co-workers. In contrast, Black women were uniquely impacted by these team dynamics, highlighting the intersectional nature of the barriers they face.
Moreover, the study showed that when Black women worked alongside more Black co-workers, their turnover rates decreased, and their overall workplace experience improved. “This is in line with a common finding in the literature that having more similar peers (in this case, Black co-workers) can have a positive effect on retention,” Dr. Linos and her colleagues wrote.
As discussions about equity in the workplace continue, the study offers a sobering reminder of how ‘neutral’ workplace practices (such as team assignments and performance metrics) can disproportionately harm Black women. “Seemingly neutral practices around staffing and promotion that rely on peers and networking can have a negative impact on equity at work,” Linos said.
“We need more research on how White employees can adjust their behavior to ensure they don’t contribute to existing racialized and gendered dynamics at work.”
