A report from The Courage Collective shines a light on how people of colour aren’t feeling safe in workplaces. They not only feel like they don’t belong as much but also feel hesitant to speak their minds without catching flak. The numbers don’t lie: while 84% of White managers feel comfortable speaking up, only about half of POC managers feel the same way. The researchers are waving red flags, saying if only those who’ve always had the power feel comfortable disagreeing or taking risks, it’s a surefire way to keep those unfair workplace vibes going strong.
Let’s break it down by the numbers: 87% of White men feel safe speaking their minds, but that number drops to 67% for Black women and 64% for AAPI women. And here’s a kicker – only 33% of Black men feel safe doing the same. Talk about a stark contrast. Now, when it comes to growth opportunities, it’s not looking too good either. While a whopping 71% of White millennials feel they have an equal shot, only half of POC millennials share that confidence.
The researchers at The Courage Collective dug into what drives these feelings. Turns out, it’s all about feeling aligned with the company’s values, having leader support, grabbing growth chances, and feeling safe enough to disagree or shake things up. And that’s a big deal because feeling psychologically safe at work means you believe you won’t get slammed for voicing ideas or even making a mistake.
Here’s the thing: all those diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts we’ve seen post-2020 haven’t completely sorted things out. Even with more folks from diverse backgrounds in leadership spots, the turnover among POCs, especially in management gigs, is still sky-high. The report reckons it’s because some of these managers get hired or promoted without the real power to shake things up. It’s like they’ve got the title, but they’re not really empowered to make changes.
