• About
  • Article PDF
  • White Papers
  • Listening Tours​
  • Contact
  • Support Us
  • Advertising & Sponsorships
Monday, May 16, 2022
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Times Of Entrepreneurship
Growth and Equity for a Changing World
Times Of Entrepreneurship
No Result
View All Result

Women Tell Researchers: Companies Should Stop Celebrating ‘Toxic Rockstars’

A major survey of women in the workplace reveals how badly corporations are failing them, especially women of color. ‘Women of Color are competing with other Women of Color for a seat at the table and there’s only one broke-ass chair.’

by Skyler Rossi
November 23, 2021
in Research
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

woman constrained

Over the last year and a half, many companies have come forward with promises of improving diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in their businesses. But a majority of women of color are not seeing that change, according to a report from San Francisco-based Prismwork, Los Angeles-based nFormation and New York-based Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative. In fact, they feel that companies are failing.

In one particularly striking finding, women who participated in the salon-style conversations used by the report authors talked about “toxic rockstars.” They are people who are great at their jobs that also rub everyone the wrong way. In fact, 96% of women of color believe it’s important to create better avenues for diverse groups to provide feedback to leaders and HR– especially about toxic rockstars. “So many times, the marginalized person who’s like, ‘Hey, this person is crazy, they’re racist or sexist,’ gets dismissed as the one lone wolf or just being difficult,” one Black woman wrote.

To produce the report, the groups conducted more than 100 salon-style conversations with women of color and surveyed over 1,500 women — 1,181 women of color (Black, Latina and Asian women) and 545 white women.  

Almost every woman who responded to the survey (96%) wants companies to establish honest and true commitments to DEI, and 92% want to see diversity and inclusion metrics added to the performance standards for executives. Many (82%) also think it’s important for white colleagues to be informed about their biases and prejudices to spark meaningful conversation. Even more women of color (97%) agree that companies must establish better processes to investigate racism and discrimination.

Women of color aren’t thriving in today’s work environment, which was designed for white men, according to the report. Women of color are 18% less likely to feel supported by superiors than white women, according to the report. More than two-thirds of the women of color surveyed say they’ve had to prove themselves over and over again and more than half (56%) say their colleagues are not their champions. 

More than half of women of color (58%) said that having a senior leader that does not look like them has impacted their career, and nearly the same amount (57%) said hearing damaging stereotypes based on their ethnicity/background impacted their career.

“It takes serious guts to be a WOC and toss your hat in the ring for a job that no other WOC has ever held,” according to the report. “We are usually the first, one of a few, or the only person to ever look like us to occupy leadership roles.”

Nearly every woman surveyed (92%) agreed that companies must establish specific goals for hiring and promoting women of color into influential positions. They’re also interested in companies investing in them — 72% want companies to provide external coaching to navigate their careers.

What’s more, women of color feel unsupported by the other women in their workplace — 54% of women of color feel that women undermine each other at work. “Women of Color are competing with other Women of Color for a seat at the table and there’s only one broke-ass chair. And that’s the problem,” said one Black woman respondent.

This rings especially true for white women — nearly half of the women of color who responded said that white women make them feel inferior, invisible and/or like they do not matter, according to the report. White women play important roles as allies, to amplify women of color’s voices, most women of color agree. 

The report outlines solutions for companies to improve their workplace culture:

  • Look beyond the pipeline. It’s likely not a problem in the pipeline, but a problem in recruitment strategy.
  • Pay equity is a “long game.” Turn to pay equity solutions that offer third party verification to make your company one women of color want to work for
  • Often leaders give women vague feedback. Instead, give women of color honest and constructive feedback and commit to regular performance reviews
  • Ask women of color for feedback as you improve policies
  • Focus on mental health and wellbeing. Women of color are facing burnout and trauma. 
  • Establish diversity metrics and make them public to attract new talent.
  • Treat DEI as the business imperative it is. Embed it into every aspect of business, from recruitment to promotions. 
For more inspiring stories, insights and actionable funding opportunities, subscribe to Times of E’s weekly newsletter, www.timesofe.com/introduction.
Tags: Billie Jean King Leadership InitiativenFormationPrismwork
Skyler Rossi

Skyler Rossi

Related Posts

woman bike messenger

REPORT: The Surprising Way Uber and Lyft Spur Entrepreneurs

by Skyler Rossi
February 8, 2022
0

The gig economy has an unexpected benefit: allowing people to dream. Ride-sharing apps and other easily-accessible gig economy platforms could...

lightbulb by a computer

Top 20 University Entrepreneurship Competitions Revealed at Challenges Met, Opportunities Ahead

by Skyler Rossi
January 31, 2022
0

A recent event by Times of Entrepreneurship explored the top university entrepreneurship programs and the future of the discipline.

white man smiling in front of a wall

Commentary: University Entrepreneurship: Education or Venture Creation?

by Torsten Kolind
January 27, 2022
0

Torsten Kolind Today, virtually every university on the planet has an entrepreneurship course. Most have centers, some run competitions, and...

men gathered around large silver tanks

Commentary: Social Entrepreneurship Leads the Charge to Reinvent Capitalism

by Brigit Helms
January 25, 2022
0

Husk combines solar with biomass to generate low-cost 100% renewable power 24/7. Photo Credit: Husk Does capitalism need a reboot?...

Options about your Options – How to think through your company’s option program

5M People Became Entrepreneurs in 2021, a 20-Year-Record

by Skyler Rossi
January 17, 2022
0

Spurred by the economic disruption and emotional disclocation brought about by the pandemic, more people turned to entrepreneurship in 2021...

Man on a snowy mountain

How Much Nature do You Need? A Data Company from University of Oregon has an Answer

by Shirly Piperno
December 13, 2021
0

Jared Hanley, CEO and founder For our Startup Spotlights, Times of Entrepreneurship scouted the most successful startups that spun out...

Subscribe to Times of E’s Free Weekly Newsletter

Learn about the emerging ecosystem of diverse founders

Popular

  • Distribution of Realized U.S. Venture Outcome Over the Past Decade

    Venture Capital Returns Are More Skewed Than People Realize

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Take Your IRR With A Grain Of Salt. It’s A Vanity Metric

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Big Social Media Doesn’t Work So Well For Small Businesses. But the Market Is Shifting.

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • COVID-19: Lessons From Past Crises Point To A Long And Hopeful Road For Entrepreneurs

    51 shares
    Share 51 Tweet 0
  • TikTok Craze Gets Real at a Brooklyn Rug Tufting Studio

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Recent

woman leaning against a brick wall in a white jacket

Editor’s Note: Times of E Is On A Summer Schedule

May 12, 2022
Weekly Newsletter: Abortion Scare Politics, Manufacturing Ethos And Most Fundable Companies

Weekly Newsletter: $200M Headed to Entrepreneurs, VCs’ Vanity, & Summer Vacation Plans

May 12, 2022
Take Your IRR With A Grain Of Salt. It’s A Vanity Metric

Take Your IRR With A Grain Of Salt. It’s A Vanity Metric

May 11, 2022

Recommended

  • Health
  • Climate
  • Deep Tech
  • Finance
  • Education
  • Women Entrepreneurs
  • Mentorship
Jack Bogle

Jack Bogle: How To Build An Institution

2 years ago
woman leaning against a brick wall in a white jacket

Editor’s Note: How To See People

3 months ago
  • About
  • Partner
  • Bespoke Research
  • Listening Tours​
  • Contact
  • Support Us
  • Privacy Policy

(703-966-7357)

© 2020 Mondial Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 
Facebook Twitter Linkedin
No Result
View All Result
  • Research
  • Finance
  • Women Entrepreneurs
  • New Builders
  • Ecosystem
  • Events
  • Newsletter
  • Editor’s Note

© 2022 Mondial Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Free Download

Times of E Speaks with Jim McKelvey

Get exclusive insights on the future of entrepreneurship. 

Download Now

Support Times of E

Times of E covers the emerging ecosystem of diverse founders.

With your support of our journalism, you will receive our weekly newsletter and one of these resources for free: 

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?