Women Of Color Report A 'Concrete Ceiling' Barring Their Advancement In Corporate America

Catalyst for Women 
Tuesday, 13 July 1999

New Catalyst Study Shows Companies How to Deconstruct This Barrier

NEW YORK CITY, July 13, 1999—Women-of-color managers and professionals describe barriers to their advancement as a "concrete ceiling," according to a major Catalyst study released today at a press breakfast. Women of Color in Corporate Management: Opportunities and Barriers finds that 47 percent of over 1,700 women-of-color survey respondents from 30 leading U.S. companies cite as barriers the difficulty of not having an influential mentor or sponsor; 40 percent cite the lack of informal networking with influential colleagues; 29 percent note the lack of company role models who are members of their racial/ethnic group; and 28 percent speak of the lack of high visibility assignments.

"The metaphor of a 'concrete ceiling' stands in sharp contrast to that of the 'glass ceiling.' Not only is the 'concrete ceiling' reported to be more difficult to penetrate, women of color say they cannot see through it to glimpse the corner office," says Catalyst President Sheila Wellington. "This study is groundbreaking. It adds facts and hard data to the anecdotal information that has dominated the discussion of women of color in the workplace thus far."

Women of Color is the culmination of a three-year, multi-phase study—the first parts were issued in 1997 and 1998—the largest and most comprehensive examination of African-American, Asian-American, and Hispanic women managers in professional and managerial positions in the U.S. In addition to the survey responses, the research is based on 59 focus groups of 302 women, 82 individual interviews, and a review of diversity policies at 15 major companies. The study provides an in-depth look at women of color's expectations, experiences, and perceptions of corporate culture and how they affect the women's job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intent to stay with the company. It also details Catalyst recommendations to companies for increasing the effectiveness of diversity for women of color and presents best practices among the corporate leaders.

The examination of corporate diversity programs reveals that diversity initiatives are not as effective as they could be or were intended to be for women of color. Seventy-five percent of the women of color surveyed are aware of training in their corporation to address race and gender issues, but only 22 percent say their managers receive adequate training in managing a diverse workforce. More than half (53 percent) of the women feel their companies' diversity programs are ineffective in dealing with issues of subtle racism, 26 percent of the women say that career development is an important part of their companies' diversity programs, and only 17 percent believe their managers are held accountable for advancing women of their racial/ethnic group. And in evaluating their work environments, many women, particularly African-American women, cite pervasive stereotypes.

The study reports that effective diversity programs foster retention. Survey responses indicate that diversity initiatives can increase women of color's intent to stay with their current company.

For more information, or to contact Catalyst for Women , see their website at: www.catalystwomen.org