Black women face barriers throughout their lives, including in the workplace.
Organisations play a vital role in the professional development of their members, yet the underrepresentation of Black professional women development, especially in positions of senior management, is rife.
Located at the intersection of multiple social structures, Black professional women often find themselves in a shifting game of assimilation, conformity and negotiation of stereotypes in the workplace, according to new research from The University of Manchester and Lancaster University, facilitated by the ESRC funded Collaboration Labs Programme.
At their core, organisational diversity and inclusion efforts must actively work to understand, acknowledge and support employee identity in the workplace. ‘Safe spaces’, where employees feel safe and supported to raise issues and share their experiences, are vital if organisations are to truly address racial tensions in the workplace; better support Black female colleagues & staff and drive gender and race equality in the workplace.
In this short film, real life stories and experiences are shared to explore this issue, and point to potential solutions.
With insights from research co-leads: Francisca Alvarez-Figueroa (Global Development Institute, UoM), Fernanda Teixeira (Work and Equalities Institute, UoM) and industry partner Sharon Amesu (She Leads for Legacy).
