PART 2

Latinas remain highly ambitious despite getting less support to advance

Latinas are motivated to reach the top

Latinas remain ambitious despite their low representation across the pipeline. In fact, Latinas remain deeply motivated to ascend the corporate ranks: they are more interested in being promoted to the next level and in becoming senior leaders than white women and women overall. These ambitions are also growing at an outsized rate: Latinas are more likely to say that advancement has increased in importance to them in recent years.

Latina job seekers also prioritize career advancement. When considering moving to a new employer or leaving their current one, a third of Latinas say that the ability to get promoted matters most to them, compared to a fourth of white women.18

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Latinas’ strong ambitions can go unrecognized in the workplaceLatinas’ high ambitions are underpinned by Hispanic cultural norms that emphasize a strong work ethic and company loyalty. 20 As one Latina shared, “Latino culture really does teach you how to work hard—to come in first, stay the latest, and really accomplish more.”But other cultural norms—particularly those around gratitude and “keeping one’s head down” at work—can make it harder for Latinas to engage in workplace behaviors important to getting ahead, including promoting their accomplishments and vocalizing their desires to advance. To get ahead at work, one Latina explained, “you have to brag about yourself.You have to sell yourself. You have to put yourself out there.”Yet these actions often feel inauthentic to many Latinas.Understanding these cultural norms—and not mistaking them for a lack of ambition or drive—is important for companies committed to retaining and advancing Latinas.21

A lack of support makes it harder for Latinas to get ahead

Despite being ambitious, Latinas receive less of the encouragement and recognition critical to getting ahead at work. Latinas are less likely to have senior colleagues advocate for them and celebrate their accomplishments.Manager support is also crucial to advancement, yet Latinas are less likely to have their managers invest in them professionally.22 They are also less likely to say that their managers ensure they get credit for their work and show interest in their career advancement.

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Affinity bias makes sponsorship challenging for LatinasSponsorship helps drive career advancement. But throughout their careers, Latinas often miss out on sponsorship opportunities.24 Because leaders are more likely to sponsor junior colleagues with shared identities—due to what social scientists call “affinity bias”—a scarcity of Latinas in leadership decreasesLatinas’ likelihood of finding sponsors and has a negative impact on their rate of advancement.25 “I wanted a Latina executive who could serve as a mentor, coach, [or] sponsor to me,” shares oneLatina. “I looked within my own company and couldn’t find it.”26The few Latinas who make it to the top also face increased pressure to be the sponsors they never had. “I wanted to open the door for other women, especially Latina women, who would want to climb the ladder,” shared one woman who was the firstLatina at her company to become executive director. Yet such efforts are not always recognized. As a result, while serving as a sponsor can feel rewarding to Latinas, the pressure to do so can also be an additional burden for those already navigating a challenging climb up the corporate ladder.

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Working flexibly is often not an option for Latinas Workplace flexibility can support employees’ ambitions: a majority of women and men who work flexibly point to greater productivity and feeling less tired and burned out as primary benefits.29 Yet Latinas have less access to flexibility than most. They are less able to choose where and when they work or take time away from their job to deal with life events.

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Manager actions further limit Latinas’ workplace flexibility

Even when Latinas have flexibility, they don’t always feel they can use it: only 1 in 4 say it’s “no big deal” to take advantage of opportunities to work flexibly compared to 1 in 3 women overall.31Manager actions may contribute to this sentiment. Latinas are less likely to say that their manager focuses on results rather than where and when work gets done. And fewer Latinas have managers who trust them to get their work done without micromanaging. Unsurprisingly, Latinas who are micromanaged by their managers also report having the least amount of flexibility.32

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

In the face of obstacles,Latinas remain highly committed to work and familyFor working Latinas, the importance of family within Hispanic culture can be both an asset and a challenge. On the one hand, family often serves as a source of professional strength.35 Latinas’ extended families provide critical support at home that allows them to put in the time and effort to get recognized at work.“There’s no way that I could have done this without my family,”shares one Latina director about her ascent up the corporate ladder while raising children. “My sisters dropped off my laundry and my mom dropped off food. They saved me time because they knew that’s what I didn’t have.”On the other hand, a strong cultural focus on family can also create additional responsibilities: compared to white women,Latinas spend more daily hours on housework and caregiving and are more likely to be on “double duty”—or caring for children and an adult, such as an elderly family member.36 “A lot of us play really large roles in our family that we can’t necessarily drop,” oneLatina explains, “but we also need to work to have a roof over our heads and put food in our mouths.” Because of this, Latinas share that workplace flexibility—and manager support for that flexibility—is critical to achieve their ambitions.37

From 50 Ways to Fight Bias | How employees can help combat biases women face at work

Maternal bias can hurt Latinas at work

HOW IT CAN SHOW UP AT WORK

In a meeting about hiring for a senior role that requires travel, a coworker questions whether a Latina would want to be away from her family that much.

THE BIAS BEHIND IT

Because Latinas are often perceived as highly committed to their families, coworkers can mistakenly assume that when Latinas have children, they will be less committed to their careers. This is a form of “maternal bias”—or the belief that mothers are less devoted to their jobs than non-mothers. Maternal bias can lead managers to assume a Latina isn’t up for a challenging assignment or traveling for work. This can result in Latinas getting unintentionally passed over for important advancement opportunities.38

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Ask the coworker who made the comment, “What makes you think that?” A probing question like this can help people see their biased thinking. You can also explain that Latinas often experience judgments of this kind, as they tend to be stereotyped as less career-oriented.39 Or you can recommend asking all of the candidates for the role how they feel about the travel requirements and let them speak for themselves.

Go to Lean In’s 50 Ways to Fight Bias Program to learn more.

PART 4

Latina Onlys face more microaggressions at work

Latinas are more likely to be “Onlys”—often the only or one of the only people withtheir racial identity in the room at work.40 Thirty-seven percent of Latinas say they are Onlys, compared to 13 percent of women overall.41 And Latina Onlys have profoundlymore difficult workplace experiences.Latina Onlys encounter more microaggressions: 74 percent have experienced microaggressions at work compared to 58 percent of women overall.42 In particular,Latina Onlys are more than twice as likely to have a coworker express surprise at their language skills or overhear negative comments about their culture. And they are more likely to feel pressure at work to speak on behalf of all Latinas.

Ongoing microaggressions lead to negative outcomes for Latina Onlys

There are signs that these negative experiences take a heavy toll. Latina Onlys who experience microaggressions are more likely than Latina Onlys who do not to feel burned out at work and less likely to feel they have an equal opportunity for advancement. They are more than twice as likely to have considered leaving their organization or taking a job at another company with a different work culture.

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Latinas feel pressure to change who they are to succeed at work

For Latinas, bringing their whole selves to work doesn’t always feel like an option. Many report instances where speaking with an accent or wearing a piece of colorful clothing resulted in a microaggression, such as a colleague implying they were unprofessional or mistaking them for someone more junior. One Latina shared that unless she wore “overly professional” clothes to work, she would often be “confused for being the secretary.”To protect themselves and get ahead, Latinas discuss intentionally changing how they present themselves—most often to “blend in” with their white colleagues. “I felt that the only way I could climb the ladder was to do everything I possibly could to assimilate,” shares a Latina executive. “I would watch how the [women] leaders would dress and communicate. I felt I needed to look and sound like that.”While these efforts can help fend off microaggressions, they can also increase burnout and decrease well-being over time.49

From 50 Ways to Fight Bias | How employees can help combat biases women face at work

Microaggressions against Latinas are fueled by stereotypes

HOW IT CAN SHOW UP AT WORK

In a meeting, a colleague says to a Latina, “I can see you’re getting fired up,” when she has been speaking firmly but calmly.

THE BIAS BEHIND IT

Decades of social science research show how stereotypes make the workplace more challenging for Latinas. For example, Latinas can be inaccurately typecast as loud or feisty. This means that when they speak up at work, they may be undermined by being labeled as heated and emotional.50 Employees may feel additionally empowered to criticize Latinas’ demeanor because of stereotypes that link Latinas to lower-status domestic work. As a result, colleagues are more likely to mistake Latinas for someone more junior, give them unsolicited advice on how to look and act, or assign them office housework such as taking notes or making coffee.51

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Speak up in the moment and say you’d like to hear your colleague’s point of view. If you feel comfortable, you can also push back on the suggestion that she’s too emotional or irrational. For instance, you could say, “[Name] doesn’t seem heated to me. I think she’s making some great points.”Go to Lean In’s 50 Ways to Fight Bias Program to learn more.

SECTION 1

Tackle the pipeline barriers that hold Latinas back

Companies would benefit from increasing their focus on advancing Latinas, who face an especially steep path to senior leadership. Here are three ways to get started:53

1. Track key outcomes and metrics by gender and race | Even today, many companies don’t take an intersectional approach to internal metrics, which means Latinas are effectively invisible in the data.54 To rectify this, companies should track key outcomes like hiring, promotions, and attrition rates by both gender and race, so they can see howLatinas are moving through their pipeline. The same rigor should be applied to tracking access to mentorship, sponsorship, and other professional development programs.If Latinas aren’t receiving equal access to these opportunities, companies need to figure out why and workt o make them more inclusive.
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2. Widen your talent pool to include more Latinas | From entry level to the C-suite, Latinas are under represented across the pipeline. Here are three steps companies can take to recruit more Latinas at all levels:
   
   
   • Expand recruiting efforts by proactively seeking candidates from Hispanic-serving colleges and professional organizations.55
   • Think critically about the necessary qualifications for open roles. As one example, research shows that removing education requirements that are not essential can lead to more diverse slates of qualified candidates.56
   • Make sure the hiring process is not inadvertently deterring talented Latinas. This can include using software that ensures job descriptions are welcoming to all groups and, when possible, including Latinas in the interview process.
3. Address the biases Latinas face in hiring and promotionsLatinas experience unique biases that make it harder for them to be hired and promoted. For example, they are often stereotyped as being less interested in and less well suited for managerial and leadership roles.57 To support Latinas’ advancement, companies need to prioritize debiasing these processes:
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   • Make employee evaluations less subjective—for example, by using a numeric rating system and avoiding open-ended questions on employees’ performance. Research shows that both actions are highly effective at minimizing the bias in evaluations.58
   • Send “bias reminders” before every review cycle or hiring process explaining how biased thinking unfairly impacts decision-making.59
   • Include a “bias monitor” in meetings where candidates are discussed to avoid subjective evaluations and keep conversations focused on the core criteria for the role.60

SECTION 2

Increase the focus on sponsorship for Latinas

Sponsorship accelerates careers.61 But while 3 in 4 companies offer formal mentorship and sponsorship programs, only 1 in 3 Latinas have an active sponsor.62 This gap points to the need for employers to increase Latinas’ access to these programs. For example, companies can survey Latinas to understand what’s getting in the way of participation and then adjust programs as needed. In addition, organizations should make sure leaders and managers understandLatinas’ need for more sponsorship.Since Latinas are less likely to have the senior-level networks that lead to sponsorship, companies should also foster informal sponsor relationships. One way to do this is to stage regular virtual and in-person networking events with the explicit goal of connecting junior- and senior-level employees.In addition to increasing Latinas’ access to sponsors, companies should also take steps to make these relationships as helpful and effective as possible. This can entail training sponsors so they understand the types of support Latinas most need to be successful.63An effective sponsor can hold any identity—what matters is that they have influence and network to advocate for their sponsee.

SECTION 3

Ensure Latinas have equal access to flexibility

As flexible work arrangements become more common, companies need to ensure Latinas get the same access to these options and feel they can take advantage of them. This is especially critical because Latinas may be less comfortable than other employees working in this way.64 Here are three steps to get started:

1. Make sure employees know what kinds of flexibility are acceptable | Employers need to regularly communicate what flexible work options are available so that all employees are clear on when it’s okay to use them.65 This could include articulating organization-wide norms related to working hours and responding to messages outside of the regular workday.Alternatively, companies can encourage managers to establish and clearly communicate policies that best suit their own teams.342
2. Create a culture that embraces flexibility | Companies that offer flexible work options need to normalize these arrangements. One way to do this is by adjusting the performance review process to make clear that it’s the quality of work that matters, not hours worked or time spent on-site. As part of this effort, HR should make sure managers know that company leadership is focused on results, not long working hours. Managers also need to be aware that Latinas may be particularly worried about negative consequences for flexible work.66 That way, management can take extra steps to make sure Latinas feel supported when they work flexibly.673
3. Track performance outcomes by work arrangement | Companies should take steps to make sure employees are not being penalized for working flexibly. This entails regularly reviewing data on performance ratings and promotions for remote, hybrid, and on-site workers to see whether employees are being assessed fairly regardless of when and where they work. If the data show inequities, employers should take action to fix them.68

SECTION 4

Foster inclusion for Latinas

Latinas face day-to-day workplace interactions that can make them feel like outsiders. To counteract this, companies should double down on efforts to foster a true climate of belonging for all employees, Latinas included. Here are three ways to do this:

1. Train employees to foster a climate of inclusion | For inclusive behavior to become an everyday norm, all employees need high-quality training on interrupting bias and practicing allyship.69 It can be particularly effective to pair these two kinds of programming: bias training teaches employees how to recognize and counteract bad behavior, while allyship training teaches them how to proactively support their coworkers. To be effective, trainings should be research-based and highly actionable, meaning that employees should come away from them with numerous practical tools and concrete plans to implement them. These trainings can especially benefit managers, given that they set the tone for their team and play an important role in employee development and advancement.
2. Formalize company commitment to an inclusive culture | Companies need to share their vision for a positive culture with all employees so everyone can work toward it. This should be written into a code of conduct or set of corporate values and reinforced in company-wide statements by senior leadership. Whatever the format, employers need to clearly articulate expectations for respectful and inclusive behavior. To make sure employees know what this means in concrete terms, it’s also vital to provide examples of respectful and disrespectful behavior, along with clear statements that disrespect is not okay.70
3. Improve the Only experience for Latinas | To combat the isolation that Onlys can face, companies need to help Latinas build connections. For example, employers can fund mentorship programs, ERGs, and Latinas’ attendance atLatino/a-focused conferences and networking events. Research shows that when employees connect with others who share their identity over workplace experiences, it can increase job satisfaction and engagement.71