Hispanics, Latinos and Latinas face barriers to career progression for many reasons, and some of the most basic biases are due to colorism and labeling. Addressing these biases opens up the opportunity to change the workplace culture.- By Daniel Perez
The statistics paint a picture of a lack of inclusion in the workplace for Hispanics. At the end of 2022, 11.3% of Hispanics and Latinos held management positions, and 6.8% were in chief executive positions. Yet, they are 18.9% of the total U.S. population, and the second largest racial or ethnic group behind non-Hispanic whites in population size - and are rapidly growing in numbers.
YouGov and LinkedIn conducted a survey and found that 37% of Latino professionals were considering leaving their jobs because they do not get fair recognition, opportunities, and mentoring. Approximately 60% of surveyed Latinos believed they were overlooked for career advancements because of specific characteristics such as skin color. 70% of darker-skinned Latinos and Afro-Latinos believed lighter-skinned Latinos and white Hispanics get more advancement opportunities. Then 44% had faced blatant discrimination and microaggressions, and 59% believed they were overlooked for career opportunities because of their race. Tackling biases against Hispanics and Latinos/as can begin with gaining a deeper knowledge of the specific issues they face in the workplace.
Even when a Latino/a or Hispanic is hired into a professional position, many find themselves unable to advance and believe it is often due to colorism. Pew Research found that 62% of 3,375 Hispanic U.S. adults believed a Hispanic’s skin color hurts the ability to get ahead. “Colorism,” says Pew Research, “is a form of discrimination based on skin color, usually, though not always, favoring lighter skin color over darker skin color within a racial or ethnic group. While it can be tied to racism, it is not necessarily the same. (Racism is prejudice directed at members of a racial or ethnic group because of their origin.).” 64% of darker-skinned Hispanics said they had experienced discrimination, and the most common discrimination was being treated as if they were not smart. Discrimination includes microaggressions and takes many forms, like being told to return to a country of origin or being criticized for speaking Spanish.
Patricia Arboleda is an executive coach and Hispanic, and she addresses why Latinas struggle in the workplace. She says that Latinas are focusing on more than pay and benefits. They seek psychological safety, and there are three main reasons why they do not experience it in the workplace. One is that Latinas cannot bring their authentic selves to work and instead feel like they must “play to a certain ideal, “ including hiding an accent and engaging in code-switching. Psychological safety would be improved if more Latinas were in management and executive positions. Another reason for the lack of psychological safety is the low representation in leadership positions and on boards. Too often, people already in leadership positions are considered first for promotions, and many are white males. In addition, Latinas are often excluded from formal and informal mentoring and coaching opportunities, which are critical to achieving high-level positions.
The third reason is that, for many Latinas, the corporate culture of working too many hours and carrying too heavy workloads that leaders are expected to adhere to does not align with Latina values and goals. Latinas know they will be forced to choose between career, family, and self-care at some point. Caring for family and community is a cultural value for Hispanics and Latinas.
Labeling in the Workforce Matters
According to Duke University’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI), Hispanic refers to a person with ancestry from a country with Spanish as the primary language. Latino and Latina, and other variations, refer to a person of Latin America and Caribbean origin. Latin American countries include Mexico and countries in South and Central America. Latino is based on geography, and Hispanic is based on language. However, the term “Hispanic” is usually used to include Latinos and Latinas.
What about Latinx? Many Latins believe the term Latinx was meant to be more inclusive, but is an anglicized term that has no meaning to Hispanics or Latins. As Dr. Danelvis Paredes says, “…loses the beauty of our culture which includes and distinguishes between females and males through our language.” The term Latinx is so unpopular in some places that Spain and Argentina banned its use in July 2022 because it violates the Spanish language.
Why is this debate important? Language and the terms used in the workplace are crucial aspects of inclusion. Think of the words that are unacceptable when referring to other minority groups. For Hispanics, Latinos, and Latinas, using the correct terms is respectful and recognizes their culture. The Spanish language is gendered, and they do not want their language made gender-neutral. Gallup’s survey found that only 7% of Hispanic adults prefer Latinx, and makes the point that the Latinx controversy reflects a social trend of increased focus on words and identity groups.
Recognizing Cultural and Communication Gaps
The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) surveyed Hispanics on various aspects of employment. Hispanic and white workers were more likely than other groups to say that work is essential to identity, 61% and 63% respectively. However, compared to White, Black, and Asian workers, fewer Hispanics believed they were paid fairly. AEI also found that, despite their cultural values that promote developing close friends at work, Hispanic workers have lower social capital and higher anxiety levels. This may be due to cultural and communication gaps and a need to bridge “social capital in the workplace that helps workers make their interests, needs, and skills known to coworkers and supervisors.”
IBM’s survey summarized the three main issues of Hispanic and Latino/a employees. First, 26% of junior managers said they had access to mentorship programs, and 31% said they had access to workplace training. Second, 87% of Hispanics have experienced prejudice, and 70% of junior leaders must work harder to succeed. Third, the barriers are amplified for Latinas, who are paid much less compared to other groups and say they do not get the respect they deserve.
Beginning the Change Process
Change is needed to create an inclusive workplace for Hispanics and Latino/Latina employees. Hiring Hispanic and Latino/a persons is only a first step. It may increase the diversity numbers, but it does not indicate how inclusive the workplace is in reality. The number of Hispanic workers has grown from 10.7 million in 1990 to 29.0 million in 2020, and will grow to 35.9 million in 2030. Hispanics are driving the growth of the labor force, with 1 in 5 workers expected to be Hispanic by 2030.
Employers should re-evaluate their DEI policies, conduct employee surveys, and hold meetings to learn how their Hispanic and Latino/a employees feel about the workplace culture and opportunities for growth and the daily biases they are dealing with. It is always the most direct methods that are the most informative. While tempting to make assumptions about employee groups, giving employees a voice is critical. Managers may not recognize that colorism or exclusion is part of the Hispanic and Latino/a experience. They may also not realize that Hispanic and Latino/a employees have different perspective on workplace relationships. The employers who address issues of bias now will be the ones who remain competitive in the labor force.