In today’s diverse workforce, the importance of supporting women of color cannot be overstated. As we strive for inclusivity and equity, it’s crucial to understand the unique challenges faced in the workplace and to actively work towards creating environments where all can thrive.
So, what’s working now?
We spoke with five women working for WORK180-endorsed employers about their experiences to learn what has worked for them. Their stories provide a firsthand perspective and practical advice for those seeking supportive workplaces.
Thanks to their contributions, we’ve unpacked five key approaches that ‘Go Beyond’ the surface and help women of color feel seen and valued as professionals no matter what stage of their career they’re at.
1. Go beyond the local: Supporting women of color is a company-wide endeavor.
“I’ve been fortunate to receive support from numerous senior figures within Accenture, both locally and globally, who are committed to fostering success for all. Even during challenging times, I’ve always found a supportive network ready to assist with an abundance of advice.”
Emma Gin, a Management Consulting Manager with Accenture, a global professional services company, shares her journey from graduate to leadership. Her story is a testament to Accenture’s global impact of supporting women of color in the workplace.
Tell us more about your career journey with Accenture and how you’ve been supported to thrive?
Since joining Accenture as a graduate, I’ve witnessed the organization evolve alongside shifting societal perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Though initially daunting, my unique perspective has been embraced rather than marginalized. Thanks to this support, I’ve had the chance to showcase my abilities, hold leadership positions, and be a part of leadership teams across our business, including serving as the ANZ lead for the Cross-Cultural and Diversity team.
With the backing of our Executive Sponsor, I had the opportunity to present our cultural diversity initiatives to our senior Executive Committee, highlighting actionable steps for further support.
How does Accenture ensure supporting women of color is a company-wide effort?
Accenture has invested in programs like the Diversity Council of Australia’s RISE program, specifically designed to empower women of color through specialized coaching.
Recognizing the challenges highlighted in reports like McKinsey’s Lean-In, which identifies the “broken rung” for women, including women of color in middle management, these initiatives are crucial for progress. Additionally, leaders in other regions, such as the US with their own Asia-Pacific Employee Resource Group, have expressed interest in supporting our growth in cross-cultural awareness, further amplifying our impact.
I’m grateful that my advocacy for myself and others, coupled with determination, has led to the celebration of our differences. I urge women of color to confidently embrace their uniqueness, understanding that they deserve a seat at the table and that their ideas are just as valuable. Taking the time to understand their experiences can unlock untapped potential and foster innovative solutions.
What are your hopes for the future of your career with Accenture?
I aspire to continue growing in my career, seizing more leadership opportunities to expand my platform for influence and support. Just as I’ve been supported, I aim to uplift others on their journey within Accenture and beyond.
2. Go beyond introductory training: Create accessible, inclusive, ongoing programs for teams AND leadership.
“Pair women of color with senior leaders or executives where they can share their unique perspectives, experiences, and insights. This will provide valuable learning opportunities for both and foster deeper understanding and appreciation for diversity within the organization, breaking barriers and promoting inclusivity and support for women of color.”
Kritika Vats (pictured right above) is an Onboarding Specialist with Alstom Group based in their North Ryde office in Sydney, NSW. She advises that supporting women of color isn’t just about providing programs for one group and opportunities for ALL to learn, grow, and develop their understanding, fostering a culture that levels everyone up. There are many ways to do this, and Kritika has some fantastic ideas.
What can employers do to go beyond one-off diversity training and open the doors to support women of color?
Alstom has been very transparent about its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and actions, such as flexible work arrangements, equal pay, and promotion of opportunities for women, amongst many others, and is dedicated to these.
Alongside introductory training, It would be great to see more action from employers around:
- Representation: Ensuring representation of women of color at all levels of the organization, including leadership positions.
- Cultural Sensitivity Training: Offering cultural sensitivity training to all employees to increase awareness and understanding of different backgrounds and experiences.
- Reverse Mentorship: Pairing women of color with senior leaders or executives so they can share their unique perspectives, experiences, and insights will provide valuable learning opportunities for both and foster deeper understanding and appreciation for diversity within the organization. This will break barriers and promote inclusivity and support for women of color.
What are your hopes for the future of your career with Alstom?
In an inclusive and diverse organization like the one I am in today, I envision my career trajectory as a woman of color to be truly transformative. I see myself thriving in such an environment, celebrating diversity, and utilizing my unique perspective in shaping innovative solutions. My goal is to ascend the ladder of success, embracing my identity and heritage while paving the way for others like me with grace and determination.
3. Go beyond the tick box to allyship: Foster workplace communities that stand up for each other.
“I think employers should invest time and effort into creating a strong allyship program. I do believe fostering allyship will have the most impact on diversity and inclusion.”
Aparna Balanarayanan, a Process Engineer with Nufarm at their 2,4 D plant, advises that supporting women of color is about more than ticking boxes. It needs to go past surface-level ideas and into cohesive, collaborative allyship. She shares how her growth has been invested in and how Nufarm helps her grow relationships in and outside the business to aid her career.
Tell us more about your experiences of support and allyship at Nufarm to support your career growth.
The way Nufarm truly supports my growth means I always feel fully supported. They consistently stick to their promise of helping us ‘Come as we are’ and ‘Unearth the possibilities’ by helping me develop my skills and be able to share them with the rest of the team.
For example, Nufarm continues to invest in my leadership development. They’ve supported my attendance at women’s leadership training and encouraged my attendance at the annual Women in Manufacturing Conference in Sydney last year.
This investment in my growth enabled me to develop relationships within and outside the business, provided me an opportunity to improve my way of working, and learn from others
What are your hopes for the future of your career with Nufarm?
Over the next ten years, I plan to develop my skills in both the technical aspects of my career and my leadership skills. I will be leading my own team with the skills I am currently developing with the assistance of my mentors. As I understand the value mentorship has provided me, I hope to also be a mentor to other young engineers or team members in the future to help them reach their full potential in their career journey.
4. Go beyond what’s easy: Create safe spaces for the hard conversations.
“Most employers shy away from tough conversations about racism and its impact in the workplace. I am fortunate enough to work in an organization that not only makes space for everyone to improve our racial and cultural literacy, allowing me to center my voice and lived experience, but also respects my boundaries when the emotional load is too great, and I desire not to lead such conversations.”
Jessie Yu is one of our very own Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DEI) Advisors here at WORK180. In her role supporting, advising, and guiding employers on all matters relating to DEI, she’s seen what happens when things go right and when they go wrong. Jessie advises that creating safe spaces for hard conversations is pivotal.
Can you share more about what you’ve seen work and what doesn’t work in your experience as a DEI advisor regarding supporting women of color?
I encourage employers to provide psychologically safe environments and channels (whether anonymized or designed to be free of retaliation) for women of color (WOC) to voluntarily express their lived experiences.
Employers need to ensure that any concerns raised will not be dismissed; rather, they actively listen to and acknowledge the unique challenges that can arise when cultural and racial marginalization compounds with gender inequality and, most importantly – are acted upon.
Nuances between nationality, ethnicity, and language create differences in how WOC perceive and experience the workplace. These considerations are just one of the elements that should be embedded into co-designing anti-racist policies and practices. Designing these processes together with the people they are designed to support can help avoid harmful assumptions like simply asking for an employee’s country of birth and native language, which will accurately capture their cultural and racial marginalization. Speaking personally as a native English speaker with Han Chinese heritage, born and raised on Wurundjeri Country – it doesn’t.
How do you see your career developing in the future at WORK180?
In the next ten years, I’d love to be in a position where I am positively influencing the teams around me to be diverse, equitable, and inclusive of those from traditionally marginalized communities. This would enable us to continuously learn from each other’s lived experiences, make more informed decisions, and, together, create better solutions that benefit everyone in society—not just those whose needs are already catered for.
5. Go beyond progression: Support women of color to feel valued at every stage of their career journey.
“It’s easy to fall into the trap of progression, and although I think this is important, I’d ultimately like to feel content, supported, and fulfilled in my role–whatever that may be and wherever that may be.”
Kristen Bingle is a Content Marketing Executive with Softcat. She shares an important reminder that it’s not just about supporting women of color to progress upwards and showcase diversity in a company. It’s about supporting them at every stage of their journey and helping them feel valued and content, whether that’s in a leadership role or not.
From your experience, what factors are crucial for you to feel supported and valued in the workplace?
Empathy and understanding are essential for me. For many of us, these two factors impact the way we navigate the world and our professional spaces. Recognizing that we all have experiences and situations that impact us in different ways goes a long way.
How has Softcat supported your career journey as a woman of color?
I am lucky to have a very supportive manager and team. Feeling supported has been an intrinsic part of my experience at Softcat. Since I’ve been at Softcat, I’ve been able to approach my manager about a change in circumstances and progression, and I’ve been supported in both situations.
