Happy Friday.
We’re winding down our Black History Month coverage with mixed news for anyone seeking to retain Black talent.
According to a new report from the job site Indeed, 49% of surveyed Black workers in the U.S. are dissatisfied with their jobs and considering leaving.
“The top three reasons Black employees are looking to move are because of unfair compensation, lack of career advancement, and a lack of support by management,” Charlotte Jones, Indeed's senior manager of talent attraction, told me by email. “These are three basic factors a company can 100% control.”
The bottom line is if your Black talent doesn’t see an equitable path forward, they won’t stick around.
The survey tapped 615 Black full- or part-time employees, with an average age of 35. The majority worked for mid-sized to large companies in associate or managerial roles.
While 73% of respondents agree that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) training is a good way to shape workplace expectations and behaviors, only 47% believe these efforts truly reflect their employer’s core values. Worse, many don’t feel the DEIB work in their firms reflects their own ideas around inclusion: Some 78% of respondents identify pay transparency as a vital signpost of equity, and 60% are still looking for a diverse leadership team.
And there is plenty of toxicity floating around:
- 45% say they experienced discrimination during a job interview
- 54% say they feel they're expected to educate others on DEIB, and 42% say this burden contributed to their current level of burnout
- 30% don’t feel supported or valued by management
- 43% report microaggressions from management or peers
Black workers planning on leaving are looking carefully before they leap. About 58% of respondents skipped applying to an appealing job because the target company did not appear inclusive and diverse.
All that said, the solutions inclusion-minded leaders seek are within easy reach.
Listen to your Black talent, says Jones. They will specifically tell what they value in development, retention, benefits, and company culture. And then, turn your leaders into culture change agents. After all, quiet quitting is still very much a thing.
“One of the more surprising stats is that only 56% of companies have implemented DEIB initiatives,” she says. “Job seekers and current employees are still in control of their careers and are actively holding employers accountable.”
More news of system change agents below.
Ellen McGirt
@ellmcgirt
Ellen.McGirt@fortune.com
This edition of raceAhead was edited by Ruth Umoh.
