From Performance Reviews to Promotions: Overcoming Bias and Breaking Barriers for Women of Color
Written By WIN Staff
In recent years, there’s been a significant shift in the professional landscape for women, as traditional barriers to entry have begun to lessen. Women are seizing more opportunities, taking charge of their careers, and advocating for themselves like never before. However, a new and troubling obstacle has emerged that is preventing women, particularly women of color, from advancing: the “broken rung.” This concept describes a crucial step in the corporate ladder that remains inaccessible, keeping many from reaching first-level management and beyond. The result is fewer women in leadership roles, despite their ambitions and qualifications.
According to Lean In’s latest Women in the Workplace report, Latinas face the steepest broken rung of any demographic group, meaning they are significantly less likely to be promoted to first-level management compared to their peers. The situation is even more dire when considering pay disparity. In 2023, Latinas earned, on average, just 51 cents to every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. These figures underscore the systemic barriers that continue to exist for Latinas, preventing their advancement and hindering economic equality.
But what’s causing this broken rung? A critical driver is biased performance evaluations, which consistently undervalue women’s contributions and limit their career potential. When it comes to promotions, unconscious bias often creeps into the decision-making process. It’s not uncommon for those making promotion decisions to unconsciously equate managerial success with stereotypically male qualities, such as assertiveness and competitive drive. This can cause women, particularly women of color, to be overlooked, as their leadership styles may not fit these narrow definitions.
How Biases in Performance Reviews Hinder Career Progression for Latinas and Black Women
Bias in performance evaluations can manifest in a variety of ways: vague feedback, unfair scrutiny of mistakes, or fewer stretch assignments. For Latinas and Black women, biased feedback can not only impact immediate career progression but also erode long-term confidence and access to future opportunities. This type of feedback diminishes chances for skill development, curtails visibility, and undermines prospects for promotions and raises.
The problem is compounded by intersectional challenges. For example, Black women may be stereotyped as “too aggressive” when advocating for themselves, while Latinas might face assumptions about being “family-oriented” and less committed to their careers. These biases subtly, but significantly, influence performance reviews and consequently, career trajectories.
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Address Biases In Your Company’s Performance Evaluations
Addressing bias in performance reviews requires a collaborative approach between organizations and individuals. Here are some strategies to consider:
Establish Clear, Objective Criteria for Evaluation: Organizations should develop well-defined criteria for evaluating performance before reviewing candidates. This ensures that all employees are assessed on a consistent basis, minimizing room for subjective judgments.
Implement Bias-Aware Training for Managers: Regular bias training helps managers recognize their own unconscious biases and provides tools for making more equitable decisions.
Leverage Structured Feedback Tools: Introducing structured feedback forms with standardized questions can help eliminate vague feedback, ensuring all employees receive constructive and actionable information.
Encourage Regular, Constructive Feedback: Creating a culture of continuous feedback helps employees understand their areas of strength and opportunities for growth without waiting for an annual review.
Track Career Development Programs for Women of Color: Monitor the effectiveness of mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership programs designed to support women of color. Ensure that there are clear outcomes and adjust strategies accordingly.
Allyship & Advocating For Yourself
While systemic change is crucial, making change from the top down isn’t necessary easy. But we can take proactive steps for ourselves to ensure our talents are recognized:
Document Achievements: Keeping a record of contributions and successes can be instrumental in showcasing impact during performance evaluations (Check out our WIN Journal to help you keep track!)
Seek Mentors and Sponsors: Mentorship can provide guidance and advocacy, while sponsorship can open doors to new opportunities and visibility within an organization. Look for women and male allies within your company or industry who you identify can push your career growth. (Here’s great guide on how you can negotiate your next mentorship!)
Develop Communication Skills & Request Clarification: Articulate your career goals clearly and ask for specific feedback from your managers, mentors, and sponsors. Feedback is crucial to providing you with a clearer path to advancement.
Leverage Allyship: Allyship is a powerful tool for creating an inclusive workplace. While 60% of men and 68% of women consider themselves allies to women of color, fewer actively take steps to interrupt microaggressions or mentor women of color. More active allyship is needed to create an environment where women of color can thrive. If you’re a person coming from a place of privilege, start listening and learning from the people around you who are directly impacted by racism and discrimination, confront your own biases, and start speaking up for those who are affected. Use your voice.
Repairing The Broken Rung
Although the numbers paint a challenging picture, there are steps that organizations can take to “fix” the broken rung. Overcoming biases in performance reviews is not just the responsibility of women of color—it’s a shared challenge that requires commitment from organizations and individuals alike. By addressing biases, advocating for themselves, and enlisting the support of mentors and allies, Latinas and Black women can turn performance reviews into powerful tools for growth and career advancement. With intentional efforts from both employees and employers, the workplace can become a space where every woman, regardless of race or ethnicity, has an equal opportunity to thrive.
Creating more groups of the same kinds of people doesn’t help marginalized groups advance. Instead, we need better solutions for advancement: objective evaluations, structured feedback tools, and more allies being sponsors for women of color. The solutions that will create real change in our work ecosystems come from the top down.
Repairing the corporate ladder won’t be easy, but it is possible. And with the right strategies and support systems in place, women of color can continue to ascend the corporate ladder, unlocking their full potential and leading the way for future generations to come.
