In the world of work, black women face tough challenges that hold them back from reaching their career goals. From systemic barriers to microaggression, the road to advancement can be filled with obstacles. However, amidst these challenges, there shines a beacon of hope: remote work. Remote working offers a unique opportunity for black women to overcome traditional barriers and thrive in their careers on their own terms. 

To understand in more detail the struggles that black women face in the workplace and explore how remote work provides a pathway to empowerment we spoke to Flexa partner Rita Batalha, an inspiring Freelance Program & Project Manager and traveller. In this blog Rita shares more about the transformative impact of remote work in levelling the playing field and empowering black women to realise their full potential in the professional world.

This blog will look at: 

• Challenges faced by black women in physical workspaces 
• How can companies create more inclusive workplaces (physically and remotely)?
• The invisible struggle: career development challenges for black women in remote roles
• How to navigate remote working as a black female

Challenges faced by black women in physical workspaces

Only 3% of Black knowledge workers want to return to full-time on-site work, compared to 21% of their white peers. Why is this? Microaggressions and discrimination play a key role. Working remotely significantly reduces microaggressions, allowing individuals, especially those from underrepresented communities, to be their authentic selves. Microaggressions are insensitive statements, questions, or assumptions aimed at traditionally marginalised identity groups that can happen to anyone, of any background, at any professional level. Without the inappropriate comments often encountered in physical workplaces, employees can focus more on their work and less on navigating a hostile environment. This freedom creates a more inclusive atmosphere where diverse voices can thrive, leading to increased productivity and overall job satisfaction. By embracing remote work, companies take a vital step toward genuine inclusivity.

Rita shares more on her experiences of dealing with microaggressions at work. 

“One of the main reasons I switched to remote work is because it significantly reduces microaggressions and discrimination that are often prevalent in physical workplaces, especially for Black women and minority communities. When on a Zoom call or interacting via emails, people are less likely to make inappropriate comments such as, "Cool hair, can I touch your hair?" or "You speak really good English for a foreigner."

Interestingly, in my nearly three years as a freelancer, I have only visited an office once. During that visit, as I waited for the stakeholders in a meeting room, I was greeted with, "Sorry, but this meeting room is booked, you can't be here!" It was awkward considering I was the new Programme Director.

How can companies create more inclusive workplaces (physically and remotely)?

Being in a fully remote environment may not work for everyone, but this doesn’t mean that microaggressions and discrimination should be overlooked in the office. For hybrid roles and those that require high office attendance, it's crucial to address microaggressions. Here Rita shares some ways in which companies can do better when it comes to creating more inclusive workplaces : 

1 - Embrace Inclusive Leadership and Culture
Embedding inclusive leadership and culture is critical for companies to develop a truly inclusive workplace, one where diverse groups feel confident, safe, and empowered to be themselves, free from depersonalization or fear of judgement. For Black females, this often involves masking their accents, and adjusting their vocabulary to avoid assertiveness being labelled as arrogance, or not adopting certain hairstyles that could be perceived as 'unprofessional.'

Companies should prioritise making inclusion visible and tangible at every level of the organisation, starting from the top, where senior and leadership boards must have more representation from different backgrounds and genders. Although companies often debate and advocate for DEI, these agendas are frequently developed in silos by a limited number of individuals without any open dialogue across the organisation.

It should be everyone’s responsibility to debate, solve, and establish mindsets, behaviours, and practices that create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where all can thrive.

2 - Welcome flexible and diverse modes of remote and hybrid experiences

Creating an inclusive work environment often means adjusting experiences to accommodate all employees' preferences in remote and hybrid settings. Companies can start by avoiding mandates for cameras to be on during virtual meetings and instead encouraging optional usage. By making it clear that employees have the choice to turn their cameras on or off, without impacting their ability to express views, collaborate, and perceive others' contributions.

However, implementing such initiatives requires a significant shift in mindset, as companies must recognise that hybrid or remote work experiences are and should be different from traditional office environments. For instance, while hiding one's face in a physical meeting room is not an option, in remote work turning off the camera can enhance an employee's ability to concentrate during longer virtual conference calls or co-creation activities using platforms like Mural or Miro.

Other initiatives that companies can pursue include establishing casual office attire policies for hybrid and remote work experiences and creating safe spaces, both virtually and physically, for employees to suggest new ways to establish a more inclusive culture.

3 - Monitor employee sentiment, drive awareness and accountability

Crucially, companies should proactively monitor employees' attitudes toward DEI continuously and systematically. This should not be an ad-hoc activity but rather establishing and analysing a set of metrics with the same rigour and regularity as business and financial performance indicators such as revenue, profit, and share value.

The invisible struggle: career development challenges for black women in remote roles

While progress has been made in advancing women into leadership roles, there's still a big gap, especially for black women. In 2023, only two out of every hundred Fortune 500 companies were led by Black women, even though women overall led about 10.4% of those companies. Plus, many black women feel they don't get the same chances to move up in their careers as their white female counterparts. Nearly half believe they get passed over for promotions.

But how does remote work factor into this equation, you may ask? When working remotely, black women are often less visible in the virtual workspace. In traditional office settings, informal interactions such as impromptu hallway conversations or casual chats during lunch breaks can provide opportunities for networking, mentorship, and visibility. However, in remote work environments, these organic interactions are more limited, making it challenging for black women to establish connections and build relationships with colleagues and leaders. As a result, they may miss out on crucial development opportunities, such as being considered for high-profile projects, receiving mentorship from senior leaders, or participating in career advancement discussions. Additionally, without the physical presence to advocate for themselves or showcase their contributions, black women may find it harder to assert their presence and showcase their skills and talents, further hindering their professional growth and advancement within the organisation.
"Women have to work twice as hard as men to receive the same recognition. But Black women have to work ten times harder than both men and white women in order to simply be 'seen' in predominantly white spaces." 

This quote shared by Rita is an opinion by a trusted and beloved mentor to Black females.  It highlights  the assertion that Black women need to work significantly harder than their white counterparts and men to receive equivalent recognition is substantiated by various studies and reports. For instance, research from Harvard revealed that Black women in predominantly white teams often experience worse job outcomes, including higher turnover and lower promotion rates compared to their peers.

The remote or hybrid work setting introduces an additional layer of complexity when navigating professional advancement, accessing development opportunities, and securing elite roles or projects.

What needs to change to help black women advance in their careers?

Advancing in their careers isn't easy for black women. They face unique challenges that hold them back from reaching their full potential. But change is possible. In this section, we'll look at what needs to happen to help black women move forward in their careers and break down the barriers standing in their way. Here RitaLet's explores  the steps needed to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace for black women to thrive.

There are several practical and strategic paths that both companies and Black females can implement to address challenges in career progression in remote environments:

For companies, they can explore the implementation of dedicated hiring platforms aimed at black and minority communities or collaborate with Black Recruitment Agencies to increase access to elite remote opportunities. While this type of initiative may be considered controversial, I  that it is fundamentally about enhancing accessibility to opportunities within a more diverse talent pool, benefiting not only black women but also other underrepresented backgrounds and minority groups from the beginning of their career journey. For instance, black individuals are overrepresented in frontline jobs early in their careers, making up 12% of entry-level jobs at companies in the US.

Additional initiatives for companies could involve the creation of virtual mentorship and coaching programs with external leaders within the organisation. These programs would enable black females to openly express and develop their career plans and ambitions, free from concerns about how their managers or leadership may perceive them.

As for Black females, there exists an opportunity to redefine their approach to career progression and boldly advocate for their ambitions and aspirations. While it may be challenging, waiting for others to naturally understand one's own career ambitions is not realistic.

For example:

• If you wish to lead a new project, proactively present your desire to your manager and discuss the skills and competencies you need to acquire, along with a timeline for achieving them.
• If you aspire to progress from Manager to VP level within 3 years, vocalize your ambition and devise a clear path for advancement into a leadership position.
  

How to navigate remote working as a black female  

Navigating remote work can be a journey filled with both opportunities and challenges, especially for black women. In this section, Rita shares her thoughts and unique experiences and strategies that can help black women as they navigate remote working environments.

Like any other employee, Black female remote workers require access to safe spaces for career growth and balanced work-life integration, as well as proactively developing tactics to navigate remote work settings. Here are a few suggestions:

• Schedule regular structured conversations with your manager regarding job satisfaction, productivity, progression, and new development opportunities.
  
• Establish allies and a supportive network outside of the office to develop new opportunities.
  
• Participate or suggest the formation of a new networking or collaboration group in your company that aligns with your passion, hobbies, or career ambitions.
  
• Remain connected with all levels of the organisation to avoid losing visibility. For example, schedule a short call every two weeks with a different team or business function member who inspires you. Be clear on the agenda and intentions to ensure expectations are managed.
  
• Always advocate for yourself and claim your (virtual) seat at the table confidently, even if it feels uncomfortable. If you believe that you deserve to be part of a conversation, confidently claim or create that space.
  
  I’ll be (virtually) with you rooting for your success!