Published on February 5, 2025

By Kathrina Robotham, PhD & Britney Jacobs, MSFPsy

Black employees face career opportunity gaps

A Catalyst survey of 508 Black employees from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United

States finds that a majority in all three countries report their careers have suffered due to a lack of support from leaders. In particular, Black employees regardless of gender say that their advancement has been limited because they lack mentors and sponsors and they do not receive sufficient performance feedback.

Black employees who lack support are more likely to intend to leave their job

This matters because talent managers and business leaders work hard to retain a talented and diverse workforce — especially given the high cost of turnover — but their efforts are jeopardized when employees are not properly supported by managers and other colleagues. Our research shows that when

• Black employees are left wanting for mentorship and sponsorship or for performance feedback, they are more likely to intend to leave their jobs — which can have serious costs in terms of budget, business continuity, and team performance.

• Black employees who say lack of mentorship and sponsorship has limited their career advancement are twice as likely to have high turnover intentions compared to those who say lack of mentorship has not limited their career advancement.

Black employees who say lack of performance feedback has limited their career advancement are

1.5x times as likely to have high turnover intentions compared to those who say lack of performance

feedback has not limited their career advancement.

In their own words

Black employees gave us examples of how these issues play out at work.

4

“I was not given the same opportunities and large roles as my colleagues, and I felt not listened

to.

”

— Black UK Woman, 36 years old

“It's a recurring thing. At several management meetings, I give my ideas about project

issues, but they get either 'ignored' or dismissed. Later the same management staff and

supervisor, who are White, will use my ideas and run with them as their own ideas.

”

— Black

US Man, 62 years old

“I was not offered some roles because of my race, as the company felt customers wouldn't

want to associate with their brand based on my race.

”

— Black UK Man, 37 years old

“Usually happens when applying for job positions. Most excuses were other qualified

applicants — majority White males fresh out of university landed the position. One time I

applied to a job for experience, they offered it to me and delayed the opportunity for 4+

months only to tell me they were not going to advance me but promised me training

opportunities for the future, which didn't happen.

”

— Black Canadian Woman, 38 years old

Black employees are resilient despite barriers

to advancement

4Black employees demonstrate significant resilience in the face of these barriers to advancement and

other workplace challenges. In all three regions, over four out of five Black employees across genders

have high levels of resilience despite — or perhaps in part because of — the difficulties they have

encountered.

5

Resilience is a critical workplace skill, as it enables employees to persevere in the face of setbacks,

remain flexible during times of change, and approach problem-solving with determination. 6

While these

qualities can help Black employees navigate complex situations and drive innovation, resilience alone

cannot counteract the detrimental effects of poor feedback, lack of mentorship, and limited

sponsorship. 7

Organizations that provide support to close these gaps can better harness the strengths of

Black employees while preventing burnout and improving retention and advancement.

5The bottom line

Black employees do not advance into leadership at the same rates as their White colleagues. Our research shows this is partially due to lack of support from leadership and managers, specifically poor mentorship and sponsorship and performance feedback. Organizations that aspire to distribute career advancement opportunities fairly across all qualified employees must ensure that everyone is receiving the support that they need. Otherwise, they risk losing Black talent to other organizations.