Black women deserve
to thrive, not just
survive, at work.
Organizations are failing Black women.
Diversity initiatives are failing Black women.
We’re out to change that.
Black women deserve to thrive, not just survive, at work.
Organizations are failing Black women.
Diversity initiatives are failing Black women.
We’re out to change that.
Black women deserve to thrive, not just survive, at work.
Organizations are failing Black women.
Diversity initiatives are failing Black women.
We’re out to change that.
No stops until we thrive.
Black women are brilliant, ambitious, qualified.
But we’re not treated as such. We survive workplace structures and cultures that were not built for us, that are stacked against us, which is made clear in many implicit and explicit ways —through pay, mentorship and sponsorship gaps, performance and promotion bias, daily microaggressions, and discrimination.
In order to change that we need to create strategies that center Black women, designed by Black women which hold organizations accountable to Black women.
That’s Black Women Thriving.
Do you want a truly equitable organization?
Then center Black women in your efforts.
When Black women thrive, so many unquestioned, inequitable norms and power structures will have been broken that thriving will replace surviving for everyone.
Black women know how to survive, we have been for hundreds of years. I’m done surviving. I really want to thrive and live. And beyond the confines of “professionalism,” my life is meant for more than that. 
— BWT Focus Group Participant
About our findings
Thriving is so important because it increases the personal growth and health of employees, helps to mitigate burnout, and benefits organizations by enhancing the performance and reducing stressors that negatively impact health outcomes.
Our findings span over 100 data points, here are just a few:
Black women deserve to feel emotionally safe at work.
66% of Black women report not feeling emotionally safe at work.
“I would love to fully relax into my Blackness at work but I can’t. Regardless of what I do, no matter how efficient I am, how authentic or authoritative I am when I walk into that building, the first thing people see is my skin color and that causes them to doubt my authority, to doubt my authenticity, to doubt my knowledge and my experience.”
- BWT Focus Group Participant
“Black women will work day in and day out for the success of their organization and then that organization will benefit more than the Black woman herself.”
- BWT Focus Group Participant
Black women deserve to have their contributions evaluated equitably.
Only 33% of Black women believe that job performance is evaluated fairly.
Black women deserve to be invested in.
78% of Black women have never participated in a mentoring program sponsored by their organization.
“I would like for it to be easier for Black women to move into leadership positions. The ways that men have relied on relationships and nepotism to support their own advancement doesn’t exist for us. Having mentors and sponsors who are advocates is crucial because I'm tired of having to do all this stuff by myself and I would like to have someone who helps me get opportunities.”
- BWT Focus Group Participant
“Most of the conversations about race and reckoning happened at a clinical level but not at a personal level with those of us who are Black women on staff. So while professionally I feel fairly supported, it’s in the front of my mind that they didn’t show up for me in the way I would have expected most of them to.”
- BWT Focus Group Participant
Black women deserve solidarity and support from their colleagues.
Only 41% of Black women reported trusting that their coworkers will stand up for what is just.
This report contains a comprehensive set of actionable and detailed recommendations across seven key areas that tells organizations what they need to do to help Black women thrive.
Our recommendations go far beyond traditional DEI solutions, which typically don’t move the needle much for Black women (learn why in the report).
To improve workplace satisfaction for Black women, organizations must learn from Black women’s experiences and unique needs and shape strategies that are responsive to and inclusive of those needs.
Download the full report
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© 2022 Every Level Leadership, LLC. Every Level Leadership and Black Womxn Thriving are trademarks of Every Level Leadership, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Our content and trademarks are protected by intellectual property laws and may not be used, reproduced, stored, or transmitted without our prior written permission. If you are interested in using or distributing these report findings, please email us at bwt@everylevelleads.com with your proposed usage or distribution details, which may require payment of a licensing fee.
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Featured in:
How to Elevate Workplace Thriving:
Expert Briefing & Discussion
We’re excited to offer you the opportunity to invite Ericka Hines, an experienced professional in equity and inclusion, for an impactful Expert Briefing. Dive into the heart of what makes workplaces thrive, especially for Black women. This session is grounded in the latest findings from the national report, “Black Women Thriving,” revealing six key elements of workplace culture that significantly influence engagement, retention, and well-being for Black women. This research has been highlighted in publications such as The Harvard Business Review, CNBC, NonProfit Quarterly and Black Enterprise.
As a leader, you understand the importance of fostering an inclusive and dynamic environment. This briefing isn’t just a presentation – it’s an interactive experience where you can engage in meaningful discussions, share your insights, and connect with other leaders committed to creating more inclusive, trusting, and thriving workplaces.
Interested in bringing Ericka’s expertise to your organization? Please fill out our contact form here for more information.
Please submit any press inquires to bwt@everylevelleads.com