People from racially diverse backgrounds often experience loneliness symptoms, triggered by being passed over for a promotion or payrise.

In the Cigna  loneliness at work survey, 30% of black workers said they felt abandoned by co-workers when under pressure at work.

Loneliness often happens more frequently the more senior you become, with women experiencing a number of symptoms including:

• Inability to connect with others on a deeper, more intimate level at work
• No allies or colleagues who you feel you can trust, hence a reluctance to ask for help!
• Overwhelming feelings of isolation, and pressure to code switch to fit in
• Negative feelings of self-doubt & self-worth, sending imposter syndrome soaring

So, why is it the glass ceiling remains a stark reality for diverse women, impacting on our mental health and wellbeing, as well as increasing feelings of loneliness?

You are never alone

It’s a vicious cycle where you feel you are being prevented from getting to the top. Despite calls for more transparency on ethnicity and gender pay gaps diverse women continue to be paid at least 16% less!

Some women are even told their performance is not where it should be during an extended probation period and end up having to ‘prove’ themselves again and again!

These findings are disappointing in the wake of so many corporate pledges, promises and diversity commitments following the surge of the Black Lives Matter movement.

So, it is no surprise that financial and progression inequalities, that exist in UK workplaces, are having an impact on the mindset and self-worth of diverse women.

Many women struggled to ask for a salary increase or promotion, despite thinking they deserve it. This lack of progression for diverse women meant many women quit their corporate job in the #greatresignation

‘Nobody should earn less because of the colour of their skin or gender’

More organisations and leaders need to step up to change this trajectory and challenge the status quo. Salary and job progression should be based on merit, not anything else that is not related to performance.

2022 the year of contentment

If you are currently in a place of work where you feel the colour of your skin is affecting your progression or your boss or manager doesn’t value your difference.

It’s time for you to focus on increasing your momentum to get the recognition you deserve. Stop worrying about if other colleagues are asking for pay rises at the same time, or your boss or manager is unapproachable!

If you feel you are being held to a higher standard of accountability than most others in your workplace. During Mental Health Awareness Week we hosted The Kinship Summit Watch on demand tackling loneliness for diverse women.

Let’s make 2022 the year of contentment. Alongside Race & Mental Health experts our mission is to build better workplaces for the next generation of diverse women. 

Watch here & share with your colleagues!