THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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table of contents executive summary 1 why is this data critical 4 about the fellows program 6
our fellows growth 8
what factors drive positive experience
active mentorship matters
11
company perception matters 14
inclusive management matters
intersectional identities matters
16
gender 18 ethnicity 20 top recommendations 22 about this report 23
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THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers executive summary 19 percent of computer science bachelor’s degrees are earned by Black and Latinx students, but only 3-5 percent of engineers at tech companies are Black and Latinx. Understanding what fosters inclusion is an economic and social imperative. At Code2040 we take a holistic approach to understanding what is happening within companies that produce positive experiences for Black and Latinx engineers in tech.
Our Fellows Program is a 10-week curriculum where students receive 1:1
Active Mentorship Matters. Mentorship is an essential piece of a positive experience for our Fellows. 86 percent of
pairing with a technical mentor, leadership
our Fellows had positive experiences in their mentorship. The
training, career coaching, and network
data showed significant increases in Fellows’ Self-Esteem when
development during the duration of their
mentors met more often with their Fellow and saw themselves as
internship with a Company Partner.
a critical resource for networking and professional development.
We also work with our Company Partners
The success of a mentor, however, is not defined by their identity.
to ensure their hiring processes and
Company Perception Matters. Fellows who perceived
cultures are equitable and inclusive by providing training on managing and supporting their Fellow. In 2017, 135 Fellows were hosted by 34 Company Partners across three geographic cohorts. The purpose of our research is to understand the core patterns in our Fellows’ experiences, allowing us to strengthen our Fellows Program and share our findings with our Company Partners.
a company was committed to diversity and inclusion were more likely to have a positive experience at that company. 85 percent of Fellows rated their company positively. However, we found that fellow’s perception of their own experience and potential experience of another person in their community were not always aligned.
Inclusive Management Matters. Overall, 88 percent of Fellows had positive experiences with their managers and teams. Our Fellows positive experiences increased when there were clear expectations, their manager was accessible, Fellows felt they
For genuine progress on diversity, equity,
were invested in, and Fellows could see a clear link between their
and inclusion, this insight is vital for
responsibilities and the company’s goals and objectives.
companies to be able to create processes and strategies necessary to support and retain Black and Latinx talent.
Intersectional Identities Affect Experience. Fellows experiences varied depending on their intersectional identity. When delving deeper into the trends by gender and ethnicity,
Our core findings that directly impacted our
we found Black and Latinx Fellows saw challenges at companies
Fellows’ growth are Active Mentorship, Company Perception, Inclusive
when it came to inclusion and being ones-self at work. Women
Management, and Intersectional Identities.
perspective. The data also showed there were discrepancies in
faced a double penalty as a minority from a race and gender compensation between gender as well as ethnicity.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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Why is this Data so Critical? Historically attention has been focused on what engineers of color can do to fit in, but at Code2040 we are taking a holistic approach to understanding what is happening within companies that produce positive experiences for Black and Latinx engineers in tech. Even though 19 percent of computer science bachelor’s degrees are earned by Black and Latinx students, only three to five percent of engineers at tech companies are Black and Latinx. Understanding what fosters inclusion is an economic and social imperative. For genuine progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion, this insight is vital for companies to be able to create processes and strategies necessary to support and retain Black and Latinx talent.
We began our research to understand how we can strengthen our Fellows Program. We identified core patterns in our Fellows’ experiences that aligned with their success around Active Mentorship, Company Perception, Inclusive Management, and Intersectional Identities. These factors directly impacted our Fellows growth overall. We also discovered there is an opportunity for coaching to be done for companies, managers, and mentors alike. The good news is, these findings tell us a lot about what that work needs to look like.
Our Core Findings Active Mentorship Matters. Mentorship is
Inclusive Management Matters. Overall, 88
an essential piece of a positive experience for our Fellows. 86 percent of our Fellows had positive experiences in their mentorship. The data showed significant increases in Fellows’ Self-Esteem when mentors met more often with their Fellow and saw themselves as a critical resource for networking and professional development. The success of a mentor, however, is not defined by their identity.
percent of Fellows had positive experiences with their managers and teams. Our Fellows positive experiences increased when there were clear expectations, their manager was accessible, Fellows felt they were invested in, and Fellows could see a clear link between their responsibilities and the company’s goals and
Company Perception Matters. Fellows
Fellows experiences varied depending on their intersectional identity. When delving deeper into the trends by gender and ethnicity, we found Black and Latinx Fellows saw challenges at companies when it came to inclusion and being ones-self at work. Women faced a double penalty as a minority from a race and gender perspective. The data also showed there were discrepancies in compensation between gender as well as ethnicity.
who perceived a company was committed to diversity and inclusion were more likely to have a positive experience at that company. 85 percent of Fellows rated their company positively. However, we found that fellow’s perception of their own experience and potential experience of another person in their community were not always aligned.
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objectives.
Intersectional Identities Affect Experience.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Throughout the program Fellows’ experiences varied depending on their intersectional identity. To better understand the key factors that increased or decreased a Fellows positive experiences, trends by gender and ethnicity are explored throughout the report.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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About Our Fellows Program The Code2040 Fellows Program builds bridges between Black and Latinx computer science students who want to access the Innovation Economy and companies who are in need of this talent.
Through our 10-week curriculum, students receive 1:1 pairing with a technical mentor, leadership training, career coaching, and network development. In addition to preparing our Fellows for careers in tech, we work with companies to ensure their hiring processes and cultures are equitable and inclusive. All company partner managers of interns receive training on how to manage and support their interns throughout the summer as well as how to build an inclusive team. Through our work with students and companies, the Fellows Program serves as a learning lab, enabling us to identify practices that will change structures and impact the sector at large.
2017 KEY FACTS
135 fellows
selected from 2k applicants.
34 company partners hosted interns
3 geographic cohorts San Francisco/Oakland, Silicon Valley, and Portland.
62 college & universities represented
97% COMPLETION RATE Fellows completed their internship successfully.
60% growth
in number of Fellows from 2016.
97% RECOMMENDED
of Fellows would recommended Code2040 to other students.
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THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
2017 COMPANY PARTNER KEY FACTS
18018+ 09+ 012+ 026+ 018+ 0-200
18%
EMPLOYEES
200-500
18%
EMPLOYEES
500-1K
EMPLOYEES
1K-2K
EMPLOYEES
9%
12%
2K-5K
26%
EMPLOYEES
5K+
18%
EMPLOYEES
36+24+391F 1%
COMPANY PARTNER SIZE
36%
COMPANY PARTNERSHIP LENGTH
39%
24%
1 Year
3 Year
2 Year
4 Year
2017 FELLOWS KEY FACTS
52+48+F 71+29+F 48%
ETHNICITY*
Black
52%
Latinx
29%
GENDER**
Men
71%
2017 FELLOW ROLES*** Web development, full stack
36% 33% 29% 2017 FELLOW ROLES***
Web development, back-end Infrastructure/ Scalable solutions
36% 29% 10%
33%
27%
19%
15%
20% 14%
35%
35%
14% 22%
Data/Analytics 13%
9% 10%
Web development, front-end 10% 8% 11% Testing/QA UX/Design
19% 5%
6% 8% 5% 11%
Mobile 7% 6% 8% 5%
Women
Black
Latinx
Men
Women
* Fellows could select multiple identifiers for their race/ethnicity. The group is also 2 percent American Indian, Native Alaskan; 9 percent White, Caucasian; and 1 percent Filipinx, Filipinx American. ** According to a 2017 GLAAD survey (Harris Insights and Analytics 2017) of gender and sexuality, 22 percent of people age 18-34 do not identify as cisgender. To reflect this increased expression of gender identity in young people, Fellows were able to select multiple gender identifiers. Members of this Fellows class also identified as 2 percent genderqueer, 1 percent nonbinary, 1 percent questioning or unsure, 1 percent other. *** Fellows were allowed to select multiple options allowing totals to equal more than 100 percent.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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About Our Fellows Growth The Fellows Program takes a holistic approach to help Fellows grow personally and professionally. By supporting Fellows throughout the program, our goals are to empower them to remain in the sector, thrive, and go on to become leaders within the industry. We used a range of metrics to measure individual growth over the course of the program to approximate increased knowledge, network growth, and change in self-perception.
Increase in Knowledge
Network Growth
The Fellows Program provided technical learning and growth for Fellows via workshops, networking with tech professionals, mentorship, and internship experience.
Linkedin connections are an approximation of networking, but networking is more than just being connected on a social platform. Over 50 percent of Fellows requested more informal events to foster a sense of community.
We observed significant increases of 35 percent in understanding of work concepts, and areas of Continuous Integration Tools, Technical Debt, and Effort and Resource Estimation. This growth underscores the educational benefits of an internship as a complement to a university education.
48% growth All 2017 Fellows increased their LinkedIn networks.
Fellows also recorded a nine percent increase in knowledge of programming languages such as Ruby, Parallel Computing/Shared Memory, and Parallel Computing/Distributed Memory.
35% growth All 2017 Fellows increased their understanding of work concepts.
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THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Change in Self-Perception
Trends by Gender
The Fellows Program places particular emphasis on alleviating feelings of Impostor Phenomenon (IP) also referred to as Impostor Syndrome, and Low Self-Esteem.
Women within the 2017 Class of Fellows experienced
Research shows that IP is often found to occur among underrepresented minorities. These groups also report higher levels of anxiety and lower confidence (Peteet & Montgomery, 2015).
internship elements of the Fellows Program are a
To lay a foundation for long-term growth we address these in the program by focusing on individualized care, workshop training, one on one mentorship, and the experience of succeeding in an internship.
attention to improve the experiences of Black and
Overall, the group saw moderate improvements on both indicators over the course of the program. While IP improved by one percent, Self Esteem saw an increase on average of four percent. However, if a Fellow met with their mentor more than five times, their Self Esteem increased to seven percent or more, which we cover in more depth in this report * Impostor Phenomenon (IP) explained by Pauline Rose Clance as people who, “even though they are often very successful by external standards, they feel their success has been due to some mysterious fluke or luck or great effort; they are afraid their achievements are due to “breaks” and not the result of their own ability and competence.”
growth across all individual growth indicators (languages and work concepts, Impostor Phenomenon, and Self-Esteem). In this way, the programming and unique value-add for women. However, as we’ll see later on, women in the Fellows Program still faced many hurdles in the workplace that require additional Latinx woman technologists.
Trends by Ethnicity While Black and Latinx Fellows did not report having significantly different experiences when it came to increasing their network or knowledge, they did experience Impostor Phenomenon (IP) and self-esteem very differently. Black Fellows saw an increase in their IP scores by the end of the program but still managed to have less frequent Imposter feelings than Latinx Fellows. Latinx Fellows began the program with lower self-esteem and continued to see self-esteem decline over the course of the program (whereas there was an improvement for Black Fellows). Interestingly, a recent study looked at the correlation in college students between IP scores and levels of anxiety in college students (Bauer-Wolf, 2017). This research may suggest that, despite Latinx Fellows’ persisting “Frequent” imposter feelings and overall lower self-esteem, they were able to thrive in other ways throughout the program.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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WHAT FACTORS DRIVE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES: Active Mentorship Matters. Inclusive Management Matters Intersectional Identities Affect Experience.
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Active Mentorship Matters We believe that mentorship can increase one’s chances of succeeding in the tech sector by providing expertise, insight and guidance in a one-on-one setting. In order to provide Fellows with individualized support, every fellow was paired with a mentor and advised to meet a minimum of four meetings during the program. 86 percent of our Fellows had positive experiences in their mentorship. According to the data, we found the identity of a mentor did not impact the value or benefits of a Fellows mentor. Instead, the most important indicators of a positive mentorship were the frequency of meetings, and mentors displaying empathy and enthusiasm to help a Fellow. However, the topics discussed might be an opportunity to strengthen our mentor program.
MENTOR ETHNICITY
2+24+ 18+ 19+ 27+ 43+
Mentor Identity
MIDDLE EASTERN
Feelings of isolation in the tech sector are huge hurdles that Fellows face during the Fellows Program. We hypothesized that Fellows whose gender identity or racial identity matched their mentors would have an example of succeeding despite this isolation and find the relationship more valuable. Therefore rate their mentors higher. 46 percent of Fellows had at least one of the same racial identifiers as their mentor, and 74 percent shared a gender identity. Despite our hypothesis, we found almost no correlation between how Fellows rated their mentor and if that mentor was the same race/ethnicity or gender identity as them.
2%
AMERICAN INDIAN, NATIVE ALASKAN
2%
FILIPINO, FILIPINO AMERICAN
4%
ASIAN AMERICAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER
18%
LATINX
19%
BLACK
27%
WHITE
43%
1+61+371F 1% 1%
37%
MENTOR GENDER
61%
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Men Women Non-Binary Decline to Say
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Frequency, Empathy, & Enthusiasm of Mentors Overall, Fellows reported the highest value of their mentorship when the mentor was empathic, committed to helping their Fellow in whatever way they could, and available to meet more than then seven times over the program.
Fellows were asked to rate their mentor on their ability to: display empathy, communicate clearly, and share their professional expertise. Overall, Fellows were satisfied with the quality of their mentors, and no single skill was a clear indicator of an overall positive experience. Where we found indicators of Fellows’ positive experiences were their comments highlighting mentors who were highly engaged and committed to helping their fellow in whatever way they could (access to a wide professional network, helping problem solve tough professional situations, and holding the fellow to their own commitments).
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20% 8 TO 10 MEETINGS
24% 1 TO 3 MEETINGS
54%
4 to 7
MEETINGS
MEETING FREQUENCY IMPACT ON MENTOR RATING & SELF ESTEEM
744+ 0+ 927+ 0+ 10012+
We found a correlation between number of mentor meetings and Fellows’ Self Esteem scores. After four meetings with their mentor, Fellows saw a positive increase in Self Esteem. Those increases were greater after the Fellow had eight or more meetings with their mentor.
25+55+20F
FELLOWS MEETING FREQUENCY
1 TO 3 MEETINGS
75%
-4%
4 to 7
92%
MEETINGS
7%
100%
8 to 10
MEETINGS
12%
% of Fellows Rated Mentor >7 % Increase in Self Esteem Score
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Topics Discussed We wanted to further understand the inner workings of the Fellow-Mentor relationship at the conversation level. The data suggests that a higher volume of conversations is more important reinforcing our previous findings that more meetings yields a more positive experience. Topics most commonly discussed are identity agnostic, which reinforces the idea that a good mentor does not necessarily have similar lived experiences as their mentee. However, topics that carry stigma and may be deemed “inappropriate”, like sexual harassment and mental health, are discussed infrequently between mentors and mentees. More coaching is needed to make these important conversations a part of the mentorship experience. We’ll be paying attention to whether or not mentor identity matters as we coach mentors to have tougher conversations with Fellows.
Trends by Gender Women tended to report less favorable experiences with their mentor. Additionally, the two topics discussed the least were issues surrounding gender identity and sexual harassment. These topics are generally more relevant to the experience of Fellows that are non-cisgendered men. While our current mentorship model is supporting the majority of Fellows (52% identify as men), this data indicates it may not be supporting the individual needs of women, or non-cisgendered men, in our program.
Trends by Ethnicity The data implies that the unique experiences of our Latinx Fellows directly impacts their needs in a mentorship relationship. Latinx Fellows tended to rate their Mentor lower, even though the frequency of their meeting were similar to our Black Fellows. Latinx Fellows
TOPICS DISCUSSED WITH MENTOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESPOND AND/OR GIVE FEEDBACK EMOTIONAL & PHYSICAL WELLBEING
also had higher incidences of the Imposter Phenomemom and lower Self-Esteem.
RACE SUPPORT TECHNICAL SKILLS MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AT HOME W/FAMILY & FRIENDS FINANCIAL CHALLENGES GENDER IDENTITY SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Yes, we discussed. No, this didn’t come up. No, I wouldn’t be comfortable discussing with my mentor.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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Company Perception Matters Fellows interned at 34 companies during the summer of 2017. While day-to-day team experiences can drive positive perceptions, many other interactions from recruitment to the presence of other Black and Latinx team members drive company perceptions and experiences of inclusion. 85 percent of Fellows rated their company positively. However, if a Fellow felt that their work as an intern directly contributed to larger objectives, or their company was committed to diversity and inclusion, their overall rating significantly increased. We also discovered an inconsistency between a Fellows perception of their experience and the potential experience of another person in their community. While these perceptions may not be connected or causational, it gives companies opportunities for growth.
Overall 85 percent of all Fellows had a positive experience at their company. When focusing only on the Fellows who felt their company was committed to diversity and inclusion (81%), and their work as an intern directly contributed to the larger objective (77%), their overall positive experience were much higher at 95 percent and 94 percent respectively.
OVERALL POSITIVE EXPERIENCE IMPROVED BY COMPANY PERCEPTIONS
810+9594+
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
81%
2017 fellows
positive experience
felt company was committed to diversity & inclusion
positive experience
95%
felt work contributed to larger objective
positive experience
94%
This allows us to build a direct relationship between the importance of a company’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion as well as a Fellow feeling their work is directly contributing to the larger objective.
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THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Potential Community Success While Fellows’ perceptions that Black and Latinx talent were valued, and their community could excel at their company improved by six percent, there was a decline in the belief that their work had a direct contribution to the company (-13%), and they were personally and professionally invested in (-12%).
At this time, it is difficult to know why there was an inconsistency between an individual’s experience and the potential experience of another person in their community. We will continue to investigate the differences between an individual’s experience and the potential experience of another person in their community.
COMPANY PERCEPTION Difference Between Pre- And Post-Program I BELIEVE... Black and Latinx talent/ contributions are valued & my community can excel at the company My work as an intern directly contributed to the company objectives & mission My company Is invested in my success and development My Company has a compelling mission & what it is doing to contribute to the larger tech industry My Company has competitive benefits package My Company is welcoming work environment
6%
-13% -12%
-10%
-7% -4%
My Company is committed to diversity and inclusion
-3%
My Company values team collaboration & working together to solve problems
-3%
I was able to come to work fully without changing the way I dress, talk, or tell stories about my background
-2%
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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Inclusive Management Matters Companies are made up of individuals that together work and function as teams throughout a company. Team culture lives and breathes, and frequently is derived from the manager. Given the impact a team and manager can have on an individual, we focused on the Fellows experiences and expectations of their teams and managers. Overall, 88 percent of Fellows had positive experiences with their managers and teams. However, there were two areas of improvement: defining clear expectations and investing in Fellows success, manager accessibility, and ensuring Fellows see a clear link between their responsibilities and the company’s goals and objectives.
A Fellows’ experiences with their manager and teams were overall positive. However, we found specific indicators that directly impacted these
TEAM & MANAGER EXPERIENCES
8988+ 0+ 83+ 77+ 67+ 0+ 69+ 77+ 0+ 78+ 78+ 81+ 81+
Defining Expectations & Investing in Success
My experience with my manager was positive
89%
My experience on my team was positive
88%
TEAM EXPERIENCES I had a clear understanding of my team’s mission and objectives.
I felt like I was a fully integrated member of a team. My team considered and asked for my opinion when making project decisions.
scores. A Fellow was more likely to have a positive experience with their manager when they had a clear understanding of what was expected to be successful, felt personally and professionally invested in, as well as encouraged to bring their ideas to the team. A Fellow was more likely to have a good team experience when they had a clear understanding of what was expected of them to be successful in
83%
77%
67%
EXPECTATIONS
I had a clear understanding of what was expected of me and how I could be successful in my position.
I saw a clear link between my responsibilities and the company’s goals/objectives.
69%
77%
MANAGER EXPERIENCES My manager was invested in my success and development on a professional and personal level
78%
My manager encouraged me to bring my ideas to the team and advocated for my success.
78%
My manager was effective at supporting me in my role and as a contributing member of my company.
81%
I could go to my manager when I faced obstacles in my position or when I felt unsure of what to do next.
81%
their position), but also when their team considered or asked for their opinion when making project decisions.
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THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Accessibility of Managers & Understanding Teams Mission To understand the individual factors driving Fellows’
When a Fellow did not have a clear understanding of
overall positive experiences with their managers and
what their team’s mission or objectives were, there was
teams, we took a closer look and found the accessibility
a higher likelihood that the Fellow would have a bad
of the manager was the most significant predictor of bad
team experience.
managerial experiences. If a Fellow felt like they could not go to their manager when facing obstacles or when
Managers should focus on these specific areas to
they didn’t know what to do, they were more likely to
facilitate a more positive experience for Fellows.
have negative managerial experiences.
MANAGER EXPERIENCES
TEAM EXPERIENCES
6750+ 50+ 50+ 44+ 38+ 29+ 27+ 22+ +12A 88 6350+ 50+ 50+ 50+ 33+ 29+ 27+ 17+ +11A 89 89%
My experience with my manager was positive overall.
88%
11%
My experience with my manager was NOT positive overall.
I felt I could NOT go to my manager when I was facing obstacles or unsure of what to do next.
63%
I did NOT have a clear understanding of what my team’s mission and objectives were.
50%
My manager was NOT invested in my success and development on a professionally and personally.
My experience with my team was positive overall.
12%
My overall experience with my team was NOT positive.
I did NOT have clear understanding of my team’s mission and objectives.
63%
My manager was NOT effective at supporting me in my role.
50%
50%
I did NOT feel like I could go to my manager when I was facing obstacles or was unsure of what to do next.
50%
I did NOT see a clear link between my responsibilities and the company’s goals and objectives.
50%
I could NOT see a clear link between my responsibilities and the company’s goals and objectives.
50%
My manager was NOT effective at supporting me in my role.
50%
I did NOT feel like I was a fully integrated team member.
I did NOT feel like I was a fully integrated team member.
33%
My manager did NOT encouraged me to bring my ideas to the team and advocated for my success. I did NOT feel like I had a clear understanding of what was expected of me and how to be successful. My team did NOT considered and asked for my opinion when making project decisions.
29%
27%
17%
44%
My manager was NOT invested in my professional or personal success and/or development.
My manager did NOT encouraged me to bring my ideas to the team and advocated for my success.
I did NOT have a clear understanding of what was expected of me and how to be successful.
My team did NOT considered and asked for my opinion when making project decisions.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
38%
29%
27%
22%
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Intersection of Identities: Gender Women’s positive company experience scores on average declined nearly 3x the amount of the Men’s scores. Untangling race and gender arms us with data to develop specific interventions, systems, and support if needed. Black and Latinx women face a double penalty as a minority from a race and gender perspective.
3835+ 0+ 25+ 16+
Despite Women and Men beginning the program with an overall positive score only three points different (85% and 88% respectively), the post-program scores for Women (66%) were significantly lower than Men (~75%).
8+112+
Based on the data, two factors directly impacted Women’s overall positive experiences: company’s competitive benefits package and company values surrounding team collaboration and contributions of Black and Latinx talent.
Company’s Competitive Benefits Package Companies were required to pay Fellows $1200 per week (or, $4800 per month). On average, men received eight percent more than then base required salary than women within the Fellows Program. Although we still need to close this gap, it is an impressive improvement when compared to the national statistics that Black women are on average paid 37 percent less and Latinx women are on average paid 46 percent less than non-Hispanic men (U.S. Census Bureau. (2017). While only two percent of men felt post-program that their benefits package was no longer competitive, women saw a significant decline of a full 21 points. There could be multiple attributing factors for this change, from merely hearing about compensation openly from peers to the concurrent Silicon Valley equal pay movement. It is not surprising that there is also a stark difference in response to the statement, “The company invested in my success and development on a professional and personal level.”
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OVERALL EXPERIENCES
89%
85%
75%
66%
Men
Women
Pre-Program
Post-Program
% EARNED ABOVE BASE SALARY (MONTHLY)
18%
21%
12%
All Fellows (Avg. Monthly Salary $5,651) Men (Avg. Monthly Salary $5,818) Women (Avg. Monthly Salary $5,394)
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Company’s Values Overall, Women saw a significant decline in statements that reflected their experiences and observations of a company’s values as it related to team collaboration and valuing Black and Latinx Talent. However, when Women saw a companies commitment to diversity and inclusion, the data shifted.
COMPANY VALUES TEAM COLLABORATION
This is a significant finding because women who agreed with “I felt like Black and Latinx talent and contributes are valued, and my community can excel at the company” rated their internship experience as positive 100 percent of the time.
% CHANGE IN COMPANY PERCEPTION Difference Between Pre- And Post-Program
710+010+019+ 11+021+10
In the statement, “The company values team collaboration and working together to solve problems” there was a 10 point drop in Women’s responses, whereas Men saw no change. Numerous studies and anecdotal evidence suggests that women tend to be heard less and interrupted more at work (Jacobi & Schweers, 2017; Chira, 2017), so it follows that Fellows who are Women experienced a deteriorating view of a company’s commitment for collaboration, while Men do not.
The Men rated this statement 10 points higher in the post-program than in the pre-program, while Women rated this statement seven points lower. When thinking about their community, they are likely thinking about women who will also face the double penalty as a minority from a race and gender perspective.
However, Women who saw a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as their personal and professional development were 95 percent more likely to indicate an overall positive experience.
COMPANY VALUES BLACK AND LATINX TALENT & CONTRIBUTIONS
The largest delta for the post-survey between Men and Women came from the statement “I felt like Black and Latinx talent and contributions were valued, and my community can excel at the company.” The delta ended up at a 30 point difference between Men and Women.
-10%
Competitive Benefits Package
-21%
Company is invested in My Success and Development
-10%
-19%
0%
Company Values Team Collaboration
-10%
Black and Latinx Talent and Contributions are Valued
10%
-7%
Men
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Women
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Intersection of Identities: Ethnicity Black Fellows overall perceptions of their company declined eight percent and Latinx Fellows fell by four percent. These declines represent multiple opportunities for growth, but two areas are worth further investigation: Company Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion and Company’s Competitive Benefits Package.
% CHANGE IN COMPANY EXPERIENCE PRE- AND POST-PROGRAM BROKEN DOWN BY ETHNICITY
62+0138
Company’s Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion When it came to a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, we saw interesting trends in Race/Ethnicity.
In response to the statement, “I felt like I was able to come to work fully without changing the way I dress, talk, or tell stories about my background.” Black Fellows started and ended the summer in far less agreement than Latinx Fellows (11 point difference in pre-program, and 13 point difference in post-program). This illustrates that Black Fellows are more likely to enter into a professional situation with the expectation that they need to make their appearance or demeanor more palatable, and then have that expectation confirmed through lived experiences, microaggressions, and bias in the workplace.
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I felt like Black and Latinx talent and contributions are valued and my community can excel at the company.
8%
-1%
I Was Able to Come to Work Fully Without Changing
Company is Committed to Diversity & Inclusion
-3%
-1%
-2%
-6%
Black Fellows
Latinx Fellows
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
Company’s Competitive Benefits Package Black and Latinx Fellows both began the program with the belief their compensation packages with competitive (Latinx 87%, Black 77%). On average, Latinx Fellows earned three percent less than their Black counterparts. Even though both group’s perceptions of their benefits package declined post-program, Black Fellows saw the most substantial decline of 10 percent (Latinx Fellows fell four percent). The disconnect between this data is something to explore further as we continue to run the program.
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CHANGE PERCEPTION OF COMPANY’S BENEFITS PACKAGE PRE- AND POST-PROGRAM BROKEN DOWN BY ETHNICITY -4%
-18%
Black Fellows (Avg. Monthly Salary $5,651) Latinx Fellows (Avg. Monthly Salary $5,818)
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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Top Recommendations Active Mentorship. Active and empathic mentors are more impactful with coaching on: • How often to meet during the mentorship. • Understanding what types of conversations are critical elements of a mentorship. • Recognizing opportunities to add value throughout the mentorship. Company Perception & Inclusive Management. Managers and teams are the most effective with coaching on: • How to actively engage in the professional development of interns through regular checkins, project management, and feedback. • Building awareness of the personal and structural barriers that direct report(s) may encounter within a homogenous workplace. • Creating a managerial relationship with an intern that engenders open and honest conversations, particularly in socially and culturally impactful moments. Intersectional Identities. Companies should aim to create systems and processes to: • Break down barriers that interns of different identities face such as wage gap, being onesself, and team collaboration. • Create a work environment that is actively committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. • Foster a culture that allows for a full understanding of intersectional dynamics and how they impact the workplace for Black and Latinx engineers.
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About this Report These findings are based on two surveys
20 questions in length, with 5 responses available
crafted and analyzed by our data and evaluation
for each question ranging from “not at all true” to
manager, Nora Traughber. The first, the “Pre-
“very true”. “Not at all true” responses earn the
Summer Survey”, was completed by Fellows
test taker 1 point, and the points increase all the
before Welcome Weekend (the first event of the
way up to “very true”, which earns the test taker 5
Fellows Program). The second, “Post-Summer
points. A person can get up to 100 points on the
Survey”, was completed by Fellows after the Wrap
questionnaire. Clance explains; “If the total score
Party (the final event of the Fellows Program). A
is 40 or less, the respondent has few Impostor
number of questions were asked in both surveys
characteristics; if the score is between 41 and 60,
to understand change over the course of the
the respondent has moderate IP experiences; a
program.
score between 61 and 80 means the respondent frequently has Impostor feelings; and a score
Self Perception Survey: We adopted the
higher than 80 means the respondent often has
methodology for calculating Self Esteem from the
intense IP experiences. The higher the score,
Sorensen Self-Esteem Test (Sorenson, 2006). The
the more frequently and seriously the Impostor
original test was 50 questions long and asked in
Phenomenon interferes in a person’s life.”
the form of a yes or no question. For any question a test-taker responded “yes” to, they received
Company Experience Survey: We wanted to
1 point. At the end, 0-4 points meant “You have
understand if a Fellows’ perception of a company
fairly good self-esteem”, 5-10 points meant “you
changed after interning there over the summer.
have mild low self-esteem”, 11-18 points meant
To understand this, each Fellow answered 10
“you have moderately low self-esteem”, and 19-50
questions before and after their internship. These
points meant “you have severely low self-esteem”.
questions were measured on a likert scale from
We shortened this questionnaire to 10 questions,
strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1), which
continued to assign one point to each question,
included a neutral rating. If a Fellow rated a
and then multiplied each point range by ¹/₅. That
question with agree (4) or strongly agree (5), we
lead to ranges of 0.0 - 0.8, 1.0 - 2.0, 2.2 - 3.6, and
counted them as being in agreement with the
3.8 - 10.0. Alternately, we could have assigned
given statement.
5 points to each question and maintained the original scale. However, this was a moot point since all scores were well within the “severely low self-esteem” range.
Manager Feedback: This survey was administered at the end of the summer and included 11 questions. The statements were proposed on a likert scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to
The Clance IP Scale (Clance, 1985) was used to
strongly agree (5). We collected the number of
score Imposter Syndrome in Fellows. The survey is
Fellows that responded with a 4 (agree) and 5 to obtain the percent in agreement.
THE METHODS THAT MATTER: Creating Positive Experiences in Tech for Early-Career Black and Latinx Engineers
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About Code2040 Code2040 is a community of Black and Latinx technologists and their allies who are diversifying tech to create a more equitable, inclusive, and prosperous economy. Our goal is to ensure that by 2040---the beginning of the decade when the US will be majority people of color---Black and Latinx people are fully represented in and leading the innovation economy, and have the economic and social capital needed to thrive and build generational wealth.
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