Workers today want to feel a sense of inclusion and belonging at work. And while building community fosters wellbeing and even improves productivity, some well-intentioned inclusivity efforts can miss the mark without the necessary education and understanding behind them.
“As a community, we’re navigating everyone wanting to know how they can help support us,” says Jazmin Urrea, Indeed client success manager and co-chair for Unidos, Indeed’s inclusion business resource group (IBRG) for Latinx workers and their allies. “But once they know, leaders need to ask, ‘What are we going to do as a company to actually implement change?’”
Unidos aims to empower the Hispanic community by raising awareness of systemic barriers that exist in the job market and driving change to eliminate them, says Cristian Feliciano, also a Unidos co-chair and solutions architect at Indeed. While racial inequities exist across all sectors, they are particularly apparent in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, where only 8% of workers are Hispanic compared to 17% of the overall U.S. workforce.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), we spoke with Urrea and Feliciano about the key issues affecting Latinx people in the workplace today. The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
What is the value of establishing an employee inclusion group like Unidos where you work?
Jazmin Urrea (JU): Many leaders in our community have imposter syndrome. Having a group of people to share your struggles with and get advice from allows you to push to be better in your own role. Community is really important within any company to make sure that workers are not only heard by their managers but by their peers. It’s support for the human psyche.
Cristian Feliciano (CF): For instance, burnt rice is a Latin American dish that has different names depending on where you’re from. It brings up this fun debate that we've had our whole lives with other Hispanic cultures. Being able to have that kind of conversation at work in between tasks, to speak a little bit of Spanish, to hear our music now and then — all those pieces make you feel like you can absolutely be your authentic self and help you feel like you belong.
How can companies create space for employees to be themselves and celebrate holidays like Hispanic Heritage Month at work?
CF: Include us. Encourage people to be themselves and understand their culture without necessarily trying to insert yourself into that culture. Celebrate with us, not for us.
JU: Some employees feel so comfortable that they're inviting their leadership to celebrate with them, and I encourage leaders to be a part of that. Do what you need to do to learn about it, and then support your employees.
And employee resource groups (ERGs) help tremendously. Data shows that businesses that take their ERGs’ feedback into account experience increased revenue. If you really value your employees and who they are, it drives business success.
Chris Hyams virtually interviews Learning and Development Global Programs Manager and former Unidos co-chair Adrienne Smith on Hispanic Heritage Month and how leaders can help employees battle imposter syndrome.
How can companies avoid falling into social washing?
JU: Include your Latino and Hispanic employees in the conversation, and don't just ask for the feedback — implement it. I think the community would really appreciate that last part because companies aren’t just speaking to a wall.
Another strategy includes leadership educating themselves. You can learn a lot from your team, but you could also take the responsibility to learn on your own.
CF: If someone has something to say, don’t just shrug it off. If you’re doing this for us, make sure that this is actually for us.
If you’re doing this for us, make sure that this is actually for us.
Cristian Feliciano, Solutions Architect at Indeed
What are some unique challenges the Latinx and Hispanic community face in the workplace?
JU: What I've seen is that we have highly skilled first-generation Americans excited to enter the workforce. When you are the first in your family in corporate America, you are learning a lot while also paving the way for future generations, or even your future self. You don’t have the same industry experience and connections in your family as those who have lived here for generations.
A lot of these first-generation Americans are also helping their parents learn a new language and navigate corporate America. Latinos and Hispanics have strong transferable skills, so it's important that employers understand skills-based hiring to bring them into the workforce.
It’s also important to note that the Latino and Hispanic community is not a monolith. We have so many backgrounds, and there are a lot of different stories, voices and experiences within the community.
CF: Pay equity is a big one, too, especially for women and women of color. Consider how much of a paycheck is going toward day-to-day life versus savings. That pay gap makes a big difference on generational wealth and how much money they can earn or save to help their families.
Another challenge within our cultures is that many of our parents ingrained in us a need to be humble and grateful for the job you have. But in reality, when you're creating a brand for yourself, you want to brag about yourself. You are grateful but don't want to skip opportunities. I'm a big proponent of celebrating yourself.
JU: I know a lot of us are highly motivated and want to make our families proud. But I also want to empower other leaders in our community to recognize that the work you're putting in is your own and no one else did it for you.
What are some barriers specific to the tech space?
JU: First are educational barriers. Latino and Hispanic students — particularly the ones that come from low-income backgrounds — may have limited access to high-quality STEM education from an early age.
Second are socio-cultural barriers. As I mentioned before, breaking into corporate America often requires professional connections — and that’s especially true in tech. So if Latinos and Hispanics don't have access to these networks, it's harder for them to land a job or internship in tech. And some may not have the economic flexibility to take an unpaid internship or a low-paying entry-level job. This whole notion of taking an opportunity that could lead to more lucrative roles may not be accessible.
Some may not have the economic flexibility to take an unpaid internship or a low-paying entry-level job. This whole notion of taking an opportunity that could lead to more lucrative roles may not be accessible.
Jazmin Urrea, Client Success Manager at Indeed
CF: There are also a lot of microaggressions in the tech space specifically because of how open and forward thinking it is in wanting to be inclusive. They come from innocent places of wanting to collaborate without a full cultural understanding.
Cinco de Mayo is an example: It's not a holiday that's really celebrated in Mexico unless you're from this one small town called Pueblo. But in the U.S., it's celebrated widely — and that’s cool. We can celebrate and have fun. But you don't need to wear a sombrero or invite me to “Cinco de Drinko.” You could just say, “Let's go grab some drinks.”
What can employers do to help overcome these challenges?
JU: It really starts with collecting data, then identifying where a gap could be and how to implement changes. Some questions to consider: What is the employee life cycle of Latinos or Hispanics in your organization? Who is applying? Who's interviewing them? Are they accepting these positions? Are they receiving promotions? Why are they leaving?
CF: Provide networking spaces for us where we can learn and meet new people that we normally wouldn't have met. Introduce us to VPs and directors and allow us to build those relationships that will even the playing field.
JU: And one thing that’s become huge post-pandemic is a leader’s ability to have uncomfortable conversations to support their teams. That is an unmatched skill because you open the door to psychological safety where employees feel like they can be themselves because they know that you understand them — or at least are trying to.
