10 companies that are committed to advancing the careers of Black employees

Glassdoor data finds that while employers have made progress supporting their Black workers, more work needs to be done.

Delta Air Lines received the top ranking for providing career opportunities to Black employees, according to new data from Glassdoor. Rounding out the rest of the top five slots were Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Deloitte and FedEx.

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On average, Black employees rate their companies lower when compared with all employees (3.5 compared with 3.8, respectively), the job ranking company said. But the highest marks went to companies that have made diversity and inclusion a priority, while senior leadership received the lowest.

This highlights the ongoing need for senior leaders to continue focusing on fostering trust, increasing transparency and unifying employees around common goals, Glassdoor said.

This is the second year Glassdoor has offered an employee sentiment by demographic group feature, which provides insights into how Black employees rate their workplace experiences and the extent to which they view those experiences differently than their non-Black co-workers.

The latest findings show that while employers have made progress supporting Black employees, there is still more that can and should be done, Glassdoor said.

10 highest-rated companies for career opportunities, according to Black employees

1. Delta Air Lines (4.2 average career opportunity rating)
2. Microsoft (4.1)
3. Northrop Grumman (4.1)
4. Deloitte (4.1)
5. FedEx (4.0)
6. Bank of America (4.0)
7. Capital One (4.0)
8. Enterprise (4.0)
9. EY (4.0)
10. Chick-fil-A (3.9)

These 10 companies offer various developmental opportunities for Black employees to advance their careers, including employer-sponsored education assistance plans and employee resource groups, according to Glassdoor. The programs reflect the strategic-targeting and empowerment of Black employees to capture their unique workplace experiences and continue to invest in their growth-potential at work to best ensure sustainable engagement, high productivity and strong job satisfaction.

Average workplace factor ratings, according to Black employees

• Diversity and inclusion (3.6 average rating)
• Culture and values (3.4)
• Compensation and benefits (3.4)
• Career opportunities (3.4)
• Work-life balance (3.3)
• Senior leadership (3.1)

It is critical for job seekers to conduct research so they can make an informed decision about a job and company they will love, and that in return will support them and provide a full sense of belonging, Glassdoor said. This includes reading employee reviews, checking company ratings and gathering community advice.

But Glassdoor added that people should also “give back by making your unique voice heard and sharing your own unique experience” to help others make important career decisions from an informed basis.

Efforts companies are making

Glassdoor Associate Economist Richard Johnson said it is notable that Black employees rate their average overall work experience lower when compared with all employees.

“We’ve seen many companies acknowledging vulnerabilities within their organization and making pledges to invest in both access and advancement for underrepresented employees,’’ Johnson said. “And it’s encouraging to see signs of progress being made at the 10 companies that Black employees say are advancing their careers.”

The companies on this list have created career development programs to ensure sustainable commitments to diversifying the workplace at all levels of the organization, Johnson said. These include employee resource groups for networking, diversity ambassadors to foster inclusive working environments, coaching and mentorship programs to help lay clear paths for growth within an organization.

“Companies that are not fostering an atmosphere of trust, fairness and equity may lose top talent to competitors that are making more meaningful progress,” he said.

Further, it comes as no surprise to Johnson that Black employees rated senior leadership as the lowest workplace factor, on average. “Unfortunately, we know that senior leadership is not always the most representative across many companies today. This research is another reminder that there’s still progress to be made when it comes to elevating diverse voices at companies.”

Because access to career opportunities is one of the top drivers of long-term employee satisfaction, in today’s competitive job market, it’s important for candidates to find an employer that prioritizes career growth, Johnson said.

Methodology

Glassdoor said it examined internal data based on thousands of ratings from Black or African American full-time and part-time employees between Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2021. Only employers with a minimum of 20 career opportunities ratings from Black or African American employees during 2021 and a minimum of 1,000 employees overall were considered.