Black women and men have high aspirations to be successful at work, and outworking and outperforming others is the norm for many. But what happens to the minds, bodies, and spirits of Black employees when unrealistic expectations are too much to bear—if, despite their hard work, they remain set apart and undervalued?
For women, this may include their having to deal with sexual harassment, sexism, double burden, for black women, racism, gender pay dynamics.
According to a recent study by a US-based research firm Catalyst, Black women, in particular, bear the brunt of the 21st-century malady dubbed “emotional tax”.
This, the organisation says, is a challenge Emotional Companies Can’t Afford to Ignore.
The report revealed that nearly 60% of women of colour surveyed in that country experienced emotional tax – a combination of feeling different from peers at work because of gender, race and/or ethnicity and the associated effects on health, well-being and ability to thrive at work
Guest: Ms Siwe Coka - President of the South African Association of Women Graduates and the Founder & Director of Inkanyezi Foundation which focuses on an Empowerment and Transformative Programme for community women and girls