New SwAAxBlind Workplace Survey: Unmasking the Reality of Asian American Discrimination

New SwAA x Blind Workplace Survey: Unmasking the Reality of Asian American Discrimination

 

As part of our Workplace Justice Initiative, we’ve joined forces with Blind, an anonymous social network that caters mainly to the tech industry, where nine million professionals share advice and discover relevant career information to conduct comprehensive anonymous surveys of thousands of U.S.-based professionals in the tech industry, including at companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Intel, Cisco, and Apple.

Data plays a critical role in our journey to identify, address and combat the systemic barriers and biases that Asian Americans encounter in their professional lives, a mission at the heart of SwAA’s commitment to justice and equality.

Key Findings

Our findings paint a shocking picture of workplace discrimination in the tech industry against Asian Americans — and yet build on a decade of previous research illuminating similar disturbing trends. 

The Pervasive Reality of Widespread Discrimination in Top Tech Companies. The rampant discrimination uncovered in top tech companies is particularly alarming given that, according to a recent Ascend report, Asian Americans constitute 23% of the workforce in 65 Fortune 100 companies. 

 

• 64% of Asian American employees report personally experiencing workplace discrimination because of their race. 
• Of the five most common companies from the survey, the following companies have the highest rates of Asian American employees reporting personally experiencing race-based workplace discrimination: Amazon (68%), Google (66%), Apple (63%), Meta (62%), and Microsoft (58%). 
• For context: Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Apple have more than 35% Asian in their professional workforce. Almost half of Meta’s professionals are Asian, according to Ascend. 

The Underreported Story of Racial Discrimination. There is a stark disparity between experiencing and reporting racial discrimination, which points to significant issues in the workplace. 

• Of the Asian American employees who report experiencing workplace discrimination due to their race, only 17% reported the discrimination to anyone. 
• The most common reasons Asian American employees did not report their discrimination were fear of retaliation (29%) and belief that nothing will change (20%).
• Of the five most common companies from the survey, the following companies have the lowest rates of Asian American employees reporting discrimination to anyone: Microsoft (15%), Amazon (17%), Apple (19%), Meta (19%), and Google (20%). 

The low reporting rate suggests that Asian employees may distrust the mechanisms in place to address discrimination or fear negative repercussions. Companies must create safer, more transparent environments where employees feel supported and confident in reporting incidents without fear of retaliation.

DEI Illusion: Discrepancies Between Promise and Practice. A significant gap between the perceived commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the actual experiences of Asian American employees reveals a troubling disconnect. 

 

• Only 25% of Asian American employees report feeling included in their company’s DEI efforts.  
• Of the five most common companies from the survey, the following companies have the lowest rates of Asian American employees reporting feeling included in their company’s DEI efforts: Apple (8%), Meta (14%), Amazon (19%), Google (24%), and Microsoft (33%).
• 59% of Asian American employees report feeling that their company publicly overstates its commitment to DEI. 
• Of the five most common companies from the survey, the following companies have the highest rates of Asian American employees reporting feeling that their company publicly overstates its commitment to DEI: Apple (75%), Meta (67%), Amazon (66%), Google (61%), and Microsoft (53%). 

The finding that only a quarter of Asian American employees feel included in DEI efforts reveals a substantial disconnect, suggesting many of these programs may be more performative than effective. This discrepancy calls for a critical reassessment of DEI strategies to ensure they truly address the needs and concerns of minority employees and genuinely promote diversity and equity. 

Resource Desert: The Stark Gap in Support for Asian American Employees. The lack of adequate resources for Asian American employees to address workplace discrimination reveals a glaring oversight in organizational support systems or resources outside the workplace. 

• Only 31% of Asian American employees report being aware of their rights regarding workplace discrimination. 
• Only 23% of Asian American employees report having the appropriate resources to address discrimination in the workplace. 
• Asian American employees report wanting legal support (61%) as the most desired workplace discrimination resources they wish they had access to. Other common responses include mental health and HR support. 

The disparity in awareness and availability of resources, especially when compared to other minority groups, stresses the importance of not only developing comprehensive support resources but also ensuring their accessibility and awareness among employees to address and mitigate workplace discrimination effectively. 

Conclusion 

These numbers are more than mere statistics – behind each response is a personal story of isolation, devaluation, and a yearning for recognition. They continue to indicate the broad pattern of underrepresentation, barriers to managerial roles and discrimination against Asian Americans, particularly in industries like technology, where Asian Americans are the largest racial cohort.

In response to the findings, SwAA is equipping Asian Americans navigating workplace discrimination by addressing the whole person. The support includes connecting individuals to mental health resources, legal counsel, monthly community support group meetings and public relations resources. Moreover, by gathering and identifying patterns in workplace discrimination reports, SwAA will continue to advocate for policies and programs that most effectively increase equity for Asian Americans.

If you think you have experienced any form of anti-Asian discrimination at work or know someone who has, please visit the SwAA Workplace Justice portal to report. 

Survey Methodology

SwAA, in partnership with Blind, conducted a series of three comprehensive online surveys. These surveys, administered on the professional social network Blind, engaged thousands of U.S.-based professionals between October 5 and November 14, 2023. The first survey engaged 2,768 verified U.S.-based professionals from over 900 companies, including over 1,200 self-identified Asian employees, and delved into the prevalence of race-based discrimination. The second survey engaged 2,518 verified professionals from over 800 companies, with over 800 Asian respondents, and concentrated on evaluating perceptions of company efforts in DEI. The third survey engaged 1,046 verified professionals, of which over 300 were self-identified Asian employees, from over 500 companies and sought to gauge employee awareness of resources available to address discrimination in the workplace.