Opening Access to the Fast Track for Career Equity

New research shows that factors unrelated to employees’ knowledge, capabilities, and behavior — such as who they report to, their access to “accelerator” roles, and whether they take advantage of flexible working arrangements — play a leading role in who gets promoted. When managers understand the circumstances that contribute to or block paths to promotion for women and people of color, they can apply proactive career management to help position employees for advancement more equitably.