As Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on how support and advancement take shape in the workplace. Sponsorship—when senior colleagues actively create opportunities for others—can make a real difference in career progression. While it may appear that Asian employees have levels of sponsorship that are in line with their White peers, a closer look reveals discrepancies.
“For senior managers and above, 52 percent of Asian American employees reported having sponsors, ten percentage points lower than White employees,” write McKinsey’s Kweilin Ellingrud and coauthors. “And at more senior levels, Asian American employees’ perception of sponsor effectiveness drops significantly.” Explore more insights and help challenge assumptions that may be holding people back—from the idea of a monolithic Asian American experience to the “model minority” myth.
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