Latinas Feel They Must Work Twice as Hard, Survey Finds

Latinas have achieved higher levels of education and professional success than ever before, but they still face lingering stereotypes both in the workplace and at home about what their priorities should be, a new survey found.

People en Español‘s Latina@Work study, which surveyed 500 Latina women, found that they are twice as likely to say they must work twice as hard as their co-workers because of their cultural background, compared to non-Hispanic white women. And nearly a third of Latinas also feel they must dress more conservatively than their co-workers in order to be taken seriously, the survey found.

On the home front, Latinas report judgement from family members if they put their careers first. And they often feel that their work is more than just a means to an end—only 34% agreed with the statement “My job is just a means to provide for myself and my family.”

Despite concerns about stereotypes at work, 73% of Latinas still said they were optimistic about their future at their current company.

The survey, done in partnership with Lieberman Research Worldwide, included 500 Latina women in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas and Charlotte, as well as 250 non-Hispanic white women. Most of the women surveyed had received a bachelor’s degree or higher. Of the Latina women surveyed, 51% said they were the first in their family to attend college.