Authors:
Gregg Muragishi, Stanford University
Elizabeth Weitz, Stanford University
Gregory Walton, Stanford University

Policy Memo #12
DATE

Managing Expectations may help Women of Color persist in the
tech workplace
SUMMARY

Women of Color (WOC) are vastly underrepresented in the tech sector and experience a high level
of turnover once employed. Research and interventions to remedy this disparity have largely centered
upon understanding and addressing pipeline issues and more recently, workplace biases. However,
a new study by psychology researchers at Stanford examines the ways in which one’s expectations
about their ability to contribute at work upon entering a new company or starting a new position
influences their sense of belonging and intention to stay. The study was conducted with 900 new
hires (56 WOC) at a large Silicon Valley tech firm who were randomly assigned to an intervention or
control group. The intervention, facilitated by the Stanford research team, was designed to mitigate
concerns and level expectations regarding normal challenges around fit and success that are
typical when changing roles or companies. The intervention consisted of sharing stories with the
new hires from current employees about early career challenges of contributing and how these
challenges improved with time. New hires also heard stories from current employees about how
they solicit contributions from others. The control group received the tech company’s standard
onboarding process. Although the small sample of WOC in the study made it impossible to run
official statistics on this group specifically, post intervention surveys at intervals of 1-week,
3-months, and 6-months showed promising preliminary results not just for WOC but also for
Men of Color and women more broadly.

INTERVENTION INNOVATIONS
The intervention was associated with:
• Curbing the drop in belonging and fit
• Curbing the drop in commitment to
the company
• Curbing the drop in self-perceived
potential for success

The study team recommends tech
companies set realistic expectations
about company culture during onboarding
to help new hires navigate common
work challenges and feelings
associated with fit and contribution.
For more information and to learn if these results held up 9-months post
intervention, contact study author Gregg Muragishi,
gmuragis@stanford.edu