Originally found at HR Dive, by Sheryl Estrada.

Although Silicon Valley tech companies have made gains in overall workforce diversity, there has been less change at the managerial level, according to some employers' own reports. And when women and members of underrepresented groups aren't in leadership roles, a lack of targeted skills-based training and executive mentorship can continue to hold them back, according to Advancing Women in Product (AWIP).

Tech companies stand to benefit from diverse management, research shows. Those with high levels of racial diversity in both upper management and lower management — known as racial diversity congruence — achieved the greatest levels of productivity, according to a study published June 9 in the Academy of Management Journal. A 1% increase in racial diversity congruence in management increased a tech firm's productivity by $729 per employee, according to the study.

Read the original research in Academy of Management Journal.

Read more about the original research in this AOM Insights Summary.

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