Research highlights extent of workplace discrimination

A survey of 4,000 UK adults, commissioned by HR software provider Ciphr, found that over two in five (45%) feel that they have experienced unfair discrimination while at work or when job hunting.

Of those, nearly two-fifths (38%) say they have been discriminated against at work. And a similar number (39%) believe they've been turned down for a job they were qualified to do, due to discrimination of some kind during the recruitment process.

The findings show that workplace discrimination appears more common for people at the beginning of their working careers and for people from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities).

Over three-quarters (76%) of survey respondents from Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, and two-thirds (65%) of those from Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, say they have suffered discrimination at work or faced hiring discrimination (compared to the survey average of 45%).

Gen Z and younger millennials are also significantly more likely to perceive and call out workplace discrimination, and other types of bias or unequal treatment that may have become accepted or even normalised over time, than their Gen X and Boomer counterparts. Two in three (65%) 18- to 34-year-olds say they have experienced discriminatory attitudes and behaviours at work or as a job applicant, compared to around two-fifths (45%) of people aged 35 to 54 years, and less than a third (31%) of those over 55.

Ciphr’s workplace discrimination study also sheds more light on the most prevalent types of discrimination that most people come up against.

On average, nearly one in five (19%) adults living in the UK have faced ageism at some point in their careers; either at their current workplace, a previous workplace, or a prospective one. Among those who reported experiencing age discrimination, nearly one in six (17%) men and one in seven (14%) women believe they’ve been treated unfavourably by recruiters based on their age.

The next most common types of workplace discrimination that people reported experiencing were appearance discrimination (cited by one in eight, or 13%, of those surveyed), and gender discrimination (12%).

Parent or carer discrimination – receiving unfair or prejudicial treatment on the job, or as a job applicant, because of one’s parenting or caring responsibilities – is also widespread. Based on Ciphr’s data, around one in nine (11%) people, on average, feel that they’ve been discriminated against in this way. But that rate triples for so-called ‘sandwich carers’ – those who are caring for a dependent child or children as well as older or disabled relatives – with nearly a third (30%) of people in this group feeling that they’ve faced discrimination because of their family responsibilities.

The fifth most common form of workplace discrimination encountered by all respondents, cited by one in 11 (9.3%) UK adults, is race or ethnicity discrimination. For people from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities), race or ethnicity discrimination is the most likely form of discrimination that they have faced at work or when seeking work (as reported by 34% of ethnic minority survey respondents).  

Other forms of workplace discrimination, experienced by around one in 13 people living in the UK, include accent discrimination and disability discrimination (8.8% and 8.2% respectively).

Ciphr’s head of diversity, Ann Allcock, says: “In the context of current global conversations about, and shifts in commitment to DEIB in some quarters, Ciphr’s findings shine a timely light on the continuing reality of discrimination and underline why we need to double down on our efforts to fully understand what drives that discrimination, and exactly what form it takes. And make it a priority to eliminate it.

“Employers simply can’t afford to continue taking the hit from the negative consequences of discrimination, in terms of impact on employee engagement, productivity and wasted talent. They need to fully use their people data and focus their efforts on tailored actions and training to both prevent discrimination and address it robustly where it does occur.

“The ever-present reality of discrimination surfaced by Ciphr’s survey also draws attention to the risks (legal challenges, missed talent opportunities and exclusionary workplaces) of any rowing back on DEIB. It’s not about ‘woke’ – what’s needed is a recommitment to what diversity, equity and inclusion stands for – valuing difference, fairness and belonging – principles that are hard for anyone to argue against.”