More than two in five UK adults (45 per cent) have encountered discrimination in the workplace or during their job search, according to a survey of 4,000 people conducted by Ciphr. The findings suggest that 39 per cent of respondents believe they were rejected from a role for discriminatory reasons.
Aggie Mutuma, CEO of Mahogany Inclusion Partners, described the results as a “red flag” for organizations claiming to be inclusive, noting that the data confirms discrimination is a persistent pattern rather than an occasional occurrence. Paul Sesay, founder and CEO of Inclusive Companies, added that there is a “direct correlation between difficulties in diverse hiring and discrimination at interview stage and within the workplace.”
Ageism and Demographic Disparities
The survey identified ageism as the most common form of discrimination, with 19 per cent of respondents stating they had faced it during their careers. The impact was particularly noted among younger workers, with 57 per cent of those aged 18 to 34 reporting workplace discrimination, compared to 31 per cent of those aged 35 and older.
Emily Andrews, deputy director for work at the Centre for Ageing Better, called ageism a “prejudice that is hidden in plain sight” and cautioned that businesses are short-sighted to ignore the benefits of a multigenerational workforce. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, stated that a person’s ability to work should be judged on “skills and motivation and not how they look or their birth certificate.”
Impact on Gender and Ethnicity
The research highlights significant disparities regarding gender and ethnicity. Women were found to be almost twice as likely as men to report discrimination, with 10 per cent of women feeling they lost out on a role due to their gender, compared to 5.2 per cent of men. Additionally, 11 per cent of respondents reported unfair treatment due to caregiving responsibilities, a figure that rose to nearly 30 per cent for those caring for both children and older or disabled relatives.
Employees from ethnic minority backgrounds reported the highest levels of discrimination. Three quarters (76 per cent) of Black respondents and 65 per cent of Asian respondents reported experiencing discrimination in professional settings. While 39 per cent of Black respondents and 31 per cent of Asian respondents specifically cited racism or ethnicity-based discrimination, only 5.2 per cent of white respondents reported similar experiences.
Sesay emphasized that the issue requires systemic cultural change, noting that “discrimination will stop diverse talent in its tracks.”
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