Survey finds ‘worrying gap’

Two-thirds of workers do not challenge discrimination at work despite thinking of themselves as friends to colleagues from under-represented groups, according to a survey commissioned by construction company the Wates Group.

Just 36% of more than 5,000 employees surveyed said they had spoken up against discrimination or exclusion at work even though more than two-thirds of them said they were “allies” of minority groups. Seventy per cent had never credited a minority colleague’s ideas, while nearly 80% had never promoted opportunities for workers from an under-represented group.

Meanwhile, almost 60% of gay, lesbian and bisexual workers had experienced “microaggressions”, while 62% of Black Caribbean and 47% of Pakistani workers had witnessed discrimination based on race or ethnicity. Six out of 10 Black African and Caribbean workers had heard names being mispronounced because they were “too hard” to say.

Wates Group’s inclusion and diversity director, Nikunj Upadhyay, said: “The disconnect between intent and action when it comes to tackling discrimination and microaggressions at work is worrying.” “We need employers to boost education and ensure that colleagues have an improved understanding of the experiences of under-represented groups and what they can do be an effective ally,” he concluded.