Ciphr<\/a>, which polled 4,000 UK adults, also found that 39% believed they were rejected from a role due to discrimination.<\/p>\nWomen were nearly twice as likely as men to report discrimination, with 10% saying they had lost out on a job because of their gender, compared to 5.2% of men.<\/p>\n
Aggie Mutuma, CEO of Mahogany Inclusion Partners, said the findings reinforced what \u201ctoo many people already know from experience\u201d \u2013 that \u201cworkplace discrimination isn\u2019t an occasional misstep, it\u2019s a pattern that continues to shape careers, opportunities and workplace culture”.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThe fact that so many individuals feel they\u2019ve been overlooked, undervalued or even excluded entirely because of their identity is a red flag for organisations that claim to be inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Sesay, founder and CEO of Inclusive Companies, highlighted a \u201cdirect correlation between difficulties in diverse hiring and discrimination at interview stage and within the workplace”.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cEven if diverse hires are made, underrepresentation, lack of training and education among colleagues and bias across a business will, ultimately, see the diverse hire fail because of the lack of inclusion and equity.<\/p>\n
The most reported form of discrimination was ageism.<\/p>\n
The survey found that 15% of respondents felt their age had prevented them from securing a job, while 19% said they had faced ageism at some point in their careers.<\/p>\n
57% of those aged 18 to 34 said they had experienced discrimination at work, with 59% encountering bias in hiring. In contrast, 31% of those aged 35 and older reported workplace discrimination.<\/p>\n
Discrimination against parents and carers was also widespread.<\/p>\n
An average of 11% of respondents said they had been treated unfairly due to caregiving responsibilities.<\/p>\n
Among those caring for both a child and an older or disabled relative, 30% reported discrimination.<\/p>\n
Emily Andrews, deputy director for work at the Centre for Ageing Better, said ageism was \u201cdamaging for individuals, employers and the economy”.<\/p>\n
She explained: \u201cAgeism is the prejudice that is hidden in plain sight.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s so embedded in our society that it\u2019s even become normalised and passively accepted by those of us who are older.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also short-sighted of businesses to deprive themselves of all the advantages that having older workers and a multigenerational workforce brings when combining skills, knowledge and experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sesay warned that excluding older workers meant \u201can organisation lose their highly valuable knowledge, wisdom, experience and loyalty”.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThe human cost is immeasurable as older people lose their sense of self-worth and lose out on income and pension contributions if they feel the need to reduce or end their working hours.”<\/p>\n
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said jobs should be based on \u201cskills and motivation and not how they look or their birth certificate”.<\/p>\n
The survey also revealed that workplace discrimination disproportionately affected employees from ethnic minority backgrounds.<\/p>\n
76% of Black, Black British, Caribbean or African respondents reported discrimination at work or during job applications.<\/p>\n
Among Asian and Asian British respondents, 65% said they had faced discrimination in professional settings.<\/p>\n
39% of Black respondents and 31% of Asian respondents reported experiencing racism or ethnic-based discrimination.<\/p>\n
In contrast, 5.2% of white respondents felt they had been discriminated against due to ethnicity.<\/p>\n
Sesay said: \u201cDiscrimination will stop diverse talent in its tracks.<\/p>\n
“Excellent colleagues will be lost if their environment doesn\u2019t welcome or include them. And the problem will persist until the culture changes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mutuma explained that discrimination was not always \u201covert bias\u201d but could manifest as the \u201cquiet, accumulative impact of microaggressions, exclusion from key projects or the \u2018not the right fit\u2019 excuse used to justify missed promotions”.<\/p>\n
Mutuma urged businesses to \u201cmove beyond awareness and into action\u201d if they were serious about tackling discrimination.<\/p>\n
She said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThis starts with honest conversations at the top \u2013 where are the blind spots in recruitment?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
“How are promotions really being decided? Do leaders create space for diverse voices, or just expect them to conform?<\/p>\n
“Training is useful, but only when paired with accountability, psychological safety and policies that are enforced rather than just written down.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe real challenge for businesses isn\u2019t acknowledging that it exists \u2013 it\u2019s deciding whether they\u2019re willing to be part of the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sesay added that managers must recognise discrimination is \u201cnot always loud or easy to spot”.<\/p>\n
He advised: \u201cInvest in training for leaders on inclusive management practices, encourage them to value diverse perspectives and create a culture of respect.<\/p>\n
“Introduce mandatory diversity and inclusion training for all employees to explain unconscious bias, cultural sensitivity and inclusive communication.<\/p>\n
“Ensure this is part of every new colleague\u2019s onboarding process to build a strong, resilient and respectful culture from the ground up.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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