84% Staff Report Lack of Progress on Building More Equitable Workplaces for People of Colour

People of colour experienced an increase in racial discrimination, job loss and financial hardship at three times the rate of their White counterparts in 2021; confirmed a new US study.

Hue, the non-profit organisation dedicated to building equity and prosperity for Black, Indigenous, people of colour, revealed a rise in workplace discrimination for employees of colour in 2021. Employees of colour reported experiencing discrimination at work, leading to job loss, loss of empowerment and higher levels of burnout.

The survey found that 40% of employees of colour reported experiencing workplace discrimination related to their race/ethnicity; and nearly 30% said they experienced job loss due to race-related discrimination. At least one-third of employees of colour (35% Hispanic and 33% multiracial professionals) say they do not feel empowered to speak out against workplace discrimination; that they’ve witnessed or experienced based on their race/ethnicity.

WORKPLACE BURNOUT FOR MARGINALISED STAFF

Additionally, the survey showed that marginalised professionals experienced workplace burnout and exhaustion at higher rates than their White counterparts; (47% of Hispanics and East Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 41% of African Americans).

The study noted that employees and HR professionals have widely differing opinions on the effectiveness of workplace diversity training efforts. The study revealed that 84% of employees report a lack of meaningful progress on building a more equitable environment; for employees of colour over the past six months. Yet 82% of HR professionals say their industry does a good job of implementing diversity-related initiatives.

REPRESENTATION STILL MATTERS

Representation in the workplace remains essential – and motivating – to professionals of colour, particularly those at mid-career or senior levels. Nearly 80% of all employees of colour say they are motivated at work by seeing others who look like them or are from the same racial/ethnic background as them in the workplace.

“In the nearly two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the BIPOC employee workplace experience continues to be one of discrimination, under-representation and a lack of action to address these issues,” said Hue Founder and President Fahad Khawaja. “While America’s workplace has a long way to go for BIPOC workers. We believe that outlining these gaps and challenges can pave the way for the substantive change required for creating greater equity and prosperity; and improving the collective workplace health and wealth opportunities for our communities.”

Click here for a copy of the report.

Organisations are being urged to better support employees of marginalised ethnic backgrounds around the globe, a new study has revealed. Click here to read more.