Despite most UK employers having zero-tolerance policies on racial harassment and bullying, a new report has found that these problems are still affecting many workers.
According to the 2019 Race at Work survey, published by the organisation Business in the Community, one in four black, Asian, minority ethnic (BAME) employees in the UK report experiencing bullying and harassment.
The survey also looked into what employers are doing to combat the issue and found that less than half (45 per cent) of businesses have carried out reviews into bullying or harassment in their workplace.
Meanwhile, less than a third (31 per cent) said they publish their ethnicity pay gap despite this being a measure that 63 per cent of employers monitor.
The Race at Work survey includes data from 108 companies in the UK, which between them employ more than 32,000 BAME staff. The report’s results represent a UK workforce comprising more than 1.3 million people.
Sandra Kerr, race campaign director at Business in the Community, has said that in order to achieve a fairer and more diverse workplace in the UK, employers need to “hold themselves accountable” and “be transparent about where they are and what direction they are headed".
“We can see this in the evolution of ethnicity pay gap reporting over the past few years where many employers are measuring their pay gaps and taking action, but half of those measuring their pay gaps are still hesitant to speak publicly about it,” she continued.
“Similarly many are recognising the importance of a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment but our results show this needs to be matched with consistent action.”
The goal, Kerr added, is for employers to create “inclusive organisational cultures” where workers feel valued.
“Measurement is such an important lever for change and targets must be set at every stage, from recruitment through to retention and progression at all levels.”
