Racism | The biggest limitation for job candidates revealed

Despite a widespread emphasis on equality in the workplace over the past decade, research from the annual Hays Diversity & Inclusion 2019 report found that over half of all professionals believe that their chances of being selected for a job have been lowered because of a factor beyond their control, such as race and religion.

The report, which surveyed over 5,200 respondents, found that 52% of professionals believe they have a lower chance of getting hired if they identify as BAME, whilst a whopping 91% of respondents with black heritage and 81% with Asian heritage believe that their chances of selection for a job are significantly reduced by these factors. This is compared to only 18% of those with British heritage.

These statistics have been proven recently, as earlier this year a taxi firm shared a job advertisement on Facebook that was seeking more drivers but revealed that it did not want to employ Pakistani or ‘dark’ drivers. Unsurprisingly, the employer received widespread criticism for the racist job ad.

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And whilst race is a defining factor in workplace discrimination, the report also revealed that ageism is still rife within the workplace. 83% of those aged over 55 felt that their selection changes were restricted, whilst women not only felt the effects of ageism more than men, they’re also twice as likely to feel that their chances of selection are lowered due to their gender.