Religion at work | The hostility & ridicule facing Christians employees

New research published by leading business-psychology consultancy, Pearn Kandola, has revealed that many Christians today feel unable to freely express their religious identity at work.

The report, Religion at Work: Experiences of Christian Employees, found that Christians are experiencing similar forms of discrimination in the workplace as employees of other faiths. With the UK being a Christian country, there is an assumption that Christians are less likely to face issues when it comes to inclusivity. Despite this, the research has found that many feel unable to express their faith openly and are likely to be stereotyped at work.

Stereotyping and ridicule in UK workplaces

Qualitative research found that a number of Christian employees have witnessed or experienced ridicule around their religious beliefs, which often stems from stereotypes held about the faith.

A negative overall perception of Christians was cited as leading to a range of ‘disparaging remarks’ and ‘snide’ comments. Public ridicule experienced in some cases resulted in employees feeling unable to discuss their faith openly.