The landscape of discrimination within the UK workplace continues to present significant challenges for young people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Recent research conducted by the Youth Futures Foundation highlights the pervasive nature of prejudice and discrimination faced by these individuals in a professional sphere.

The study - touted as the largest survey of its kind in the UK - surveyed 3,250 young people from ethnic minority backgrounds, revealing alarming statistics. Nearly half of these individuals (48%), related encountering discrimination or prejudice as they endeavoured to enter the workforce. Shockingly, a third of respondents reported experiencing overt racism in the form of remarks, jokes, or banter directed at them within their workplaces. Moreover, a concerning two-thirds admitted to overhearing racist slurs or jokes from coworkers or supervisors, fostering a hostile work environment.

For many young people, discrimination poses a considerable barrier to securing employment and advancing in their careers. A significant proportion of those not engaged in education, employment, or training identified prejudice or discrimination as the primary obstacle hindering their entry into the workforce. Even after gaining employment, discrimination continues to haunt their professional lives, with seven in ten individuals considering changing jobs or industries due to their experiences of discrimination.

The repercussions of workplace discrimination extend beyond professional realms, reaching into the personal lives and mental well-being of affected individuals. The research highlights that discrimination has inflicted a profound emotional toll, with a substantial portion reporting a loss of self-confidence as a result.

Young people participating in the study emphasized the urgent need for employers to prioritise work experience opportunities for those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Additionally, advocating for a zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory behaviour within the workplace is deemed imperative.

Youth Futures Foundation advocates for policy interventions aimed at fostering a more inclusive and equitable work environment. Mandating employers to disclose ethnicity pay gaps and making data on pay, working hours, promotion and senior roles publicly available are proposed measures to promote transparency and accountability.

Lord Woolley, board member at Youth Futures Foundation and founder of Operation Black Vote, said:

“Failure to tackle widespread discrimination could damage young people in the most formative years of their careers. We cannot succeed as a nation if our young people are held back, but if we treat this evidence seriously, we can do better and give all young people a pathway to success.”