Earlier this year, the charity BRAP, in collaboration with Professor Roger Kline of Middlesex University, released a report titled Too Hot to Handle, examining racism within the NHS. The research revealed that despite various efforts to combat racism, the NHS continues to fall short in effectively addressing the issue.
The report highlighted the following findings:
71% of UK-trained staff reported experiencing race discrimination.
63% stated their performance or behavior was scrutinized more heavily compared to white colleagues.
Over half reported being excluded from development opportunities.
49% indicated they were denied promotion opportunities.
More than half overheard colleagues or patients making assumptions based on race or nationality.
A third noted being spoken to rudely or differently by colleagues compared to others.
The research uncovered several recurring themes that, unfortunately, resonate with many organizations. Despite having equal opportunity policies, procedures, and extensive training meant to promote respect and diversity, racism continues to be a significant issue in the workplace.
This aligns with my personal experience representing employees—complaints of race discrimination are often met with defensiveness and reluctance from management to even acknowledge that racism could be a factor.
Such a culture of defensiveness and avoidance harms both employees and the organization. The negative effects on staff wellbeing and mental health are clear, but the consequences for the company are also substantial. When employees feel unable to speak up, it forces the issue underground, allowing a toxic workplace to develop. This not only damages staff morale and productivity but also increases turnover. Failure to take prompt and effective action cultivates a culture where racism persists, eventually forcing companies to confront the issue through legal action.
Race discrimination claims can be financially burdensome for companies. Legal fees to defend a claim can amount to tens of thousands of pounds, while compensation awards are uncapped. Moreover, such claims often attract press attention, leading to negative publicity. Tribunal judgments are public record and easily accessible online, meaning anyone can view the judgment, which not only details the complaint but also exposes the employer’s failures. These judgments often include harsh criticism of managers’ conduct and may name individuals.
To address racism effectively, companies need to go beyond superficial measures and critically assess and update their recruitment, retention, and promotion practices to ensure they are truly effective.
Here are three key areas employers should review to tackle race discrimination within their organizations:
1.Increasing Representation of Ethnically Diverse Staff
As an initial step, organizations should evaluate their recruitment strategies to ensure that minority candidates are not being disadvantaged.
Advertising Practices:
Ensure job ads are reaching a broad and diverse audience.
Use diverse images in company literature and advertisements to help applicants feel represented and welcomed.
Post job vacancies in locations that are easily accessible to people from varied socio-economic backgrounds.
Implement Blind Hiring:
By removing names from applications, blind hiring can help focus the evaluation on qualifications and merit, reducing the impact of unconscious biases.
Training on Unconscious Bias:
Ensure that everyone involved in recruitment, including those who draft job descriptions and conduct interviews, is trained on unconscious bias.
Diverse Hiring Panels:
It’s important to create diverse interview panels, avoiding a repetition of the same individuals to ensure fresh perspectives in the hiring process.
2.Retaining Staff – Encouraging Equal Opportunities for Development
While the NHS and many other organizations are diverse, their leadership doesn’t always reflect this diversity. For example, London’s population is over 46% non-white, yet this is not mirrored at senior levels in the workplace. According to the CIPD’s 2021 ‘Race Inclusion’ report, discrimination in career progression is a significant barrier for minority employees, including overlooked skills and talent, poor-quality line management, and exclusion from the “in group.”
Assess the Extent of the Problem:
Managers may acknowledge racism in society but fail to recognize it within their organization. Review recent promotions and explore any barriers to minority staff advancement. Engage employee networks and resource groups for insights and be ready to listen.
If minority staff are not applying for promotions, investigate the reasons. Employees may feel demotivated if they don’t see representation in senior roles.
Ensure Equal Career Development Opportunities:
The promotion process should be fair and transparent, avoiding favoritism or informal networks based on personal relationships.
Training opportunities should be accessible to all staff, discussed during supervisions and appraisals.
Promotion decisions should follow agreed-upon criteria, with a collaborative decision-making process rather than leaving it to one individual.
3.Addressing Complaints Effectively
To retain staff and foster a psychologically safe environment, it’s crucial that complaints are dealt with effectively. The BRAP report found that many minority staff refrain from raising concerns due to a belief that nothing will change (75.7%) or because they fear being labeled as troublemakers (63.5%). Failure to address concerns can result in staff leaving, with 41.8% of
surveyed individuals having left their jobs because of their treatment.
Encourage Openness:
Employees should feel safe raising complaints without fear of victimization. A culture that discourages complaints risks exacerbating the issue, which may resurface when it becomes unmanageable.
Avoid Denial:
Employers may hesitate to acknowledge complaints as race discrimination due to stigma. While not all complaints are valid, it’s essential to approach each with a genuine willingness to listen and identify the facts. Early intervention can prevent issues from escalating and provide an opportunity for improvement.
Show Empathy:
Employees raising concerns often face defensiveness. Demonstrating compassion is vital in resolving complaints, as it can lead to a more positive outcome.
Direct employees to available support resources, such as an employee assistance scheme.
Address complaints promptly and keep the employee informed, recognizing that it’s a stressful process for them.
In many race discrimination cases, the failure to handle complaints adequately becomes part of the alleged discrimination. Acknowledging concerns and showing a commitment to improve can make the employee feel valued and help rebuild the relationship.
