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Rula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
The writer is Principal of Homerton College, Cambridge, and former Head of the UK Government's Race Disparities Unit
The UK is facing a waiting crisis due to widespread discrimination in the workplace. I hoped, perhaps naively, that young people today would not endure what I had to endure when I entered the workforce more than forty years ago. I was hoping that by 2024, being judged by the color of my skin instead of my talents and skills would be a thing of the past.
But this is still a day-to-day reality across Britain. The latest Parker Review survey of the UK's 350 largest companies, published last week, shows that we still have a long way to go in making boards more diverse. Only 12 CEOs are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds in the FTSE 100. Only one in eight senior managers are from a diverse ethnic background. This does not represent our population at the national level: we can and must do better.
But this issue is much more entrenched than board representation. It cuts across all levels of the workforce and affects young people from the first moments of their careers. New research by Youth Futures, where I serve on the board of directors, contains uncomfortable truths about systemic discrimination.
Nearly half of those from ethnic minorities under the age of 25 have experienced discrimination or racism in the workplace – with a third experiencing racist remarks or jokes from colleagues. This happens at the most important time in their career when they are ambitious and impressionable.
The consequences for the nation are dire. At Homerton, I saw first-hand how important it is to nurture young people academically and personally as they enter the workforce – and how formative those first few years of work can be. Their trust has been shattered time and time again. Such unnecessary barriers can cause lasting emotional and psychological damage.
With a fifth of young people in the UK now from ethnic minority backgrounds, this is a crisis waiting to happen. The research finds that the majority of those who have experienced discrimination are considering changing careers – or leaving sectors entirely. With the UK lagging behind many of its OECD peers in levels of youth employment, this is a crisis we do not need to exacerbate any further.
It is the duty of employers and policy makers to confront these discriminatory practices, behaviors and cultures head-on. Solutions such as ensuring apprenticeships or work experience for young people from black and minority ethnic communities – as well as other disadvantaged backgrounds – can be transformative. Work experience builds confidence and raises young people's aspirations – it instils the belief that they can achieve and contribute.
More transparency about pay and advancement, along with stronger policies to address instances of bias or racism, would provide reason to hope for equal opportunity and for action to be taken when problems arise.
As a nation, we need to take a hard look at the facts because companies are simply not performing well enough. If employers tackle discrimination head-on, we can unleash a wave of talent throughout the workforce. More young people will find their way into jobs and careers that are right for them and where they can make their best contribution. Employers will benefit from having the best candidates at all levels – from senior executives to the brightest interns and young graduates.
But beyond any arguments about better productivity or performance, important as they are, it is about rooting out shameful behavior and making the UK the best possible society to belong to and advance in. In a world that can often feel full of division, I still believe this is a prize within our grasp.
