BAME employees unrepresented in the workplace, survey shows

Black, Asian and Minority (BAME) employees have been found to be unrepresented in the workplace and less likely to be rated as a top performer than their white employees, according to a survey conducted by Business in the Community (BITC).

The Race at Work survey of 24,000 people discovered that 64 per cent of BAME employees were keen to progress within their organisation compared to 41 per cent of white employees.

Results also found only 55 per cent of BAME employees felt valued in the workplace compared to 71 per cent of white employees. Further to this, 30 per cent of BAME employees felt as though they had been overlooked for a promotion.

Sandra Kerr OBE, race equality director at BITC, believes that people managers need greater training around diversity inclusion and unconscious bias.

She said: "For HR professionals, priority one is around supporting the workplace with tools and training to raise awareness of unconscious bias and diversity inclusion, with specific focus on those involved in the recruitment process, promotion processes, pay awards and talent management and ensuring that new people coming into the organisation get training so that those values are reinforced."

In the past year, a harrowing 30 per cent of BAME employees reported having experienced or witnessed racial harassment and bullying in the workplace.

"Despite having greater enjoyment and ambition for work, the experience of the workplace processes and cultures for BAME employees is certainly not ideal. This is compounded by the extremely worrying finding that incidents of racial harassment and bullying appear to be on the rise," Kerr said.

To resolve the issues highlighted in the results, the report recommended that employers set objectives for managers around ensuring diversity and inclusion in their teams.

BITC also suggested reviewing succession planning for diverse talent and encouraging and delivering mentoring for their BAME workforce.