HR Industry News

Public perception of ethnic minority women out of touch, says survey

— 3 October 2007 —

The latest research has revealed that perceptions of ethnic minority women in the workplace are not in keeping with reality.

An Ipsos MORI survey commissioned jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has determined that nearly four in 10 people (37%) think that unemployed Bangladeshi and Pakistani women face cultural and religious barriers that prevent them from working (after family and caring responsibilities, 43%). Survey findings also showed that around a half (53%) of people thought that white British women in work were more likely than ethnic minority women in work to have a degree.

A separate study on Pakistani and Bangladeshi women’s attitudes to work and family published by the DWP, found that attitudes are changing from one generation to next, with difficulties in finding suitable childcare and flexible working arrangements as the biggest barriers to work - for ethnic minority women, just as much as for women in general.

These reports show that times are changing and that women from all backgrounds want to work in a way that suits them. People can’t afford to make snap judgements about the many women from ethnic minorities who are keen and able to work. If they do, they’ll miss out on a growing pool of untapped talent that many employers are already waking up to.Caroline Flint, Employment Minister

When it comes to levels of education, public attitudes are also out of touch with the times. Jenny Watson, Chair of the EOC, says: "The gap between the public's perceptions about the obstacles holding ethnic minority women back at work and the actual reality is startling. While many pin the cause of Black and Asian women's employment gap on culture and lack of skills, the evidence, particularly for younger women, is pointing to something very different. As the EOC's two-year investigation illustrated, there is a generation of increasingly well qualified and ambitious young women, the vast majority of whom tell us their families support their choices to balance a career with a family. We need to tackle both the practical barriers they face such as help with childcare and better careers advice as well as challenging persistent and outdated stereotypes. Only then will we deliver real change."

Ceridian's Paul Avis points out that: " That is the point of a good equal opportunities programme-the sum is often greater than the parts and a much richer workplace experience can be gained from having a diverse workforce.”

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