Workplace discrimination affects 86 percent of young people with ethnicity at its core

More students and graduates are fighting against discrimination in the workplace than ever, according to new research by Milkround.com.

The graduate recruitment website asked nearly 200 users whether they had faced discrimination in the workplace one year after first carrying out similar research.

The disturbing results revealed 86 percent of students and graduates felt they had faced discrimination ñ up from 81 percent last year. Ethnicity was again singled out as the root of the majority of discrimination issues for the second year, however it has fallen from affecting nearly half of students and graduates (49 percent) to two in five (40 percent). The next highest form of discrimination towards respondents was age on 14 percent followed by gender (12 percent) with disability, religion and sexual orientation on five percent each.

They also identified other forms of discrimination affecting their working lives, ranging from height and class through to mental illness and even being a part time worker. However, many claimed it was difficult to obtain evidence of discrimination as employers could hide their tracks, while others said out-dated views of society were a problem that needed to be overcome.

One said: ìPeople like me coming from a different country or continent to study and then try to get a work placement here are very vulnerable, particularly if they are unfortunate to have employers or managers ignorant as the one I got. I think [people like me] should be more prepared about what to do if they see that are not being treated fairly. There should be union groups that young graduates could join and those unions should be able to give them the right information. ì

Richard Chapman of Diversity Milkround (www.diversitymilkround.com), Milkround.comís sister site supporting diversity and equal opportunities for graduates, comments: ìIncreasingly candidates are becoming diversity-conscious and aware of corporate discrimination issues, and there are more and more key employers keen to support diversity, equal opportunities and anti-discrimination initiatives. Diversity Milkround works with several of these and we are eager to connect our candidates with such responsible organisations.î

When asked if workplace discrimination is getting worse, a worrying three quarters said it was, although they also suggested ways of improving the situation for students and graduates. A third of respondents (32 percent) agreed taking a greater interest in how colleagues are treated is seen as the best way to help combat the problem of discrimination. Stricter company policy was also viewed as an effective way of preventing discrimination by 18 percent and 14 percent called for better enforcement of existing government legislation.

Mr Chapman concluded: ìWith 75 percent of candidates worrying about employer bias, we are keen to counter such a negative shift via our on-campus presence, diversity events sponsorship, candidate advice and our online content tackling key discrimination issues. Also, with over a third highlighting the important role played by mutual colleague support, it is key that employers promote their softer side, via diversity networks and communicating their internal anti-discrimination initiatives to candidates and employers. Students are often as interested in staff networks as they are in the company image and job itself! In addition, a positive portrayal could result in companies attracting a higher calibre of candidate.î