Workplace inequality exposed: 1 in 3 Singaporeans say they’ve been discriminated against

SINGAPORE: An 8% rise in workplace discrimination has been disclosed in a recent People at Work report, which was featured in an HRD Asia article.  In a statement, Yvonne Teo, Vice President of HR, APAC at ADP, said, “Discrimination erodes employee morale and productivity, directly undermining business results and growth in the long term.”

The report indicated that 55% of workers who were identified as belonging to an ethnic minority also complained of being subjected to discrimination at work; 27% were women, and 34% were men.

Also reported to have faced discrimination at work were younger workers. Twenty-three per cent of those between ages 18-34 confided that they had been discriminated against at work. Only 11% of those aged 55-64 had the same complaint.

High-ranking employees weren’t exempted from discrimination, according to the report. Worldwide, 27% of those in the C-suite confessed that they also have experienced discrimination, the highest rate among worker classifications.

• Upper management (24%)
• Middle management (20%)
• Frontline management (20%)
• Individual contributor (13%)

Discrimination in the workplace

The report highlighted the cost of discrimination in the workplace. It specifically cited low productivity and challenges in retention as the biggest consequences of showing prejudice in places of work. Aside from low productivity, those who have been discriminated against are more likely to moonlight or engage in remote work, pursue other on-site jobs, actively seek to be interviewed by other employers, or worse, decide not to work at all and become depressed.

“People who felt discriminated against were less likely to feel productive, and many said they were actively looking to jump to a new employer,” the report read.

“Differences between demographic groups were negligible. Workers experiencing discrimination, regardless of gender, age, or racial background, reported similar levels of low productivity.”

Turning around the surge in workplace discrimination will necessitate business institutions and organisations to establish inclusion procedures in every process, that is, from bias-aware recruitment to impartial performance reviews and promotion agendas.

“Awareness education is the essential first step in building inclusion, which then enables leaders to actively recognise and address biases, embedding inclusive practices within the company culture,” Teo said.

She further stressed that Singapore’s Workplace Fairness Bill has established the stage for eradicating discrimination in workplaces.

As it is, the directive sought to create impartial employment practices and shield employees from discrimination by proprietors and managers on various grounds, like age, nationality, sex, marital status, religion, and disability, among others.