A study by consultancy Utopia before coronavirus struck the globe and surveyed 2,000 UK workers. It summarised that BAME individuals felt the pressure to aspire to a reach a certain level of professionalism that favoured their white counterparts. The Utopia research came as a result of the recent poll by YouGov of 1,200 BAME Britons found the majority (84 per cent) believed racism existed in the UK.
The findings included:
- 49 per cent said they felt they had to mask part of their identity to fit in at the office, compared to 43 per cent of white workers who said this.
- 59 per cent of BAME women said that they felt they had to hide their true personalities at work
- Two in five (41 per cent) BAME workers felt that their organisation did not offer an inclusive culture.
- The same number (41 per cent) said they felt less likely to progress professionally because of their ethnicity. This was compared to only 9 percent of white workers who felt they faced barriers because of their ethnicity.
- 38 per eat of BAME people had experienced racism in the workplace.
- 44 percent had experienced an impact on their career.
- Over half (56 per cent) of BAME individuals in employment considered their workplaces diverse environments, but a third (34 percent) did not.
- 46 percent said they were satisfied with workplace policies on diversity and inclusion, but a quarter (37 per cent) were displeased with these.
- Three quarters (74 per cent) had been asked ‘where they were really from’ and more than half (52 per cent) said they had been on the receiving end of assumptions based on race.
- Almost a third (29 percent) said they had been stopped or questioned on the street by authorities, with 9 per cent reporting that this had happened multiple times.
Tolu Farinto, changemaker at Utopia, said BAME workers said, “To overcome these systemic challenges [around racial inequality], businesses must create inclusive cultures that demonstrate ethnicity is not a barrier to success in the workplace. This is integral now more than ever, as employers start to consider the move back to the physical office.”
Sandra Kerr, race equality director at Business in the Community, said, “This can manifest in overt ways with stereotypical comments around appearance, but it can also show up in covert ways, with BAME employees being segregated into roles that are less front-facing. This has a direct impact on BAME employees’ progression. Managers need to be prepared to really listen. Without this, many employees will feel voiceless and that there is no room for them at that organisation.”
Emma Mainoo, Partner and Head of Utopia’s mental health practice, said, “The Black Lives Matter movement has forced people managers and business leaders to take accountability and spearhead change. Hopefully, this will translate into the post-pandemic workplace.”
BAME, no more a defining term?
"I hate the term 'BAME', 'people of colour', all these labels. They don't define me,” said comedian Eshaan Akbar, who is half Bangladeshi and half Pakistani.
BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) community is four times more likely to die from Covid-19 as a result of their socio-economic disadvantages, overcrowded households, and the nature of jobs. Furthermore, in the light of Black Lives Matter protests, BAME continues to be in the spotlight, but some people do not want the BAME tag attached to their identities anymore.
A 20 year old student from Lagos, Nigeria who went to study in the West Midlands, first heard the term BAME at the University of London. Tosin Attah told the BBC, “I mean, it was a white term, if we're being honest. White people made it so they don't have to say 'black', because they feel weird saying black for some reason. I feel like 'BAME' is just their safe word to not come off as racist."
Nicole Miners was 24 years old when she discovered the term BAME. In a conversation with the BBC, she expressed how it is misleading people into thinking that everyone who is not white English, should fall under the category of BAME. “"The 'A' in 'BAME' means Asian, which, in itself, is a very broad term. Does it mean 'South Asian', 'East Asian', 'South East Asian', 'Indian', 'Pakistani', 'Chinese', 'Thai', 'Vietnamese'? The list goes on,” she said.
However, South London rapper Virgil Hawkins felt that BAME can be good for administrative reasons. He said, ”I completely support it, because the message they're trying to convey is, 'Listen, I'm black, I have black issues and there's not really any intersectionality, because in the past, historically, there hasn't been any.' "I think its people who are tired of fighting every fight. But then when it comes to black issues, no-one's there for them."
Born to Rwandan parents, 23 year old Vanessa Azabe felt that we must become the change we are dying to see. She told the BBC that the solution is to get rid of ethnicity categories altogether. "There is no need to call me 'BAME'," she said. "Just call me 'Vanessa'."
