New research has found that one in three ethnically diverse people have left or have considered leaving a job due to a lack of flexibility from their employer, compared with one in five white people.
The research, published as part of a gender equality campaign by Business in the Community (BITC) and entitled “Who Cares?”, looked at people’s attitudes and experiences in terms of combining paid work with caring responsibilities.
Carried out in conjunction with The Prince’s Responsible Business Network and Ipsos UK, the study also found that some groups were significantly more likely than others not to have applied for a job or promotion, or to have considered leaving or actually left a job, because of challenges combining paid work and care. In addition to Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse people, these groups included people on lower incomes as well as shift workers.
The report found that there were differences in the degree to which workers with childcare responsibilities felt supported, based on household income. One in two workers in households with incomes under £26,000 per year felt supported by employers with their childcare, compared with three quarters of those from households earning £26,000 per year or more.
BITC has warned that the findings of the study are potentially very costly. Not only do they undermine gender equality at work and beyond, but they also impact on inclusion and progress at work for those from Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse backgrounds.
As a result of this work, BITC has launched a ‘Who Cares?’ campaign, calling on employers and policymakers to transform the way they think about combining paid work and care, including adopting equal parental leave for birth and non-birth parents and mainstreaming flexible working.
Ipsos UK and BITC surveyed a representative sample of 5,444 people across the UK as well as focus groups in order to gain a more detailed insight into the issues when carrying out the research.
To read the full report, click here.