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Ethnic women workers 'excluded' | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Many employers ignore black and Asian women in areas where they are a significant part of the workforce, the Equal Opportunities Commission says. | |
Pakistani, Bangladeshi and black Caribbean women are absent from three out of 10 of those workplaces, the EOC said after a two-year study. | |
The EOC said said they find it harder to get a job and win promotion. | |
They are more likely to be restricted to certain types of work, despite having good qualifications, it added. | |
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly welcomed the report. | Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly welcomed the report. |
"For black and Asian women, the workplace is a complex story of ambition, skills and achievement on one hand and missed opportunity on the other," she said. | "For black and Asian women, the workplace is a complex story of ambition, skills and achievement on one hand and missed opportunity on the other," she said. |
"No doors should be shut to women - and men - of talent, regardless of ethnicity or faith." | "No doors should be shut to women - and men - of talent, regardless of ethnicity or faith." |
Hidden barriers | Hidden barriers |
The EOC spent two years looking at the employment patterns of ethnic minority women in 22 "travel-to-work" areas where they made up average or above average proportions of the workforce. | The EOC spent two years looking at the employment patterns of ethnic minority women in 22 "travel-to-work" areas where they made up average or above average proportions of the workforce. |
Without tackling these unwritten rules, change will never come EOC | Without tackling these unwritten rules, change will never come EOC |
As well as being completely absent from three out of 10 workplaces, these women were under represented in five out of 10 workforces. | As well as being completely absent from three out of 10 workplaces, these women were under represented in five out of 10 workforces. |
"Time after time women told us about the 'unwritten rules' in their workplace, hidden barriers that prevent them from realising these ambitions," said the EOC's chair, Jenny Watson. | "Time after time women told us about the 'unwritten rules' in their workplace, hidden barriers that prevent them from realising these ambitions," said the EOC's chair, Jenny Watson. |
"Without tackling these unwritten rules, change will never come," she added. | "Without tackling these unwritten rules, change will never come," she added. |
The report defined the cultural intelligence needed by employers as "the awareness, understanding and confidence" to recruit and promote people from different cultural backgrounds. | The report defined the cultural intelligence needed by employers as "the awareness, understanding and confidence" to recruit and promote people from different cultural backgrounds. |
Segregation | Segregation |
The problems uncovered by the research did not just apply to recruitment. | The problems uncovered by the research did not just apply to recruitment. |
They also affected promotion, which saw some ethnic minority women segregated into certain types of work for which they were often overqualified. | They also affected promotion, which saw some ethnic minority women segregated into certain types of work for which they were often overqualified. |
The report found that 28% of employers in the survey wanted to improve their recruitment methods, while the same number admitted they did not know how to go about this. | The report found that 28% of employers in the survey wanted to improve their recruitment methods, while the same number admitted they did not know how to go about this. |
The CBI's deputy director-general, John Cridland, welcomed the report. | The CBI's deputy director-general, John Cridland, welcomed the report. |
"The EOC's report sets out the complex social and cultural challenges that need to be addressed to bring more ethnic minority women in the workplace," he said. | "The EOC's report sets out the complex social and cultural challenges that need to be addressed to bring more ethnic minority women in the workplace," he said. |
"Employers are keen to employ more women from ethnic minorities, but better guidance is needed to support them," he said. | "Employers are keen to employ more women from ethnic minorities, but better guidance is needed to support them," he said. |
Among the solutions put forward by the EOC are: | Among the solutions put forward by the EOC are: |
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