Workplace discrimination against women of colour has jumped nearly 10 per cent in three years, with 93.8 per cent of incidents attributed to racism.
The findings come out of a new Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) report, released today, highlighting the significant increases in workplace discrimination and barriers to career progression faced by women of colour across the nation.
The report– conducted by WoCA in partnership with Australian National University– includes insights from over 1,000 women of colour shining a light on the ongoing systemic challenges they encounter in Australian workplaces.
Despite heightened awareness of diversity and inclusion policy impacts, the findings show 68.4 per cent of women of colour have experienced discrimination at work.
While racism is the most prevalent factor contributing to workplace discrimination against women of colour, nearly half of all respondents (49.8 per cent) stated they lacked the formal mechanisms or processes to report it.
Even among those who do have such systems in place, only 1 in 5 believe that any serious or appropriate action would be taken if they reported an incident.
“The lack of accessible reporting mechanisms is alarming. This report substantiates that low reporting numbers are not a good indicator of the prevalence of discrimination in organisations,” says Dr. Varina Michaels, Executive Director of WoCA and lead author of the Women of Colour Workplace Report.
“Discrimination is well and truly present but they are simply not reported. Moreover, without culturally sensitive and trauma-informed reporting processes in place, Women of Colour may feel re-traumatised and risk having their experiences dismissed. Women of Colour should be empowered to speak up without fear of retaliation or inaction.”
“Creating a safe and responsive environment for reporting discrimination is essential for fostering a culture of inclusion.”
Highlighting retention issues in the workplace, the report also shows 45 per cent of women of colour plan to leave their employer within 12 months. The top reasons for this are a lack of career progression (10.5 per cent), discrimination (10 per cent) and job insecurity (9.4 per cent) as the top reasons.
Cross Cultural Consultant and WoCA Ambassador, Tasneem Chopra OAM says that “lost revenue for organisations from poor employee retention to diminished productivity is linked to how people are treated at work.”
“This research illustrates how performative inclusion measures at work, in which Women of Colour are (barely) seen and not heard, continues to wreak havoc on their wellbeing and industry reputation.”
When asked about what women of colour are looking for in the workplace, respondents said they wanted tailored leadership programs, mentoring, and networking opportunities to support their career growth.
Nearly 3 in 4 women of colour feel underpaid, with most asked to do unpaid work (80 per cent) and expected to do more than peers (88 per cent), while their contributions remain undervalued.
And two-thirds of women surveyed navigate multiple identities at work, with one-third feeling exhausted by the mental strain.
“The data shows that despite growing awareness of anti-discrimination laws and psychosocial safety requirements, the discrimination Women of Colour face is escalating,” said Brenda Gaddi, Founder and Executive Director of WoCA.
“Our report calls for organisations to rethink their structures and leadership models to ensure they are inclusive, safe, and fit for purpose in our increasingly diverse society.”