The majority of workers in Ireland say they have been the victim of and/or have witnessed discrimination at work, a new survey by Matrix Recruitment has found.
The 2023 Workplace Equality Survey found that almost three in four (72% ) workers have had discrimination issues in their place of employment. Of those, 20% said they have personally experienced discrimination at work and 32% say they’ve witnessed it. One in five said they have both witnessed and been a victim of discrimination in the workplace.
Now in its sixth year, the 2023 survey of more than 1,400 adults covers a wide range of workplace issues including discrimination, racism, workplace bullying, and gender pay gaps.
Many forms of discrimination
Inequality in relation to pay and age (30% ) are the most common forms of discrimination prevalent in the workplace according to the findings, alongside gender discrimination (25% ).
Other types of workplace discrimination experienced or witnessed by respondents include:
Discrimination against people with a disability (17% )
Discrimination based on nationality (16% )
Discrimination based on being a member of the traveller community (14% )
Salary transparency
Pay transparency is important according to 92% of respondents and in relation to pay discrimination, 44% of respondents said they know a colleague of the opposite sex (and with the same role/responsibility ) who is being paid more than them. Of those, more than half were female (56% ).
When asked how they would respond to a colleague of the opposite sex being paid more for the same work, the majority of those surveyed said they would take action. Almost half (46% ) said they would address the issue with their boss. Just 4% said they would do nothing.
Other respondents said they would:
Actively look for a new job (19% )
Consider leaving if another opportunity came along (16% )
Ask for a pay rise (14% )
Resign (1% )
A geism in a digital world
In both the 2022 and 2023 Workplace Equality Survey undertaken by Matrix Recruitment, ageism in the workplace was identified as an issue by 78% of respondents. More than two thirds of those surveyed said that workers over the age of 50 have fewer promotional opportunities then their younger colleagues, a jump of 19 percentage points on last year’s findings.
When asked at what age it might be difficult to move job, nearly half (48% ) said those aged 50 and above would struggle.
On a more positive note, the majority of workers surveyed (89% ) agree that people over the age of 50 have as much to contribute to the workplace as those under the age of 40. Of those:
55% said that over 50s have more life skills
51% said they would be able to mentor and guide younger colleagues
48% said that mature workers are more reliable than younger people
Of the 11% who said that over 50s have less to contribute to the workplace than under 40s, half said that over 50s are not up-to-speed with the digital world/technology and do not understand new ways of communicating.
Impact of parenthood
More than two thirds (68% ) of workers surveyed said that parenthood impacts a woman’s career progression, highlighting the gender bias that prevails in the workplace. When asked why, respondents said:
There is an unconscious bias towards women who may be considering starting a family
Women are still considered the primary carers (55% )
The question of a mother’s ability to meet the demands of her professional role prevails in the workplace (40% )
Mothers are not offered as many promotional opportunities (30% )
About the survey
The sixth Matrix Workplace Equality Survey was conducted online in July 2023 among 1,419 adults working across a broad range of industries, sectors and regions.
About Matrix Recruitment:
Marking 25 years in business, Matrix Recruitment is a leading regional recruitment firm with national leverage. Established in 1998 and with offices in Athlone, Matrix specialises in multiple job categories including accountancy, financial services, engineering, manufacturing, quality & laboratory, supply chain, HR, office support, IT and sales & marketing. Temporary and permanent roles are available now on www.matrixrecruitment.ie
