Race Inequality in the Workforce

In the midst of political, social, demographic and technological changes taking place in the UK, the world of work is rapidly evolving. Workers’ experience of key aspects of work, including pay, security, representation, training and work-life balance, vary enormously across the UK labour market. Meanwhile, there is growing evidence of a rise in mental health issues; and a context where many ethnic minority groups have long experienced disadvantage in the labour market. In this report, we present new data from Next Steps, a longitudinal study of the ‘millennial generation’ in England. The work reveals persistent issues around the relationships between employment, ethnicity and mental health and underlines that there are enduring inequalities in the workplace between ethnic groups. The report presents recommendations for actions – for government, for mental health services and for employers.