Research reveals that over a third of young UK workers feel discriminated against during hiring processes. The study involved over 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by ethical AI hiring experts. Bias affects 37% of workers aged 25-34 and 36% of workers aged 16-24, citing age, ethnicity, and gender as common issues. Older workers report less bias, with ageism as a primary concern.
- A national survey unveils discrimination concerns among young UK workers during hiring procedures, affecting over a third of participants.
- In the study, younger demographics report bias, with age, ethnicity, and gender among top cited issues in recruitment evaluations.
- Older workers reveal lower bias concerns, with ageism noted as a significant issue, differentiating from younger cohorts.
- Ethical AI hiring experts suggest changes to hiring practices, emphasizing reduction of bias to ensure equal opportunities.
New research highlights significant concerns among young workers in the UK regarding discrimination during hiring processes. The study, conducted by ethical AI hiring experts, involved a survey of over 2,000 working adults, revealing that 37% of those aged 25-34 and 36% of those aged 16-24 have experienced perceived bias. The data corresponds to a concerning trend where young employees feel disadvantaged during recruitment.
For younger workers, age, ethnicity, and gender emerged as the primary areas where they felt biases. Specifically, 21% of respondents in the 16-24 age bracket cited age discrimination, while 19% pointed to ethnicity and 15% to gender, weight, and hair color. In contrast, workers aged 25-34 identified accent, ethnicity, and gender, with class and height also mentioned as factors. This shifts the focus to the different prejudices perceived by varying age cohorts.
Interestingly, the research indicates that over a third of hiring managers acknowledge biases against Gen Z candidates, suggesting an ingrained issue within recruitment strategies. This bias is corroborated by findings from the British Chambers of Commerce and Open University, where 63% of businesses in London and the South East report a lack of qualified staff.
Contrarily, older job seekers, particularly those aged 55 and above, report less frequent experiences of bias. Only 12% of workers in this age group felt discriminated against, though ageism remains a notable concern. In fact, 50% of older workers cited ageist discrimination when it did occur, a rate significantly higher than the 26% average across all other age groups. The disparity in bias perception highlights varying challenges across generations.
The CEO of Applied, Khyati Sundaram, expresses concern about the prevalence of discriminatory practices in hiring, noting that all individuals harbor biases that may reflect in recruitment. She advocates for anonymizing applications, employing skills-based assessments, and utilizing unbiased AI models to level the playing field. Such reforms aim to eliminate personal details from influencing hiring outcomes, focusing purely on candidate capabilities.
Addressing biases in hiring practices could foster a fairer recruitment landscape across different age groups.
