White Men Feel Discriminated Against in the Workplace, Poll Reveals
A recent poll has found that almost a quarter of white men in the UK believe they are discriminated against in the workplace because of their race and gender. The research, commissioned for a five-part podcast and YouTube series hosted by documentary maker Tim Samuels, suggests that nearly half of white men in the UK are self-censoring at work due to fears of saying something that could cost them their job.
According to the polling by JL Partners, 41 per cent of white men say they feel anxious that they can be sacked for doing or saying the wrong thing. Furthermore, 36 per cent of those under 34 say they have lost out on a promotion or other opportunities because of their race or gender. The poll also found that more than a third of white men overall ā 34 per cent ā think that white men are the least valued workers in their workplace.
The findings have been reported in The Times and have sparked concerns that white men are being pushed towards populist influencers such as Andrew Tate. Tim Samuels, the host of the podcast and YouTube series White Men Canāt Work!, claimed that "millions of men are walking around on eggshells at work too scared to speak freely, while knowing that being male can now be a disaster for your career." He added that "the scale of discrimination, self-censorship and anxiety is staggering."
Samuels also suggested that younger men are despondent about their futures and that this is pushing them towards populism and the likes of Andrew Tate. He stated, "Jobs are so central to menās identity, status, daily purpose and mental health. Look at the guys sacked over DEI infractions. Or the 2008 recession, which saw a spike of 10,000 additional male suicides in the US and northern Europe."
The issue of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) programmes has become increasingly contentious, with some critics arguing that they can be divisive and ideological. Trevor Phillips, a columnist for The Times, has argued that there are better ways to tackle prejudice than DEI. He stated, "Of course racism and sexism have to be stamped out but our biggest companies and institutions have implemented a very divisive and ideological form of DEI that demonises white men, disregards free speech and, when you look at the data, doesnāt even help those it was meant to."
Professor Alex Edmans from London Business School also questioned the effectiveness of DEI programmes, stating, "It may well be that sometimes there will be a white male who is qualified for the job but gets turned down for non-meritocratic reasons." He added that "when all the dust settles and one realises that actually the evidence is not as strong as people thought then we might look at this as like any other bubble."
Dr Carole Sherwood, a clinical psychologist, also commented on the issue, stating, "We are definitely living through a group-think crisis at the moment. So many people believe so strongly that they are right ā that theyāve got the moral high ground, that theyāre on the right side of history." She added that "weāll look back at this as an unnecessarily cruel and divisive period of history and like a kind of madness."
The JL Partners poll found that 49 per cent of white men agree that they will be worse off than the current generation, while 22 per cent disagree. The poll also found that 31 per cent of white men think that their sons will have fewer opportunities because of their race or gender.
According to The Times, the issue of DEI programmes has become a contentious issue in the UK, with some politicians and commentators arguing that they can be divisive and ineffective. The article reported that Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has vowed to scrutinise DEI policies in local councils, with Mark Arnull, a Reform councillor, confirming that his group will not take part in diversity or climate training.
The research has sparked a wider debate about the impact of DEI programmes on white men in the workplace. As The Times reported, "The vast majority of UK companies are still running programmes, with public sector bodies including the police and the NHS also providing diversity training courses." However, some critics argue that these programmes can be counterproductive and that alternative approaches are needed to tackle prejudice and promote inclusivity in the workplace.
The article was originally reported by The Times and is available at: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/white-men-dei-worries-work-wtd207rn9.
