Ageism revealed as the most rampant form of bias at work

Workplace discrimination was hotly debated in Singapore this year and a new study has revealed the true extent of it all.

ADP found that ageism was the most common form of bias here, with nearly one in five professionals claiming they’ve experienced it at work.

This was closely followed by discrimination on the grounds of background, and lastly racial or nationality bias.

The study found that nearly half (45%) of Singaporeans have experienced some form of discrimination at work. Ageism was also slightly more rampant in Singapore compared with the rest of Asia.

“We have a problem with age discrimination in the workplace,” Yvonne Teo, vice president – HR, APAC at ADP, told HRD.

“While the issue certainly isn’t unique to Singapore, I am sure many will be surprised at just how common an experience it is.”

Is HR doing enough to tackle discrimination?
Many instances of workplace bias were brought to light this year, with leaders like Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob urging employers to simply do better.

A new law was also put in place for recruiters to ensure fair hiring, besides tougher penalties for errant employers, including jail time.

The government also introduced initiatives like the Jobs Growth Incentive, which offers additional wage support for employers who practised inclusive hiring.

Beyond the government-led efforts, the authorities have also encouraged employees to report cases of discrimination either to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or TAFEP.

TAFEP is the main body in Singapore that investigates and mediates cases of bias, including age, gender, race, religion, language, marital status and family responsibility, disability, and mental health.

by Nurhuda Syed