A new report by Kent and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has found that access to and experiences of home working are linked to other forms of discrimination at work, in this case workplace racism for BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) workers.
Analysis in the report showed that the rise in home working since Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns has not been equal.
When comparing data from 2019 and 2022, Black (African/Caribbean/Black British), Chinese/other Asian, and Pakistani/Bangladeshi workers have seen the slowest increase in the rate of home working. The growth for men from these groups has particularly been slower than women.
As the analysis accounts for occupational and sector segregation, it is likely that BME workers are less likely to ask for flexibility due to experiences of workplace racism or stigmatised views against homeworkers.
The research also included an in-depth month-long diary study of BME hybrid workers. While the majority of workers involved in the study indicated they would not take jobs without hybrid working access in the future and felt both their personal lives and work benefitted from home working, flexibility stigma and associated downsides of home working were reported.
BME participants reported that there was more monitoring and surveillance of their work from managers and colleagues when home working. They reported working longer and harder when working at home, with many feeling the need to perform digital presenteeism – being constantly visible online and available to work.
Participants felt negative attitudes to home workers were intensified for BME workers due to the double experience of distrust of home workers and workplace racism.
Nevertheless, the report showed that hybrid working can provide wider opportunities for BME workers. For those who can, home working was valued due to the improved work-life balance, increased productivity, and greater ability to manage caring responsibilities. The report shows that BME hybrid workers were also more likely to be able to engage with wider geographically dispersed groups, improving networking across BME workers and increasing feelings of belonging.
Poor practice was not inevitable. Participants shared examples where home working was seen as the normal way of working and communicated about positively by employers. Negative attitudes to home workers, and other negative consequences of homeworking, was reduced.
The research team, led by Professor Heejung Chung at Kent’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research alongside Alice Arkwright (Policy Officer at TUC) and Kent PhD student Shiyu Yuan, stress that well-designed hybrid working policies, where flexible working is viewed positively, are critical to avoid exacerbating discrimination and to promoting equality in the workplace.
Professor Chung said: ‘Our project results show the immense amount of benefits home and hybrid working can bring to workers, especially BME workers and potentially other workers in marginalised positions. However, the report also shows how there is more work to be done in order for us to ensure that home and hybrid working does not result in exacerbating problems in the workplace. This includes normalising flexible working for all workers and providing workers better protection from the ‘always-on’ overwork work culture, through policies such as anti-discrimination clauses for hybrid workers, the Right to Disconnect, and having clearer cut measurable index for productivity and performance.’
Alice Arkwright said: ‘Working from home some or all of the time is a good option for lots of workers. But some employers still have negative views of working from home – which can lead to problems like excessive monitoring and micromanagement. Our research shows that this may be worse for BME workers. Every employer should have a home working policy that sets out clear expectations and boundaries, including about how to prevent overwork and long working hours. And all working people should have access to flexible working options, not just those who can work from home.
‘If the Conservative government is genuinely committed to flexible work, ministers should give workers the legal right to work flexibly from the first day in a job – just as Labour has promised with its New Deal for Working People.’
The report titled ‘Making hybrid inclusive: Black workers experiences of hybrid working’ is published on the TUC website.