In search of guidance, we turned to CAKE.com\u2019s<\/a> HR Generalists with years of experience \u2014 Aleksandra Babi\u0107<\/a> and Ena Popovi\u0107<\/a> \u2014 to help us answer some of these burning questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Without further ado, let\u2019s dig deep into the roots of workplace discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Workplace discrimination is the process of making prejudicial distinctions between people, which, as a result, causes unfair classification and unjust treatment. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, discrimination is either strongly or loosely dependent on a social and\/or cultural setting. When it comes to the workplace \u2014 a pseudo-society that operates within its own standards where the environment and the number of people are limited \u2014 discrimination can be more strongly felt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, a case of discrimination that results in unfair classification can occur when people with the same background and skills are up for promotion, but the deciding factor boils down to either gender or age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, such and similar types of discrimination are quite common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, a recent Monster Poll on workplace discrimination<\/a> found that 91% of workers experienced discrimination in the workplace, and likewise, 77% witnessed an act of discrimination at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Discrimination directly affects the work environment by making your professional relations toxic and unhealthy. Read the following blog for tips on dealing with it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout the centuries, discrimination usually revolved around peoples\u2019 different characteristics, such as their:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the most common situations<\/a> at work where discrimination happens include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take one situation and look at examples of how they can be discriminatory \u2014 such as the hiring process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Naturally, the first encounter with workplace discrimination usually starts during the job application. Our HR generalist, Aleksandra Babi\u0107, has learned about it through years of experience and shed some light on the examples of discrimination for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Namely, the most common factors leading to initial discrimination during the hiring process are usually gender<\/strong>, age<\/strong>, and physical appearance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to discrimination based on age, Aleksandra explained there are many sensitive categories, one of which are women 45+ years of age:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe most common example of discrimination in the selection process is still age. Although many have been leaving out this piece of information from their CVs for several years now, there are still interview questions that uncover it. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Practice shows that women 45+ years of age are a particularly sensitive category when it comes to discrimination.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Moreover, she stated that the modern world is still partially man-oriented and that gender inequality is still felt to this day:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s still a division between \u201cmale\u201d and \u201cfemale\u201d jobs, and in many industries, men have the advantage over women in management positions [. . .] When it comes to the IT industry, which is largely male-dominated, job offers after a successful interview can also differ based on the applicant\u2019s gender \u2014 the term \u201c<\/em>pay gap<\/em><\/a>\u201d is often associated with this part of the hiring process.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Lastly, Aleksandra believes that many professional roles around the working industries are often \u201creserved\u201d for candidates that fit the desired physical profile:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe selection process is also often based on the physical appearance of the candidate. When it comes to the positions that involve working with people (Sales, PR, Reception, etc.), candidates are discriminated against based on their skin color, various physical impairments, and body weight.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n The same Monster poll cited earlier found that only 44% of workers feel comfortable reporting discrimination felt at work to the HR department, while 28% do not report discriminatory behavior at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To get to the bottom of this, we turned to Ena Popovi\u0107 to get some insight into why employees feel like they should not report discrimination. Turns out, they may not feel well supported by the administration<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI believe one of the main reasons employees don\u2019t feel comfortable reporting discrimination in the workplace is a lack of trust and fear of the consequences that may arise from reporting discrimination. The consequences can be job loss, demotion, a hostile work environment, and societal condemnation.\u201c<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n However, Ena also believes that the reason could lie in the fact that employees may not have enough information on discrimination to recognize it, or simply don\u2019t know the processes behind reporting it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnother reason for not reporting or feeling uncomfortable reporting discrimination can be a lack of awareness about what discrimination actually is, as well as insufficient information on who to turn to and what steps to take.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Unlawful employer practices refer to the violation of local or federal laws and\/or policies directly connected to forms of discrimination.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If the acts of discrimination go too far, or if reporting the issue to the higher-ups or HR department is not enough \u2014 there are many laws that protect employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to the US, some of the most common laws related to unlawful practices<\/a> that protect employees are the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Civil Rights Act<\/a> was passed in 1964 and still serves as the benchmark document that focuses on discrimination as a whole. Provisions of this Act forbids discrimination on the basis of sex and race in hiring, promoting, and firing employees across the states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ADEA serves to protect workers 40 years of age and older<\/a> who find themselves disadvantaged to retain and regain employment in the modern days of rising productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Equal Pay Act (EPA)<\/a>, on the other hand, protects men and women who perform equal amounts of work in the same establishments from wage discrimination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act<\/a> of 1973 is designed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The penalties for violating these laws vary on the nature of the transgression and may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To learn more about US state laws designed for employees and employers, browse through the following section:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luckily, we live in modern times with modern laws and practices that help employees protect themselves from discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an employee, you can turn to HR and many laws to stand your ground and protect yourself from incoming discriminatory practices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But what about employers? How can they affect change when it comes to discrimination?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The employer usually operates on multiple fronts and employs hundreds of workers. So, they cannot possibly be everywhere at once and keep track of the hiring processes and what goes on in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We talked a great deal about it with our HR generalists, and here\u2019s what Aleksandra had to say about how employers can help prevent discrimination and make the workplace more inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re focused on making people aware of discrimination as an issue, you\u2019ll go a long way in helping abolish it. As Aleksandra puts it, leaders need to be familiar with this topic and their own actions should clearly demonstrate that discrimination at work is not supported:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/em><\/strong>If a company emphasizes non-discrimination as a value and champions this topic, it\u2019s essential to put this value into practice through all levels of management. Therefore, people in managerial positions should support these ideals.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n The number of employees who feel discriminated against is still high. In fact, a study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a> found that 7.6% of people with a disability were unemployed in the US, which raises major concerns regarding discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We asked Aleksandra about her opinion on diversity and the education employers can provide to lower the chances of discriminating against people with disabilities in the workplace:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTraining employees on this topic in various ways is essential. The goal of education should be to inform on the importance of inclusion and all the benefits that diversity can bring on many levels.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Raising awareness of discriminating practices and organizing events for that purpose, goes a long way in battling discrimination. In fact, Aleksandra proposes organizing frequent activities that would create a positive atmosphere where everyone feels accepted: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cActivities like these help raise awareness on this topic and encourage a more proactive approach to combating discrimination. This way, the company will also publicly present itself as a space where everyone is equally accepted.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n When it comes to fostering a culture of collaboration, it is crucial to recognize the significance of creating inclusive teams that embrace diversity across various categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Aleksandra\u2019s words, diversity and being different do not affect performance since everyone has a distinct set of skills:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEncouraging team diversity (by gender, education, age, seniority, etc.) is a good practice. Each team member has a distinct set of abilities, skills, and knowledge that are unique and that contribute to the achievement of group goals. This should be highlighted as a value.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n If, in spite of introducing these ideals and policies, discrimination does occur, Ena suggests that employers should address the issue and create an atmosphere where such a matter can be openly talked about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEfforts should be made to create an atmosphere where employees feel free to openly share issues of discrimination without the fear of consequences. Open communication can contribute to the development of trust between employees and employers.” <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Ena further suggests three strategies for encouraging employees to speak up: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTeam leaders should encourage employees to openly communicate by: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are further ways to go into battle against discrimination, but the change is evident even now \u2014 employers around the world have started nurturing healthy work environments to ensure their workers are happy, secure, and protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Ena\u2019s words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEmployers should create and maintain a company culture that values trust and diversity, where every employee feels accepted, safe, respected, and valued. These values should be conveyed through all levels of management, and it\u2019s essential that managers themselves set examples for other employees.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n In conclusion, by understanding and educating their employees, getting familiar with relevant laws, and doing everything in their power to raise awareness where and how it matters, employers can create spaces where employees feel valued and respected \u2014 spaces where discrimination is less likely to occur.<\/p>\n\n\n \n Get 3 enterprise tools for the price of 1<\/p>\n \n Cut your costs in half while keeping productivity at full throttle. Get Clockify, Pumble, and Plaky at a 53% discount with the CAKE.com Productivity Bundle.<\/p>\n \n Explore the nuances of workplace discrimination, discover what it is and how to combat it in our latest blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":2101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-thought-leaders"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is discrimination in the workplace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What types of discrimination in the workplace are there?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What are some examples of discrimination during the job application and interview process? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Aleksandra](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Aleksandra-Babic\u0301-1-e1718971898685.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhy do workers feel uncomfortable reporting discrimination?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Ena](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Ena-Popovic-2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat kind of employer practices are unlawful?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How can employers help battle discrimination?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step #1: Make non-discrimination your company value<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nStep #2: Educate and keep your employees informed about discrimination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nStep #3: Organize events, gatherings, and campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nStep #4: Create inclusive teams<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nStep #5: Practice and encourage open communication about workplace discrimination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Final thoughts: Harboring good communication minimizes discrimination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Get](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-pricing.png\")
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