A study by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) that found that racism, ageism and sexism are still rife in the labour market has won a prestigious award from a leading publisher of scientific journals.
Research by Professor Nick Drydakis and Dr Anna Paraskevopoulou of ARU, and Vasiliki Bozani from the University of Cyprus, has won Outstanding Paper in the 2024 Emerald Literati Awards.
The researchers carried out four experiments where matched fictitious job applications were submitted for real UK job vacancies in sales, restaurants, and cafes. The control was a 28-year-old white British male, compared to 50-year-old candidates of different genders and races: white British males, white British females, black British males, and black British females.
Across 804 paired applications, the younger white British male was significantly more likely to be offered job interviews. Depending on the older candidate’s demographics, the younger white British male was between 16% and 29% more likely to secure an interview.
Additionally, the younger candidate received offers for jobs with higher average salaries. Older candidates, particularly older black British females, were offered lower-paying positions, with salaries 11.5% to 15% lower than those offered to the younger white British male. This study was the first to examine both age and wage discrimination while considering gender and race.
The Emerald Literati Awards, which have been running since 1993, celebrate and reward the outstanding contributions of authors and reviewers, not only to Emerald journals and books, but to the body of knowledge itself. Winning papers are chosen for outstanding research by the quality, impact and meaningful contributions to various fields of study.
Professor Drydakis, Director of the Centre for Inclusive Societies and Economies (CISE) at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “The research team and myself are delighted to receive this recognition for our paper, which examines the intersection of ageism, racism, and sexism in the UK labour market.
“Despite efforts from policy makers over the years to increase equality in the labour market, our research shows there is still a very long way to go before there are truly equal opportunities for all in the UK.”
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