Bank staff are much more likely to face discrimination compared to the national average — with almost half of cases not handled effectively. In a survey of over 2,306 people working within a bank role, a quarter (25%) had experienced or witnessed discrimination. Alarmingly, 47% of bank staff who reported discrimination felt their cases were not managed effectively.
The data also shows that 43% of bank staff who have experienced or witnessed discrimination did not report it. This indicates that many may have lost faith in the reporting mechanisms, or fear speaking up due to a perceived lack of protection compared to permanent staff.
The new statistics also expose a significant equality gap in the experience of disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals and women working in a bank role. Among bank staff who identify as having a disability, 42% reported experiencing or witnessing discrimination. Of this number, 54% say reported cases weren’t handled well.
Bank workers who do not identify as heterosexual are also more likely to experience discrimination or harassment at work, with 35% of LGBTQ+ bank staff reporting such experiences compared to 25% of heterosexual bank workers. Worryingly, 44% of non-heterosexual bank staff who have experienced discrimination feel as though discrimination cases are not handled well.
The data has also revealed female bank staff are more likely to face discrimination, with 27% reporting having experienced or witnessed discrimination, compared to 20% of male bank staff. The data also shows that 46% of women and 44% of men answered “no”, when asked if they felt reports of discrimination were handled effectively.
The data is revealed in ‘Confronting flexible workforce instability in health and social care’ by Acacium Group. The report presents objective new insights from 14,000 professionals working in flexible roles across public and private organisations. This includes 2,399 people working in a bank role.
The report shows that bank staff experience or witness significantly higher rates of discrimination and harassment (25%) compared to the NHS Staff Survey, which found that 9% of staff had experienced discrimination from colleagues. Bank staff are an essential part of the NHS workforce, with an estimated 180,000 individuals employed in these roles across the UK. The data reveals a clear disconnect between the experiences of full-time and bank staff, underscoring the urgent need for improved collaboration and fairer processes.
An anonymous bank nurse, currently working within the NHS said: “Staff choose to take on bank work for various reasons. We are fully trained and experienced clinicians committed to our roles. Bank work suited me as I have long-term illnesses, and I sometimes struggle to cope with full-time shift patterns. Since taking on the bank role, I have faced discrimination in the unit. Bank staff are often given the most difficult patients with limited support. I was constantly being moved between four units at short notice. My health needs were not considered at all.”
“The contribution and experience I make as a bank nurse is rarely considered by my colleagues and managers. I am often more experienced than permanent staff, but my time working bank across multiple locations doesn't seem to be valued or considered. I have been a nurse for over fifteen years, committed to providing good care for patients and I enjoy working as a team with my colleagues - full-time staff and flexible workers. However, the way I have been treated as a bank worker has had a really negative impact on me.”
Kate Shoesmith, Deputy CEO at the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, said: “In our recent survey for #TempWorkWorks, we found that nearly eight in ten temps (79%) work this way because it provides them with much needed flexibility. And there are hundreds of thousands of employers across the public, private and third sectors benefitting from the skills these individuals bring.”
“We need to stop treating flexible workers as second-class citizens in the workplace. They are remarkable people, doing remarkable things. The NHS, like many services, will always need contingent staffing. A joined-up approach where the public sector works with labour market and talent experts, plus the workers choosing to work this way, is the only way to deliver on our long term future workforce needs."
Mike Barnard, Chief Executive Officer, Acacium Group said: “The health and social care workforce are the backbone of the NHS. Flexible workers are a key part of this, working shoulder-to-shoulder with full-time staff to deliver high-quality care. It’s really concerning to see many are facing discrimination at work.”
“We know that these flexible professionals are committed to supporting their colleagues in providing safe patient care. We also know flexible working helps keep people in the health and care workforce, not least because flexible work opportunities build skills and professional experience. We must all work together to ensure people who choose to work flexibly have the same support as their full-time colleagues. Without this, the long-term sustainability of our workforce is at risk.”
To read ‘Confronting flexible workforce instability in health and social care’ by Acacium Group visit: https://acaciumgroup.com/confronting-flexible-workforce-instability/
