Mind the Gap: A Qualitative Study into the Recent Graduate Perceptions of Discrimination Equality in the Workplace.

Abstract

Graduate level discrimination develops in many forms through overt and covert channels, although motivation for committing discriminatory acts remain constant with traditional underlined mindsets driving derogatory behaviour. This study is concerned with investigating how graduate employees with degree orientated roles view discrimination from the entirety of their perspective, with specific reference to the sex, race and age inequality. The study begins broadly through gathering information with regards to mainstream discrimination practices with a focus on pre-employment, then seeks to progress and evaluate the understudied area of employment discrimination with specific reference to how graduates believe their employment decision warrants acts of inequality. The lack of previous inquiries into the topic provided the greatest challenge and motivation in tandem. Semi structured qualitative interviews where designed and employed to gather detailed accounts of first hand impressions of pre and in-house discrimination and thereafter condensed down to focus solely on the mainstream issues such as gender and age, all be it engaging the key motivations from a subtle perspective as evolution of discrimination is prominent. Key data and information were collected from recent graduates catagorised by graduation from 2016 to 2018 to ensure that a modern perspective was accounted for when noting two key significances: initial impressions of discrimination and experiences encountered within applicable workplace. Following interviews, thematic analysis was enrolled to ensure data presented was logicalised, thus authenticating the preceding order of findings. Findings produced contrasting results, the attempts to obtain degree orientated level employment produced negative correlation with regards to the perception of discrimination encountered in conjunction with pre employment attempts. With regards to in house discrimination mainstream motivations for subtle practice persisted with no direct overt behaviour encountered. Assessing the graduate perspective, indicated subsection to discrimination based on traditional motives, although the ambiguous of intent promotes little reaction, thus revealing the understudied phenome.