#ThisIsBlackGenZ 2023
Continuing to change the world of work for Black Gen Z
We wanted to go deeper into how the intersection of identity affects the Black Gen Z experience.
We are incredibly proud of what we achieved with BGZ 2022. It was a brilliant foundation, but alongside all the answers it gave us, it also pulled up a lot more questions. We aimed to uncover the ‘why’ behind so many of these findings. So we decided to do the same research in 2023. We knew a focus on intersectionality was needed, and we identified the need to dig into experiences relating to colourism and neurodiversity.
To achieve this, we started with the research and the survey. It was designed first and foremost with inclusivity in mind. No matter how people identified, we wanted them to feel seen in this research, and to understand what influenced their experiences of the working world.
We did this in a number of ways: for example, by offering a more inclusive and comprehensive way of identifying race and ethnicity, rather than the standard tickboxes that often don’t fit everyone. We also added in a visual question allowing people to identify their skin tone. We collaborated with some amazing partners to get our survey into the spaces it needed to be, including 90s Baby Show, 20/20 Levels and BYP Network.
When these 4000+ survey responses were collected we began conducting focus groups. We broke them up by different facets of identity, allowing people to sign up for the ones they resonated with. We had one for women, for those with darker skin tones, for the 25+ crew, the neurodiverse community and more. 16 focus groups took place in total and the conversations held were invaluable. The comprehensive report would help to guide employers on how they could holistically and effectively recruit and retain the next generation of Black talent. The aim was to do better and go deeper, and we think we’ve succeeded by putting together what is currently the most comprehensive research on the experiences of Black Gen Z talent in Britain. These respondents spanned across gender, ethnicity, diversability and location giving us varied and nuanced information. Following this, we conducted 16 different focus groups with survey respondents.
All the research was gathered into an accessible but detailed report of 68 pages, packed with findings as well as recommendations and action points for employers on how to create change in their workplaces. This was launched at an invite-only event in London at the Trampery, attended by 60+ industry professionals, filled with discussions and panels on how these findings can be used to create change. To see more about this project, you can visit the website here. The report is also available for download at this link.