Structural discrimination and racism among civil servants in Dutch municipalities: study
Municipality officials in the Netherlands with a migration background experience structural discrimination and racism by colleagues, according to research by the integration knowledge platform (KIS) seen by NU.nl.
The KIS researchers drew their conclusions after two years of research and extensive conversations with 31 executive municipal officials and 20 managers from 6 different municipalities.
The report revealed that procedures and rules within municipal organizations appear to encourage discrimination and racism. This also concerns the social behavior of civil servants. According to the researchers, there is a culture of fear in municipal workplaces to discuss and tackle persistent discrimination and racism.
The research confirms previous reports of discrimination and racism within governmental entities. However, the impact of this institutional racism is even more pronounced at the municipal level, KIS researchers pointed out.
"This is extra problematic because municipalities have the legal duty to tackle racism and discrimination for their residents," explained researcher Hanneke Felten. "Then they must also have this in order for themselves. Otherwise, they cannot set a good example for citizens and companies."
Civil servants reported experiencing discrimination, such as being criticized when someone of their migration background behaved negatively. Those who voiced concerns about discrimination or racism were often ostracized, causing others to remain silent for fear of job loss or being labeled 'difficult.'
The report also revealed that after Covid-19 lockdowns, many officials with a migration background feared returning to work due to anticipated derogatory comments. They preferred remote work to avoid these issues. Felten noted that many racist remarks are masked as 'jokes', but often entail blatant racism in the workplace.
Many civil servants recognized the behaviors reported by their 'affected' employees but often dismissed them as non-issues. The study also found that due to structural racism, many officials with a migration background are leaving their jobs and face reduced promotion opportunities compared to their peers.
KIS researchers remarked that this trend results in municipal organizations being less representative of society, potentially affecting the quality of services to those with a migration background. However, they added that discrimination within a municipality negatively impacts all residents, not just those with a migration background. Felten stated that discrimination can lead to increased tensions and polarization, which undermines neighborhood solidarity.
The municipality of Amsterdam takes action in response to workplace discrimination findings
Amsterdam was one of the cities that participated in the study. Another study released on Monday revealed that employees at the municipality of Amsterdam experience racism, discrimination, bullying, and microaggressions in the workplace. In response, the municipality announced that an external support hotline will be established and external confidants will be hired.
Research agency Muzus conducted in-depth interviews with 40 municipal officials between November 2022 and September 2023 at the municipality's request and also organized three focus groups.
The study notably revealed that managers do not always know how to respond when faced with signs of discrimination and exclusion. Employees indicated in the surveys that they immediately notice a positive effect when a supervisor does know how to respond.
“An inclusive, social, and safe working environment is a fundamental requirement for a well-functioning organization and to stay connected with the super-diverse city that Amsterdam is. Unfortunately, this is not always the case right now, “ stated in a press release Hester van Buren, alderman responsible for finance, staff and organization. “We were already aware of reports on discrimination and racism, but it's confronting to read about them in research reports,” she added.
She declared that several measures will be implemented in response to these two reports. External confidants will notably be hired to facilitate reporting for employees. An external support and reporting center for guidance will be established, and the current internal reporting process will be enhanced with external expertise. Managers will receive assistance in addressing these issues within their teams and will undergo regular training on the topics.
A third study commissioned by the municipality will be conducted at the beginning of 2024 in order to provide more insight into the extent of the problem, the municipality announced.
