Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

Having lived in America for almost 2 years now, I just notice such a drastic change in the inclusion of minorities and diversity in the workplace in pretty much most fields and divisions I have encountered or worked in. I just find myself drawing the comparisons to home, and although Britain does pride itself as 'inclusive' , I just don't see it the way I see it everyday here in America. I have found that in the U.S, people just don't care what you are, or where you come from as long as you can do the job regardless of background or race. I am not completely sold on the idea that the UK really exercises this type of social mobility as we like to say we do. Yes, the UK is a class based system which does come into play, but to some level or extent, there appears to still be a level of institutional racism or discrimination that we are not too keen on addressing, specially in 2013/14. I know you can work hard in the UK and get to where you want to be, but I'm not sure how much of a reality that is for different groups. America definitely has it's faults without a doubt, but it is something I have noticed here, and I find inclusion to be much greater regardless.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

I think it all depends on where you are....big country and all that.

I've never noticed what you've said to be the case where I was in the UK, but I've certainly seen it here, where I am :/

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

Nope, I find no difference whatsoever when it comes to diversity between where I am now and all the jobs I had back in the UK.

Maybe it's my industry (game development). There's a lack of women but that's due to fewer applications rather than anything else.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

I haven't lived in the UK since 1990, so I really can't compare. That said - I believe racism still exists here to a certain extent (depends on where you live - probably more in the south), also sexism. Let's face it - Britain had a woman Prime Minister elected back in 1979 and several other countries have elected woman leaders - so far that has not happened here. As for the class system - it's a myth that there is no class system here - there is - I see it all the time. IMO, there is a much greater division between "white collar" workers and "blue collar" workers in the US.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

Definitely in the deep south racism is alive and well on many levels. I lived in southern GA until a few months ago. It surprised me that in southern GA some high schools still have a segregated prom each spring. From what I understand, both the white and black populations like it that way.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

Wow! It just goes to show how naïve I am. I thought this type of thing stopped years ago! I guess I'm just grateful that race has never been an issue wherever I've lived or worked.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

Social Mobility in the US has been decreasing significantly and will no doubt continue to do so.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

This has been my experisnce this far. Indeed my boss told me just last week that we should read the constitution literally as it was originally written - 3/5 of a man and all.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

I don't think so around here.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

There is a class system here in the U.S. I agree with that also. Social mobility is not as mutually exclusive to all sectors of society as they make it out to be , but there is definitely a huge push in inclusion. I've worked in London and New York and I see minorities at all levels of the ladder, where as in London it always seemed to be at the lower ranks or the few exceptions at higher ranks. London is progressive, but I see a huge difference in the US.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

As someone else said it's a big country. Come to my corner of Oregon and you'll see a very different picture. I know one couple with an adopted Korean daughter who have finally given up and are getting out of Dodge.
The town itself is pretty much split between a trendy and rich west side and a more blue collar east side. One side definitely looks on the other with disdain.
I will say one thing - there's almost a total lack of drug testing for employment. If there was, no business would ever be fully staffed!

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

If when you say New York you mean NYC, of course that is just one place and certainly not representative of the US as a whole.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

I worked in London back in the 80s, and at that time, in my industry it didn't matter if you were white black yellow or purple with blue spots...if you brought in the results, you got on. At the time I used to travel frequently to the US (NYC, Connecticut, Houston, and to a lesser extent the West Coast) and was, frankly, horrified at the "old boy" network that dominated the industry here, which was almost entirely dominated by some pretty incompetent and unethical Caucasians. The school ring was far more important than the experience or the performance. Admittedly, that was a long time ago, and things may have, no surely must have changed in the decades or so since I left, but has London really regressed that badly?

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

I don't think it's regressed. There has definitely been improvement. I just think it could be alot better in some areas.

Re: Does Britain need to catch up ?????
 

If you want to look at a really atrocious story, and are vaguely interested in Football, check out what is happening at Cardiff City.

I remember on a fictional note watching the original House of Cards, have had the opportunity of watching the US version on Netflix, just a different flavour.