Seven in ten Jewish workers stay silent about antisemitism despite workplace equality policies

More than seven in ten Jewish employees have kept quiet about antisemitism at work, despite their employers having policies designed to protect staff from discrimination, a new study has found.

Research involving more than 1,000 Jewish workers found that many do not feel comfortable reporting antisemitism, even when their workplaces openly promote equality and inclusion.

The findings raise questions about whether Jewish staff are receiving the same protection as other minority groups.

The study, carried out by workplace consultancy Pearn Kandola, found that 70.8 percent of Jewish employees had avoided speaking up about antisemitism, while only 15.9 percent felt able to raise concerns.

Three-quarters (75.5 percent) also believed their employers were less effective at dealing with antisemitism than other forms of racism.

This was despite 87 percent saying their organisation had made a clear commitment to tackling discrimination, and 83 percent reporting that their workplace actively addressed racism more generally.

Researchers also interviewed Jewish employees who described having their experiences dismissed or played down.

Some said incidents were treated as misunderstandings, while others reported that employers acknowledged prejudice but failed to act.

Professor Binna Kandola OBE, senior partner at Pearn Kandola, warned that Jewish employees were encountering the same excuses historically used to dismiss other forms of racism.

“One of the most striking findings was that the arguments used to minimise antisemitism were the very same arguments that have long been used to dismiss racism,” he said.

The report suggests that some workplace equality programmes struggle to recognise antisemitism because they focus too heavily on which groups are seen as powerful or underrepresented.

It warns that employers cannot assume their existing anti-racism policies are enough to protect Jewish staff.

Kandola said organisations needed to do more than simply encourage employees to report discrimination.

“No employee should have to repeatedly prove that their experience matters before it is taken seriously.”

The findings follow earlier research by the consultancy in 2024, which reported that workplace antisemitism had risen by almost 50 percent following the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.

The new report calls on employers to review how they handle complaints, improve staff understanding of antisemitism and ensure Jewish employees are listened to.

Kandola stressed that the aim was to improve workplace equality programmes rather than abandon them.

“DEI has an essential role to play in creating fair workplaces. But any function concerned with reducing bias must also recognise its own capacity for bias.”

The study, titled “Yes but…”: Antisemitism and the Limits of Workplace Inclusion, surveyed 1,002 Jewish employees between July and September 2026 and included 17 in-depth interviews.