Intra-migrant workplace conflict: impediment to improving migrants’ workforce integration

Abstract

This study examines the tensions between newcomer migrants and established immigrants in the workforce in the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants in a food-manufacturing company to investigate how solidarity and conflict among groups of migrants impact their ability to integrate into the workplace. The research found that heightened levels of conflict occur between new and long-term immigrants. This engenders segregation as well as discrimination within the immigrant groups, which then hampers their career growth opportunities. The results have important consequences for diversity and inclusion in the workforce. The study shows that diversity needs a greater and wider focus than the current emphasis on the local population vs. immigrant paradigm. More attention should be devoted to tackling tensions between groups of immigrants.