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Christine’s story: why I research bias in employment.  

“My research journey began with personal experience. I never used to experience discrimination when applying for jobs. After losing my sight, everything changed.  

I was asked inappropriate questions in interviews and was even fired after disclosing that I was losing my vision. I started to notice bias from prospective employers, other people in the community, and even those who had known me for years. This led me to study implicit bias in employment during my PhD, using my background in psychology. I wanted to understand why people with disability are often overlooked in hiring. 

I asked employers about their attitudes and found that unconscious beliefs, personal values and emotions all play a role. Even when employers said they wanted to hire people with disability, those who felt uncomfortable or held negative assumptions often didn’t follow through. 

I then investigated the level of implicit bias towards people with disability in Australia, which had not been researched before and found that four out of five people implicitly stereotyped people with disability as incompetent and considered them cold and unfriendly.  

These biases are unconscious, but they still shape decisions. They can lead to people being overlooked, not interviewed, or judged unfairly based on assumptions about capability or workplace adjustments.  

One consistent recommendation to reduce bias was to have more diverse hiring panels. When more voices are at the table, decisions are more balanced and inclusive. 

Implicit bias is powerful, but it can be challenged. Through reflection, training, and diverse perspectives, we can make fairer choices and build workplaces that are inclusive for everyone,” Christine, Guide Dogs Client.