The hidden cost of unconscious bias in the workplace

Workplace discrimination in Ireland is increasing. The Central Statistics Office’s Equality and Discrimination Survey 2024 reveals that 22% of adults aged 18 and over experienced discrimination in the two years prior to interview, up from 18% in 2019. More concerning is that the workplace emerged as the most common setting for discrimination, affecting 7% of respondents.

These statistics represent more than numbers on a page. They reflect real people facing barriers to employment, promotion, and fair treatment. The most common form of workplace discrimination was bullying or harassment, reported by over one-third (35%) of people who experienced workplace discrimination.

The reality across both public and private sectors

Race emerged as the primary ground for workplace discrimination at 27%, followed by gender at 24%, and socio-economic background at 21%. The data paints a stark picture of inequality.

Transgender and non-binary people were three times more likely than cisgender people to experience workplace discrimination, at 22% versus 7%. Similarly, gay or lesbian people faced discrimination at 22% compared with 7% of heterosexual people.

The Irish Traveller and Roma communities faced particularly severe challenges. Almost one in six Irish Travellers or Roma (16%) experienced discrimination whilst looking for work, compared with just 3% of White Irish people.

The Workplace Relations Commission’s 2024 annual report shows discrimination complaints increased by 11% under the Employment and Equality Act compared to 2023. These rising figures suggest that unconscious bias continues to shape hiring, promotion, and workplace decisions across both public and private sectors.

The legal and financial consequences

Ireland’s Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 provide robust protections against discrimination. Recent case law demonstrates that employers face significant financial consequences when unconscious bias influences decisions.

In January 2025, the Workplace Relations Commission awarded €64,000 to Mary Tracy in a disability discrimination case against Smurfit Kappa Ireland Limited trading as the Educational Company of Ireland. The adjudication officer found the employer failed to provide reasonable accommodation and directly discriminated against Ms Tracy in relation to her dismissal.

In November 2024, Ireland introduced new restrictions on non-disclosure agreements in discrimination and harassment cases through the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024. This legislative change signals the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in addressing workplace discrimination.

Yet despite these protections, only 1% of discrimination victims took legal action. This gap between experience and enforcement suggests many cases go unreported, allowing unconscious bias to persist unchallenged.

Why training matters more than ever

The question facing organisations is not whether unconscious bias exists, but how to address it effectively. Peninsula Ireland’s Moira Grassick identifies key components of effective unconscious bias training: a thorough explanation of the concept, legal implications, strategies to understand personal biases, and methods to check assumptions before making decisions.

Training is absolutely necessary, but more is needed. Psychologist Dr Celine Mullins warns that if an organisation takes only a light-touch approach to unconscious bias training, ‘you can do more damage than good’. Effective programmes require comprehensive implementation, follow-through, and integration into recruitment, promotion, and everyday workplace practices.

Would you like to learn more? Read about our Understanding and overcoming unconscious bias training here

References:

• Central Statistics Office’s Equality and Discrimination Survey 2024 (June 2025)
• Workplace Relations Commission’s 2024 Annual Report (April 2025)
• WRC adjudication decisions and case law
• Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission legislative documentation
• Expert commentary from The Irish Times (October 2024)