MasterCraft Series – Are you conscious of your unconscious biases

Date

14 Aug 2025

Duration

One 1.5-hour face-to-screen session. 1:00PM - 2:30PM (AEST).

Event type

Events

Location

Australia wide (Virtual)

Max Capacity

50 seats

In this session our panellists will cover how unconscious bias (UB) manifests from 'systems' to 'everyday work' environments. Further conversation will centre on how UB manifests itself in APS policy design beyond individuals recognising or knowing about UB and to see how this can replicate in policy and program design. Importantly this event will provide the audience with 'bias breakers' to enable practitioners to be better equipped in addressing UB in their workplace. Finally, gain the latest research and techniques in this area.

Presenters

Sue Williamson

Sue is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Management in the School of Business at UNSW, Canberra. She specialises in two main areas of research – gender equality in the workplace, and public sector human resources and industrial relations. Sue is combining these two areas and for the past few years has been examining how various public sector agencies implement gender equality initiatives. Recent research includes examining how public sector employees worked from home during the pandemic, and what the future of work in the public sector might look like post-pandemic. Sue has also examined how middle managers can progress gender equality.

Sue has partnered with various state government and Australian Government agencies on projects aimed at progressing workplace gender equality.

Eric Harper

Eric is the former National Manager for Partnered Programs and Design with Services Australia (Program Design Group), and the new Executive General Manager, Service Delivery with SSI Australia. Eric has led social service program and policy design at both community and strategic national levels, maintaining a focus on transformation geared towards improving outcomes for vulnerable people. He has a long standing passion for understanding how we can collectively reduce the impact of unconscious bias specifically in our social/ public policy work - recognising that the impact is sector agnostic. Eric is also committed to supporting the uplift of program management thinking, ethics and practice within and outside of the APS.

Eric is a Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) and holds formal qualifications in behavioural science (B. Science/B. Psychology with Honours, Master Applied Psychology (Neuroscience)), management (B. Management- Project Management) and a Master in Public Administration (ANZSOG).

Facilitator

Belinda Bounty

Belinda is the Director of Capability Uplift and Health Professional Education in Program Design Group, Services Australia.

Over her 15 years with the Agency, Belinda has focused on strategy development and implementation, including the Future of Work remit, workforce strategy, and capability and cultural uplift. As a leader, she finds joy in supporting individuals and teams to thrive, celebrates diversity in all forms, and models psychosocial safe behaviours.

Participant benefits

Gain awareness of how our unconscious biases manifest in all aspects of our life.
Explore how unconscious bias impact gender equity and outcomes in the APS workplace.
Consider how we can get better at blocking and disrupting our unconscious biases, including in a workplace context.

Suitable for

All Staff

Category and User level

This learning experience aligns with the Working in Government Craft at the Foundation level.

Price

Free of charge.

Additional Information

To enrol in this session you will need a valid APSLearn profile.
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If your training venue is at MoAD, please refer to the directional map to assist with locating the training room.

* Capacity limits may apply. Please log into APSLearn to check availability.

If the session is full or none of the additional sessions are suitable, you can express your interest, through APSLearn, for this event. You will be added to a mailing list to be notified when a new session becomes available.