Women with foreign accents deemed ‘less employable’, study finds

New research indicates that women with foreign accents are perceived as less employable, whereas males with similar accents do not experience the same detrimental effects on their employability.

A recent study by the Australian National University revealed that women with foreign accents, particularly those who speak Russian, are perceived as less employable.

This finding stands in contrast to the experience of their male counterparts, as the research indicated that males with foreign accents don’t face the same level of impact on their perceived employability.

The study, led by Dr Ksenia Gnevsheva, involved an experiment in which 153 participants were tasked with evaluating the employability of 30 speakers from diverse linguistic backgrounds by rating them on a five-point scale.

The cohort of speakers included both male and female individuals, comprising native English speakers and those for whom English is a second language.

“We had speakers of Australian English from five groups, including native English speakers from Anglo, Cantonese, and Lebanese backgrounds, as well as second-language speakers of English who speak Mandarin or Russian as a first language,” Gnevsheva said.

The findings indicated that the accent of male speakers didn’t affect their perceived employability, while female speakers with foreign accents received notably lower ratings regarding their employability.

The study showed that Anglo women were deemed the most employable among the female participants, whereas those with Russian accents were assessed as the least employable.

According to the researchers, these findings distinctly highlight the “double disadvantage” that women with foreign accents encounter in their pursuit of employment opportunities.

Contrary to the findings of a prior study conducted in the UK, which indicated that older individuals are more likely to exhibit accent bias, the research conducted by the ABY revealed that the “listener’s age had little impact”.

Professor Catherine Travis, co-author of the study, explained that the study’s findings are significant, particularly because “there are many perception studies that include only male speakers, which may overlook different judgements for men and women”.

Gnevsheva explained that the absence of legal protections against discrimination based on accent in Australia and other nations creates a significant risk, as it may serve as a “proxy for other forms of discrimination”.

In light of the study’s findings, Gnevsheva outlined the necessity for “anti-discriminatory training for HR professionals” to address and reduce biases encountered during the hiring process.

Moreover, she highlighted that these findings underscore “the importance of training decision-makers in all business areas, not just HR, to promote a culture of diversity and acceptance”.