By Fraser Barton in Brisbane

Australian workers face a “class ceiling” that leaves some with less chance for job progression, confounding the nation’s image as an egalitarian society.

Early findings from an upcoming Diversity Council Australia report reveal social class can hinder people’s careers across a wide range of industries.

The data from two surveys, one involving 1400 respondents and another of 3000 people, showed workplace leaders were also less likely than their employees to recognise the difference class could make on job sites.

“I knew that class inclusion was low on organisations’ radars when it comes to building inclusion and diverse workplaces, but I didn’t know it was that low,” co-author of the study Rose D’Almada-Remedios told AAP.

“We found that the vast majority of people that we surveyed responded that they didn’t think that Australia was a classless society.

“The myth about Australia being the land of a fair go and everyone having equal opportunity, regardless of who they are … I think that people are more and more aware that it’s a myth.”

Early data revealed only 44 per cent of disadvantaged workers had been offered career-development opportunities in the past year, compared to 76 per cent who were privileged due to their social class.

Among leaders, only four per cent reported being marginalised due to their class, while 40 per cent said they came from privileged backgrounds.

One in four marginalised workers felt valued and respected in their teams, compared to 41 per cent of privileged workers.

Class bias and conversations surrounding it were still rudimentary in Australia when compared to other jurisdictions, Dr D’Almada-Remedios said.

“The conversation is definitely more advanced in the UK … Australia is nowhere near there,” she said.

“For Australia, we are really needing to build our class literacy.”

Disadvantages within the workplace can be attributed to bias as well as a lack of awareness from leadership, according to the Smith Family charity.

“We all grow up in particular communities with particular family groups which we’re kind of familiar with and accustomed with, so we just have some blind spots about how other people live their lives,” chief executive Doug Taylor said.

Australian and international research suggests class bias is a greater issue in white-collar or “elite” organisations.

The council is due to release its full report in October.

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.