Becoming a better employer - Overview
Attracting the right people
To improve diversity in our Department, we asked human resources consultants Veredus to review our recruitment and advertising. We now have good practice guidelines to ensure we recruit from as wide a range of people as possible. For example, we have changed the way we advertised so our policy statement is the first message and the advert is clearer and easier to understand.
Getting a better picture of our staff
We have reformed our staff survey process to give us better staff data - we now have ethnicity data for almost 89% of our people. The recent introduction of a new online staff information system, where staff can input their own ethnicity and disability information, should raise this score further.
Our Race Equality Staff Network Group reviewed the issues raised by last year's staff perception survey, and its recommendations are now being implemented. These include actions to improve communications, data gathering and learning and development.
We have ethnicity targets in grades where there is under-representation. The table below shows our target for 2005 and progress against it to April 2005. We have already met or exceeded some of our targets.
Developing our people
Because individuals learn best in their own way, we are adopting 'blended learning'. This lets staff access the learning they need at a time they need it. This provides a mix of opportunities for learning, including trainer-led events in classrooms, workshops amongst peer groups to share and learn from best practice, printed media, and associated materials (e-learning) available on our internal website. Early results are very promising.
We have recently completed a research project 'Review of developmental needs of ethnic minority staff' looking at various issues affecting the development and progression of ethnic minority staff. The project involved extensive research with staff and managers and comparison with other organisations. Members of the National Staff Race Network were trained as facilitators. The Department will now analyse and consider this report and consult with staff.
We also have a number of training programmes for ethnic minority staff, including positive action schemes and mainstream development programmes, which are open to all. We have a national positive action scheme called 'Realising Potential' and similar schemes at business and local levels.
Finally, we run summer placement programmes for ethnic minority graduates, to help them gain valuable experience of the public services.
| Grade | Target | April 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| SCS | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| G6/G7 | 3.0% | 2.7% |
| SEO | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| HEO | 4.0% | 4.3% |
| EO | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| AO | 9.5% | |
| AA | 10.0% | |
| All | 8.5% |