Equality, diversity and inclusion annual report 2024

This report covers:

• how we are meeting our obligations from the Equality Act 2010 and the public sector equality duty as a county council and as an employer
• the profile of our workforce
• how our diversity and inclusion policy, approaches, and people strategy support:
  • equality
  • diversity
  • inclusion

The following objectives were set in 2023 for delivery within three years.

Progress on workforce equalities objectives

1. we will increase the number of employees who share their personal characteristic data
   • we put out communications to encourage colleagues to complete and update their diversity information on the payroll system
   • number of unknowns recorded decreased across all characteristics where reporting is discretionary
   • inclusion of additional fields in the payroll system to record gender
   • amendment of disability reasons in the payroll system to include neurodiversity
   • through the introduction and embedding of the new values we hope to encourage more staff to feel confident about disclosing that they have a disability, with the aim of reducing still further the proportion whose status is unknown
2. we will increase the success rate of job applicants (internal and external) from minority or disadvantaged groups
   • in 2023-24 shortlisted applicants over 50 had an equal chance of being successful in recruitment as applicants aged 25 to 49
   • there has been an increase in the percentage of successful applicants with a disability from 8.6% to 9.8% of all applicants.  Although a non-disabled shortlisted applicant is still more likely to be appointed, this likelihood has reduced from 1.4 to 1.3 in the last year
   • the percentage of successful applicants from an ethnic minority background has increased from 4.9% to 5.2%.  The likelihood of a white applicant being appointed once shortlisted is greater than an applicant from an ethnic minority background.  This has increased from 1.6 to 2 times more likely in 2024
   • the percentage of successful applicants who are either lesbian, gay, bisexual or other sexuality (not heterosexual) has increased from 4.0% to 6.9%.  The likelihood of a shortlisted LGB+ applicant was equal to that of a heterosexual applicant which is an improvement from 2023 when a heterosexual shortlisted applicant was 1.4 times more likely to be successful
   • this data shows that there have been increases in the number of applications and successful candidates from minority or disadvantaged groups however further work is needed to increase the likelihood of success of both ethnic minority and disabled applicants
   • the new values encourage managers to be adaptable and the values-based recruitment may increase the opportunity for candidates from disadvantaged groups to be successful
3. we will increase the mechanisms and use of support and flexibility for employees from minority or disadvantaged groups
   • the day one right to request flexible working arrangements was introduced into policy in October 2023, before the statutory right came into effect on 6 April 2024
   • the introduction of personal support passports was integrated into employment policies and management training to ensure that discussion to support individual circumstances is encouraged at recruitment and when managing sickness absence
   • personal support passports were also publicised in communications and during staff network events
   • staff networks have been supported to build their membership and have publicised key events and topics to help raise awareness and understanding to support colleagues across the organisation
   • work with our Corporate property and Health and safety teams to increase the accessibility of our office buildings starting with accessibility audits.  Plans are in place to improve the personal emergency evacuation procedures
   • the new values will further encourage inclusion particularly through encouraging all employees to be ‘collaborative’, ‘adaptable’ and ‘supportive’ in their interactions with each other and our customers including speaking up when things need to change
4. we will increase the support available to enable career progression for employees from minority or disadvantaged groups
   • the median disability pay gap has reduced from 7.2% in 2023 to 5.1% in 2024
   • there has been an increase of approximately 3 percentage points of people with a disability across all four pay quartiles (Lower, lower middle, upper middle and upper)
   • the median gender pay gap has reduced from 2.7% in 2023 to 1.9% in 2024
   • there is a majority of female employees in the workforce, however there are more males than females undertaking roles paid at Grade 14 and above
   • the median ethnicity pay gap is 0%
   • there are five employees from ethnic minority backgrounds in senior roles paid at G13 or equivalent and above. This is the same as in 2023 and is 1.6% of the number of employees paid at this level (313).  This is below the percentage of ethnic minority employees in the workforce (3.4%)
   • in the employee survey 55% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they have an opportunity to progress and develop their career if they want to.  Respondents aged over 50, those who are carers and those who have a disability were less likely to agree
   • this data shows that there have been improvements in the opportunities for new roles and higher pay for several groups, however further work is needed to support career progression. Further development of succession planning and leadership development programmes in 2024 and 2025 will help to provide career development opportunities across the organisation
   • the new values will help to encourage greater collaboration which can increase the opportunities for all to widen their experience and progress in their careers
5. we will increase training, resources and engagement available for employees and specifically for managers. These will increase knowledge, awareness and confidence in discussing, supporting and taking action on equality, diversity and inclusion issues
   • we have identified a suite of EDI learning materials which will be added to the learning management system in 2024.  The materials include lived experience examples and videos which are engaging for the learner.  These will cover all protected characteristics to increase awareness of both employees and managers
   • the staff networks have publicised information and led activities linked to EDI related events of celebration and awareness including Race equality week, Black History month, Carers rights day and Carers awareness week and PRIDE.   These have attracted new members to the staff networks and helped to raise awareness organisationally
   • the social care workforce race equality standard project holds regular engagement events for social care staff to raise awareness of the disadvantages faced by current and potential employees from ethnic minority backgrounds
   • plans are being developed for leadership development, amendments to mandatory EDI learning for all employees, development of new resources to help managers to support employees with non-visible disabilities including neurodiversity
   • the new values include being responsible for your actions and to model the inclusive behaviours within them