NAO report: disabiliity inclusion in Civil Service

Wed,24 June 2015
News Education

Equality, diversity, and inclusion in the civil service

This NAO report finds that representation of people with disabilities in the senior civil service continues to remain low (5% in 2014), after some initial progress

The Cabinet Office has found that some people are leaving the civil service because they find the culture exclusive. For example staff with long term health conditions feel less engaged and, moreover, are more likely to feel discriminated against, bullied or harassed, as are lesbian, gay, bisexual civil servants at the most junior grades. 1 in 4 civil servants with a long-term health condition feel discriminated against.

The report concludes that:

“if the civil service is to build on the progress it has made in managing equality, diversity and inclusion, in future it should place greater emphasis on departments’ valuing and maximizing the contribution of every member of their staff. This is more likely to deliver the business benefits than solely a focus on levels of representation of groups with ‘protected characteristics’, according to the NAO.”

It also concludes that the Cabinet Office is not using the data it holds on staff demographics and perceptions to manage workforce changes and hold departments to account.

You can read the a summary and the full report on the NAO website

Background

The Government commissioned and published 3 independent reports on barriers to progression in the civil service in March 2015. One of the reports, Tackling health and disability-related barriers to progression within the Civil Service, was produced by Disability Rights UK.

The DR UK research found both examples of good practice – for instance, a rise in the number of disabled colleagues in the Fast Stream, and senior commitment;  and long-standing barriers to progression.

These included perceived barriers in the performance management system - with disabled colleagues over-represented in the lower box markings; lower levels of trust in fair processes amongst disabled staff than other colleagues; and problems of bullying and harassment.

The research suggested progression was affected both by a ‘benevolence barrier’ (ie some managers assuming more responsibility might be too challenging) and by delays and difficulties in putting workplace adjustments in place, which could make it harder to demonstrate delivery and to move from one team to another for career development.

The Government’s refreshed Talent Action Plan set out actions which were designed to address these challenges, with clear accountabilities.

Liz Sayce, co-author of DR UK’s report and CEO of Disability Rights UK, said: ‘With at least 27,000 civil servants living with personal experience of disability, it is evidently important to create cultures and systems so they can work to their best and fulfil their potential. And with one in five of the wider public being disabled, more leaders in the civil service with lived experience will enhance policy and delivery that is effective for everyone.