4.1 The Scottish Government's role as an employer is subject to the disability equality duty.
4.2 The Diversity Team forms part of the Government's Employee Relations Team and is located within the Human Resources Division. The Team has lead responsibility for providing advice and guidance on the Executive's employee policies on equal opportunities and diversity and also for implementing the Government's Diversity Strategy and Departmental Diversity Delivery Plan.
4.3 The Team also undertakes outreach and awareness-raising activity, both internal and external, and supports the Government's five staff networks, including those for disabled staff and staff with caring responsibilities.
Policy | Action | By whom | By when | Outcome | Progress |
|---|
Development of disabled staff | Ensure that disabled staff have the fullest training opportunities. | Line managers and Corporate Learning Services | Ongoing | Disabled staff are able to make the fullest use of training opportunities. | We have targeted both internal and external opportunities of particular relevance at members of our disability network. We also continue to make reasonable adjustments as requested to allow full access to all training opportunities for disabled staff. |
Retention of disabled staff | Monitor the reasons for staff (including disabled staff) leaving the organisation and remedy accordingly. | HR | Ongoing | Disabled staff are retained within the organisation and any unfair treatment is addressed. | The new e-HR system is now in place, which will allow easier and more extensive reporting on a range of diversity issues, including disability. Its self-service feature, to be introduced in the coming months, will allow staff to input their own diversity information, which will enhance the quantity and quality of data. |
Business planning | Disability equality and diversity issues to be included in Management Group template and business planning guidance. | | Ongoing | Disability equality and diversity issues regularly considered by senior management and incorporated into business planning process. | Relevant sections had been inserted into the template and the previous business planning guidance. Consideration is also being given to guidance on equality and diversity issues for our new Business Planning e-tool. |
Performance Appraisal | All staff to have a personal diversity objective. | All staff | April 2008 | Increased staff awareness and disability equality in delivery of business objectives. | Following the introduction of the new performance appraisal system, a diversity objective was introduced on a voluntary basis from April 2007, with examples provided for staff on the Intranet. It will be mandatory for all staff from April 2008 |
Promotion | Research to be conducted to investigate barriers to disabled staff in obtaining promotion and accessing opportunities | HR Diversity Team | February 2007 and ongoing | Improved understanding of the barriers facing disabled staff. | The report has been completed by the office of the Chief Researcher and presented to the Diversity Team. Consideration of future actions is ongoing, in light of the HR Resourcing Review. Disabled staff have been included in the review itself. |
Staff information | To continue to gather information on issues facing disabled staff through the staff survey and analyse this to determine actions. | HR Diversity Team | November 2007 and thereafter Complete. January 2008 | Improved organisational understanding of, and response to, disabled staff's views. | This year's survey will launch in November and members of the Disability Network have already been contacted individually to ensure they are aware of the survey and of the assistance available to complete it. The results will be considered when available. A review of all staff networks has now been completed, including the Disability Network, and new volunteer committees are in place. These will be supported by the Diversity Team. A quarterly diversity newsletter was also launched in October to raise awareness of a wide range of diversity issues. It encourages staff to contact the Diversity Team with relevant issues. An accessible version is also available. |
Information and guidance | Establishment of new HR intranet site. New Equality and Diversity Trainer to be appointed. | HR HR | Complete Complete Ongoing | Better access to information and guidance for disabled staff. Dedicated support for equality and diversity training and information. | The new site was finally launched in April 2007, with a specific diversity section. A member of the Diversity Team has been seconded to Corporate Learning Services on a half-time basis to develop and deliver diversity training. A range of awareness-raising events have already been undertaken and a new one-day diversity course launched in late October. A diversity segment has also been included in our Essentials management programme, with an addition elective segment now being developed. All training elements include disability issues. |
Policy Review | Disabled staff to be involved in the policy review by early engagement with Disability Network. | HR | Ongoing Complete | Policy outcomes properly reflect the views of disabled staff. | Disabled staff have already been involved in a number of process and policy reviews, including the Resourcing Review. As part of our ongoing policy review project, all HR policies will be subject to equality impact assessment as they are reviewed. Disabled staff will also be involved in the review of Facilities policies. An impact assessment of our age retirement policy has already been undertaken. |