Equality outcomes and mainstreaming report 2023: easy read

Part 2: The Scottish Government as an employer

Our staff

The Scottish Government want to have a workplace that is welcoming to everyone.

We want to have more staff who are:

• young people from 16 to 29 years old
• aged 60 years old or older
• disabled
• from an ethnic minority
• from a non-Christian religion
• LGBTI+

Pay Gap Data

We will have an equal pay audit to look at pay gaps by disability, gender, race and age by March 2024.

An audit is a way to check the work of an organisation.

We will act on what the audit finds out.

Action Plans

The Scottish Government has 3 employer Action Plans to:

• make sure there are more staff from under-represented groups
• encourage good relations among our employees
• support an inclusive workplace

The 3 plans are about:

• the recruitment and retention of disabled people
• race recruitment and retention
• having staff from a mix of backgrounds

Recruitment, internships and mentoring

Mentoring is when someone teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced person.

We updated the way we recruit staff so we can increase the diversity of who we hire.

All recruiting managers must now attend new 'inclusive recruitment' training.

Internship opportunities for disabled people mean many can get a permanent job after completing their internship.

In 2022 Developing Diverse Leaders programmes supported personal development, sponsorship, and mentoring.

We have a programme to support mentoring for our Race Equality Network members and disabled staff.

Staff policies, diversity networks and learning

We have new ways:

• for staff to make a complaint about a Minister's behaviour
• for staff to make a complaint about the workplace or another member of staff
• to support staff diversity networks

Employee Passports give a link to the new Workplace Adjustments Service team when things like equipment or softwareare needed.

We have an equality policy to support transgender and non-binary staff.