Scottish Government workforce information: FOI release

Information requested

You asked to be signposted to where you could find the following data sets and "if government is not publishing data relating to the retention of employees as required by section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 [as amended], perhaps you could explain the rationale for the absence of such data sets".

• The average length of service [in years and months] of the current workforce
• The average length of service of those leaving government employment
• The average length of service of each cohort [men and women in the protected characteristic of sex for example] within each of the protected characteristics
• The average sickness absence rates alongside the average length of service of each cohort within each of the protected characteristics

Response

The answer to your question is we do not currently publish the specific data you refer to.

The Scottish Government publishes a range of information on the composition of its employees; as well as annual information on the recruitment, development and retention of employees with respect to the number and relevant protected characteristics of employees, including:

1. Quarterly Scottish Government workforce information (www.gov.scot/publications/workforceinformation) which provide a breakdown of the composition of the Scottish Government workforce. The
statistics show:

• numbers of directly employed staff by category
• numbers of non-directly employed workers by category
• staff sickness absence
• staff diversity information

2. A more detailed annual Diversity and Inclusion of the Scottish Government Workforce (www.data.gov.scot/workforce-diversity-2024-update) which includes workforce composition and presents diversity and inclusion experiences as measures against our Employer Equality Outcomes.

This includes information:

• On Recruitment
• In relation to development, on substantive and temporary promotions
• And in relation to retention, on turnover (joiners and leavers) and absences

3. In addition, the UK Government annual Civil Service People Survey publication Civil Service People Survey: 2024 results - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2024-results) which include information on length of service broken down for the Scottish Government and by diversity demographics.

We are committed to continuously improving the data we gather and use to improve experience and outcomes for all our employees and meet public sector equality duty requirements. The two yearly Mainstreaming Report (www.gov.scot/publications/mainstreaming-report-2023-25) and the Equality Outcomes 2025-29 (www.gov.scot/publications/equality-outcomes-2025-29) also include a range of actions we are taking in this regard.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.