Chapter 5: Equity and diversity

Abbreviations

A list of the abbreviations used in this report is available in the Glossary

Workplace diversity involves recognising the value of individual differences and managing them in the workplace. It also includes the principle of equal employment opportunity (EEO). Policies based on the principle of workplace diversity and EEO help to address continued disadvantage experienced by particular groups of people in the workplace, notably women, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with disability.

Workplace diversity within the APS also ensures that a range of perspectives and ideas are brought to bear on issues. This has broad benefits, but is particularly important where there is a need for effective consultation with stakeholders or where service delivery mechanisms need to be established on the ground.

Always strong, the business case for workplace diversity has become increasingly pressing in recent years. The ageing workforce and the tightening labour market make it imperative that agencies draw on the full breadth and diversity of the labour market to meet their demands for skilled employees. Research shows that employees’ perceptions of equity, fairness and diversity in the workplace affects their level of engagement with their work and with their organisation, and in turn their commitment to the work they do and their intention to remain with the organisation.

The legislative framework for the APS puts a strong emphasis on the importance of diversity and equity in employment in their own right. In particular, the APS Values state that the APS provides a workplace that is free from discrimination and recognises and utilises the diversity of the Australian community it serves, and promotes equity in employment.

The importance of workplace diversity is also recognised internationally. For example, the Civil Service in the UK has developed a 10 point plan to create a more visible and diverse Senior Civil Service. The plan sees diversity as a mainstream business issue which needs to be an integral part of day-to-day life. In addition to wanting to reflect the nation it serves, the Civil Service sees diversity as one way it can improve its capacity to deliver.

This chapter draws on APSED data and on responses to the agency and employee surveys to make an assessment of how well the APS is utilising diversity within its workplaces. It incorporates, where appropriate, conclusions, case studies and other material from a number of evaluations carried out by the Commission this year and from a range of other sources.

The chapter begins by looking at agencies’ commitment to workplace diversity and success in achieving improved employment outcomes for particular groups of employees. It then looks at a range of broader diversity and equity issues, including the extent to which the APS allows its employees to balance their work responsibilities with other responsibilities in their lives, the perceptions of bullying and harassment in APS workplaces, and the provision of safe workplaces.

In this chapter

Chapter 5: Equity and diversity	PDF	Word	Excel
Equity and diversity
Workplace diversity
Table 5.1: Representation of EEO groups among ongoing employees, 1997 to 2006
Women in the APS
Figure 5.1: Representation of women and men in agencies with more than 1000 ongoing employees, June 2006
Table 5.2: Ongoing staff: proportion of women by classification, 1997, 2005, 2006
Figure 5.2: Ongoing staff: Engagement and promotion rates for women, 2005–06
Table 5.3: Ongoing staff: Proportion of women by age group in EL and SES classifications, June 2006
Figure 5.3: Employee satisfaction with factors identified through factor analysis—women and men, 2005–06
Indigenous employment
Table 5.4: Agencies with the highest proportion of ongoing Indigenous employees, June 2006
Figure 5.4: Representation of Indigenous employees in agencies with more than 1000 ongoing staff , June 2006
Table 5.5: Ongoing representation of Indigenous employees by classification, 1997, 2005 and 2006
Figure 5.5: Representation of ongoing Indigenous employees in trainee classifications, 1997 to 2006
Table 5.6: Indigenous representation in engagements and separations of ongoing employees, 1996–97 to 2005–06
Table 5.7: Agency challenges in relation to Indigenous employment, 2005–06
Table 5.8: Agency strategies to recruit Indigenous Australians, 2005–06
Table 5.9: Agency strategies to retain Indigenous employees, 2005–06
Figure 5.6: Employee satisfaction with factors identified through factor analysis—Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees, 2005–06
People with disability
Figure 5.7: Proportion of ongoing employees with disability, 1997 to 2006
Figure 5.8: Proportion of people with disability in agencies with more than 1000 ongoing employees, June 2006
Table 5.10: Agency challenges in relation to employment of people with disability, 2005–06
Table 5.11: Agency strategies to recruit people with disability, 2004–05
Table 5.12: Agency strategies to retain people with disability, 2005–06
Figure 5.9: Employee satisfaction with factors identified through factor analysis—people with disability and people without disability, 2005–06
Employees from a non-English speaking background
Figure 5.10: Representation of NESB1 employees in agencies with more than 1000 ongoing employees, June 2006
Figure 5.11: Employee satisfaction with factors identified through factor analysis—NESB1 and non-NESB1 employees, 2005–06
Age diversity
Figure 5.12: Ongoing employees—age profile, 1997 and 2006
Figure 5.13: Separation rates for ongoing employees aged 50 to 64, 1996–97 and 2005–06
Figure 5.14: Employee satisfaction with factors identified through factor analysis—mature-aged (45 years and over) and younger (under 45 years) employees, 2005–06
Figure 5.15: Employee satisfaction with factors identified through factor analysis—employees aged under 25 years and employees aged 25 years and over, 2005–06
Work-life balance
Table 5.13: Work-life balance strategies available in agencies, 2005–06
Table 5.14: Use of flexible working arrangements by employees , 2005–06
Figure 5.16: Proportion of employees working more, or significantly more, than a standard or agreed number of hours on average over the past six months, 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06
Figure 5.17: Proportion of carers reporting days used for carer’s leave or similar arrangements, 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06
Bullying, harassment and discrimination
Figure 5.18: Proportion of employees indicating they had experienced bullying or harassment, byclassification, 2003–04 to 2005–06
Safe workplaces
Figure 5.19: Incidence rate for compensated workplace injuries that resulted in 5, 30 and 60 or more days off work—all APS employers
Figure 5.20: Incidence of workplace injury and disease (T1 indicator)
Figure 5.21: Incidence of lost time due to injury (T3 indicator)
Figure 5.22: Average time taken for rehabilitation intervention (T4 indicator)
Key chapter findings

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