We measure progress in this area by:
- consulting with employees
- doing outreach work, to attract more applicants from minority ethnic backgrounds to apply for jobs
- monitoring ethnic origin.
All departments and agencies are committed to supporting all employees including those from a minority ethnic background who are under–represented at some grade levels. Many have programmes of action, black and minority ethnic networks, champions, conferences, and training interventions in place. And many departments’ networks actively support the Civil Service Race Equality Network (CSREN).
In addition, all departments and agencies in the Civil Service ensure race equality through their work in the implementation of the Race Equality Duty. The Duty covers race equality in the workforce as well as in policy development and service delivery. Departmental actions on race equality are set out in individual race equality schemes which are available on all departmental websites. You can access all departments’ schemes through the Directgov website.
Benchmarking equality
Many departments and agencies also assess their progress on race equality actions by using a benchmarking tool that Race for Opportunity (RfO) offers its members. RfO is an organisation for employers who are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for people from all ethnic backgrounds.
Ethnic monitoring
The Civil Service asks employees to complete a voluntary declaration of their ethnic origin. The information is used confidentially to monitor the representation of employees from all racial groups.
These are some things you should remember when recruiting or managing your team day-to-day.
What you should do
When recruiting:
- Think about where you advertise job opportunities – use channels such as ethnic minority press, if practical.
- Ensure the recruiting panel is representative in terms of gender and ethnicity.
- Take the cue from the interviewee as to whether to shake hands – some will be comfortable with this, others may not.
- Understand that some people may avoid eye contact, as that is taught as respectful in some cultures.
- Acknowledge that people may dress differently to you.
When at work:
- All managers and staff should discuss and agree their objectives for the year. Objectives should give all staff the opportunity to achieve their potential.
- Harassment, bullying or discrimination of staff on any grounds is not tolerated in the Civil Service.
- Acknowledge that some staff may dress differently – and that others may do so on select occasions.
- Respect your employees’ different dietary requirements – label any food provided and keep meat and meat-free items separate wherever possible.
- Understand that some staff may not participate in birthday/Christmas/New Year celebrations.
- Promote inclusion by arranging events in alcohol-free venues.
- Be aware of departmental policy regarding prayer, and ensure you know where any prayer rooms are.
- Consult staff about workloads and setting deadlines for them during times when they may be fasting. Some people may perform optimally in the morning when energy levels are at their peak, rather than during the afternoon and early evening period.
When making leave arrangements:
- Be aware that members of staff who have strong community ties may request leave at short notice to attend funerals. Extended leave may be required if a funeral is abroad.
Racial, cultural and ethnic identity are often, but not always, closely related with religion or belief, and we should remember this when working with colleagues.
These are some things you should remember when recruiting or managing your team day-to-day.
What you can do
Show respect:
- Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
- Ask colleagues how they would like to be addressed, and how to pronounce/spell their names if unsure.
- Respect the beliefs of others about food, dress and social etiquette, and do not behave in ways which could cause offence.
- Don’t assume that treating everyone in the same way is the same thing as treating everyone fairly.
Keep an open mind:
- Communicate openly with each other.
- We can all learn from each other and our different backgrounds and experiences.
- Acknowledge and guard against your own prejudices, we all have them.
Racial, cultural and ethnic identity is often, but not always, closely related with religion/faith, and we should remember this when working with colleagues from different backgrounds.