05.09.14
Civil service to become one of the most female-friendly employers in the country
The civil service is to become one of the most female-friendly employers in the country, the Cabinet Office has pledged.
Measures have been laid out in the government’s Talent Action Plan: Removing barriers to success, published today. They include the adoption of a new entitlement to Shared Parental Leave, which will allow civil servants at all levels across government to have the option to split six months full pay usually offered to women for maternity leave.
Also among the proposals is a clampdown on all-male shortlists for senior recruitment, and all-male selection panels. All departments will be required to nominate a board-level diversity champion and all leaders will be given additional training to remove ‘unconscious bias’ from interviews.
Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude said: “To deliver excellent public services for hardworking families we need the best civil servants. But for too long, too few talented women reached the highest levels. We have examined the actual barriers faced by women and are now addressing them. We are also commissioning further work to ensure that you can succeed in the civil service whoever you are – it’s all part of our long-term plan for a stronger economy.”
Currently 53% of civil servants are women; however they only hold 38% of positions at the top grades. The current Talent Action Plan is based on a government commissioned research project examining blockages preventing women from reaching the most senior levels of civil services, conducted by the Hay Group.
There are currently three other research projects going on looking at challenges facing other groups in reach senior civil service positions. These include; ethnic minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities; and the disabled.
In the next 12 months the plan will be refreshed once findings from the other research projects becomes available.
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