Analysis Function Diversity and Inclusion Survey results

In June 2021, the Analysis Function (AF) launched our latest AF Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) survey.

We’d like to thank the 1,800 plus analysts who responded from a variety of grades (levels of seniority), professions, departments and locations across the UK.

We encourage colleagues to reflect on these survey headlines and consider what you could do to make the Analysis Function a more inclusive place to work for us all and how you can support the AF D&I Strategy in your respective areas.

Our sincere thanks go out to all those who helped us run the survey from across the government analysis community. Your time and effort has been invaluable.

If you are a civil servant and would like to receive our more detailed analysis, please email Analysis.Function@ons.gov.uk.

What are the survey headlines?

• The survey response rate was 12% (based on the number of analysts identified in the Civil Service People Survey (PS) 2020, a government-wide survey looking at civil servants’ attitudes to and experience of working in government). Given the low response rate, our analysis also considered comparable responses in the PS 2020 and Snapshot Workforce Data Product 2020.
• In general, there was a decrease in ethnic minority and female respondents as grades progressed in seniority. This pattern was also present across the Civil Service.
• 33% of black respondents indicated that they had personally experienced discrimination at work in the past 12 months, in contrast with 7% of white British respondents in 2021, similar to the 2020 results (34%). In the PS 2020 survey 13% of the black analysts who responded had experienced discrimination at work.
• Respondents with physical or mental health conditions or illnesses were less likely to agree that there was impartial promotion (60% in agreement for those with versus 70% for those without) or fairness in their workplace (78% compared to 88%). They were also less likely to agree that their department was committed to equal opportunities, with 79% agreeing versus 86% of those without. Both of these patterns were also seen in the 2020 AF D&I survey.
• The chances of respondents experiencing discrimination in the last 12 months showed an incremental increase with age, with respondents aged 55 and over experiencing the most at 16% (15% 2020), more than five times that of the youngest group. The PS 2020 data on analysts also showed that there was an incremental increase in discrimination with age, with 4% for 16–24-year-olds reporting discrimination compared to 9% for the 55+ age group.
• Respondents with caring responsibilities for adults were much less positive about being treated impartially in the workplace (64% agreed that staff were treated impartially compared to 87% without caring responsibilities) and for promotion (48% versus 68%), less positive about feeling their department was committed to equality (63% agreed their department was committed compared to 86%) and faced greater levels of harassment (19% had experienced this versus 5%) and discrimination (18% compared to 7%).

What next?

The results we saw this year echo those from 2020. In 2021, the Analysis Function set out the AF D&I Strategy 2021-2024. This evidence-based plan contains 21 deliverables which our members and stakeholders have told us will make a real difference at a function level. Progress is led by the AF D&I Working Group, which consists of dedicated individuals from across government. They receive support from the AF team and the strategy’s senior sponsor, Rannia Leontaridi.

Eight out of ten priorities are already underway. These include establishing the Leaders in Analysis suite of career-building events, setting up the Analysis Function People Board Shadow Board (Runner Up in the Analysis in Government Awards Inclusion category and creating an Inclusion Toolkit showcasing best practice for analysts released at National Inclusion Week 2021.

In addition, this year’s results have prompted us to undertake further analysis to better understand the experiences of people who belong to more than one disadvantaged demographic. This has been shared with the AF D&I Working Group for consideration.

If reading the survey results has inspired you to act, why not join our D&I Working Group? Email Curtis.Bateman@ons.gov.uk for more information.