Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is a key criterion candidates consider when choosing their next employer. Considering the critical services it provides for the entire population, diversity in the public sector is especially important.
A hot topic amongst our public sector clients is how to reduce bias in their hiring practices. However, in order to create an inclusive workforce we also need to understand how well minorities are represented.
We’ve compiled data from our job board, jobsgopublic.com, to showcase the demographics of current public sector job seekers. The statistics in the following infographic come from over 525,100 applications submitted through the Jobs Go Public ATS between March 2022 and March 2023.
.jpeg?width=400&height=1579&name=Diversity%20Infographic%20(2023%20rebranded).jpeg)
Public sector job seeker demographics in a nutshell
The key findings from our application data were:
- Almost 70% of public sector job seekers are female.
- 7% of applications came from Asian ethnic groups.
- Black ethnic groups submitted 12.2% of completed applications.
- Overall, one third of job seekers came from an ethnic minority background.
- Of those who were comfortable to say, 6.03% of candidates declared a disability on their application.
- One third of candidates were in the 26-35 age group, and approximately a further third belonged to the 36-45 age group.
- 4% of candidates identified as LGBO (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Other).
The demographics seen in this data were relatively stable in terms of change from the previous two years on our job board.
In exception, it is noteworthy that applications where candidates declared a disability increased by 25% from the 2021/2022 financial year. This could indicate that candidates are feeling more comfortable to speak to employers about accessibility.
Current public sector workforce demographics
How does this compare to the demographics of the current public sector workforce?
The gender split between male and female is more even in the civil service, with women making up 54.5% of the workforce. A larger proportion of the civil service workforce also declared a disability in 2022, at 14% of staff.
However, only 15% of the civil service come from an ethnic minority background.
Sexuality shows a very similar breakdown to our job seeker pool, with 6.1% of employees in the civil service identifying as LGBO.
Moreover, the average age of public sector workers was 44. This suggests that most of our job seekers come in at a similar or younger age than average for current staff.
How can you create a more inclusive workforce?
Now that you’ve seen how each demographic is represented among public sector job seekers, how can you create inclusive and diverse workplaces?
Encouraging more diversity in the public sector starts with the application process. You should consider the following three things when reviewing your process:
1 Advert copy
Job adverts and person specifications should use clear and inclusive language that make all candidates feel comfortable applying. For example, when writing your job adverts, be mindful of using words which may exclude neurodivergent candidates or job seekers over 50.
You should also include information in your adverts about what your workplace is doing to promote diversity and inclusion. Don’t just state that you’re a Disability Confident employer—tell candidates why you’re fantastic and inclusive!
2 Employer brand
Don’t just tell candidates why you’re fantastic, show them. Create a strong employer brand with assets such as your social media or careers site.
These channels provide the perfect opportunity to present the human side of your organisation. Make use of photos and videos of your staff that tell your employees’ story and showcase the value of working for you.
If you’re looking for inspiration, check out these six fantastic examples of public sector employer branding.
3 Blind recruitment
A further trend in recruitment practices is blind recruitment using anonymised CVs to remove bias during shortlisting. To encourage candidates to partake in this inclusive hiring practice, you can share our advice for candidates on how to remove personal details from your CV.
Updated 20th April 2023
If you’re struggling with hard-to-fill roles, our Talent Team can help. With 20+ years of experience in recruiting for public sector organisations, charities, schools and housing associations, we have a vast candidate database and strong relationships with exceptional talent. Drop us a note to get started.