Workforce equality data
We have detailed the equality data we hold about our workforce, along with short explanations for each characteristic as well as what we do with this information. These characteristics include:
- Marital status
- Disability
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Age
- Sexual orientation
- Religion
You can view the workforce equality data charts for a breakdown.
Achievement
Alongside publishing our workforce data, including inclusion and diversity data, in accordance with the Equality Act, it is provided to all strategic and service directors and, more recently, to chairs of the employee networks. This has been extended to give employee networks a greater understanding of the characteristics of the workforce thereby allowing for wider and more effective representation.
Impact
The scheme to share workforce data more broadly, to include employee networks, is a new initiative. Its impact has not yet been felt but the potential for network chairs to hold the organisation to account and to grow their networks, in areas where representation is needed, is considerable.
The terms of reference and membership of the 'Inclusion and Diversity Hub', are also taking place at the moment, the impact of which will be for services to report on inclusion matters and learn from others across the organisation facing similar challenges, or with new perspectives. This can then be used to inform recruitment processes and tackle underrepresentation.
There has been progress over this period, both in increasing the numbers of staff who feel comfortable and confident disclosing their personal details and in the workforce becoming more representative of the communities it serves. The impact of this is that we are better able to work with communities, as we understand what it is like to be a member of different communities, bringing different perspectives and diverse innovation.
Developments have also progressed on the Oleeo recruitment system, incorporating name-blind recruitment, along with initiatives to try to increase diversity across the workforce.
Areas for improvement
We continue to take steps to improve the insight we have into the workforce profile across the organisation. There were changes in headcount from 2020 to 2021, due to the integration of former Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing employees, into the wider council workforce. 2022 sees those changes bedding in, with growth in the organisation becoming more representative of the Kirklees community and more individuals feeling confident to disclose their protected characteristics.
The collection of workforce data is improving year-on-year, refining characteristics and with the numbers of staff disclosing their details increasing. This work is vital to helping the organisation become more representative of Kirklees communities and to ensure that workplace support is available, for those who need it.
Please note, that some of the data categories have changed over the past year, for example, removing distinctions between gay men and lesbians or gay women. It was deemed that it was disproportionate to break down sexual orientation to such a level of granularity and may have meant that data was no longer anonymous.
As data collection improves, we have begun to share this with our employee networks. As this process is embedded, we can hope to equip networks with the information they need, to grow and develop their activities, due to having a greater understanding of how the staff they represent, fit into the wider workforce.
The most recent gender pay gap for 2022 shows that the mean gender pay gap is up 0.6%, against the previous reported figure of 9.3%, in favour of males. The median pay gap in favour of males is also up, this time by 4.4%, against the previously reported figure of 15.3%. In terms of bonus pay, this shows that 0.9% of males received a bonus, as opposed to 0.8% of female employees, these bonus rates purely relate to the payment of long service awards.
A number of skilled tradespeople, such as plumbers and gas fitters, were brought back into the organisation following the re-integration of Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing staff. These staff are typically male, and on a higher grade due to their specific skills. This has had a detrimental impact on our gender pay gap figures.
