Diversity and inclusion among central government employees
Central government seeks to employ staff with different backgrounds and talents. Staff who differ in age, sex, experience and cultural and ethnic background also have different ideas and outlooks. This gives central government access to useful knowledge that ties in with the issues facing society.
Promoting diversity through central government HR policy
Central government is committed both to diversity in the workforce and to an inclusive working environment. The aim is to ensure that central government is an employer where all kinds of people feel at home, and that the organisation as a whole can benefit from the diverse range of skills and insights its staff possess. Organisations perform better when their people have a broad range of backgrounds.
Central government is therefore taking the following measures:
- training for members of recruitment committees where they learn, for example, not simply to select people who are similar to them, but to have a broader outlook;
- coaching for staff with certain cultural backgrounds who are currently missing out on advancement to other positions;
- projects to raise awareness of biases, so that they can subsequently be avoided;
- training for managers on providing proper support to staff with a work-limiting disability;
- research on how make central government’s work culture more diverse and inclusive.
Target: 50% of senior civil servant positions filled by women
In 2022, 43% of central government’s most senior managers were women. By 2025 that figure needs to reach 50%, for both top management roles and other positions throughout government. So it’s important to maintain a sharp focus on women’s advancement to more senior positions.
Diversity policy within central government
Diversity is a key topic in central government’s human resources policy (Strategic Central Government Human Resources Policy 2025).
All the ministries and certain other central government bodies have agreed to pursue a diversity policy. This includes drawing up plans for:
- the recruitment and advancement of staff from various backgrounds; and
- how to retain staff with a non-Western background.
These diversity policy agreements are laid down in the Diversity Charter.
The topic of staff diversity is addressed every year in the Central Government Operational Management Annual Report.