Identifying and Removing Barriers to Talented BAME Staff Progression in the Civil Service
Published on 1 December, 2014.
This report details the findings from qualitative research on the blockages experienced by talented BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) staff in the Civil Service. It provides insights into their experiences of working for the Civil Service and the barriers they face around the themes of culture, leadership and accountability, and talent processes and development. The report makes references to other surveys; the 2014 Civil Service People Survey and the Hay Group ‘Removing Barriers to Success’ survey (November 2014). Main Findings Current cultural and leadership climates are the main barriers to the progression of talented BAME staff within the Civil Service. BAME staff across all levels of responsibility do not feel they work for an organisation that is open, fair and inclusive. Lack of BAME role models at senior civil service (SCS) level is demoralising for those who are committed to a career in the Civil Service and want to progress. They see a leadership that is not diverse and perceptions of an ‘old boys club’ persist. Many feel it is still the case that progression is based on whether ‘your face fits’ and this does not equate to an organisation that is committed to and values diversity. The lack of an explicit, clearly and consistently communicated diversity and inclusion strategy compounds the view that the Civil Service is not committed to ethnic diversity Unconscious bias and discrimination persists which can block the progress of talented BAME staff and means there is not always equal access to promotions, projects, senior leaders and secondments. All of this limits the aspirations and success of BAME staff. The Performance Management Review is particularly criticised and is seen to disadvantage BAME staff, who are more likely to be scored ‘not met’ in their reviews with often little objective feedback as to why. Line managers play a crucial role in supporting and developing talented staff. Whilst some BAME staff interviewed say they have been well supported, others do not feel their line managers are focussed on their development, limiting their access to training and development opportunities. Unconscious bias is blamed for this. The current talent processes, those targeting BAME staff as well as mainstream schemes, work well as far as they go. However the reach and scope of these schemes is not sufficiently ambitious and access to them is not always fair or consistent. The lack of a structured career development process for those who complete these schemes can limit their effectiveness in developing and progressing talented staff.