Resource content
Context: SQA needed robust data to understand workforce equality demographics and make informed decisions that advance equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Approach: SQA implemented comprehensive equality policies and established clear accountability structures for workforce diversity monitoring and employee networks.
Implementation – Data Matters campaign:
- Collaborated with employee networks to align equality data questions with Scotland’s Census 2022
- Developed a ‘Data Matters’ campaign that increased colleagues completing their equality data on internal systems
- Employee networks provided concrete examples of how data had been used, such as evidence of success in the Disability Confident scheme
Impact:
- Achieved over 80% equality data declaration rates across all categories
- Recorded an increase in interviews offered to disabled applicants who met minimum requirements
- Over one hundred staff identified as unpaid carers, leading to development of a Carers Network
- Created a Carer Support Hub and carers policy
- Delivered internal awareness raising workshops to understand carer needs
Key learning:
- Employee networks must have clear connections to data collection and business improvement
- Networks should reflect preferred language and terminology of their communities
- Data campaigns are more effective when led by employee networks themselves
- Regular monitoring and adaptation based on network insights drives meaningful change