Our work goals, objectives and plans (Accessible)
Updated 15 February 2022
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Data
Goal
To achieve a better understanding of the diversity of our membership, so we can best support them responsively and address issues identified effectively. The use of analysed data will help drive understanding of the challenges we face and result in improved design, implementation and evaluation of interventions.
Objective
Use the annual GSE member survey to inform, map, and improve our position in terms of the diversity of the profession.
Use our senior leaders to encourage members to share their diversity data to gain an accurate understanding of the profession.
Seek to deliver a year-on-year percentage increase of departmental data reporting; the rate to be determined after the results of the inaugural survey.
Achieve a year-on-year increase in completion rate for GSE Profession annual survey.
Action plan
Analyse GSE survey results from the first GSE annual survey by October 2021.
Share high level insight in a blog publication by November 2021 that will inform of follow-up action.
Work with leaders from October 2021 to begin a quarterly internal communications campaign to encourage members to actively participate in sharing their diversity information to help enrich our understanding of current diversity and urge them to share declaration statistics locally.
DIAG and other support networks to help identify departmental HR contacts, by January 2022, who can provide baseline data, if available, to CSAs before March 2022.
GSE to annually collect departmental data, if available, upon contacts being provided to start from April 2022.
Changes in reporting levels will be reported to departments a month after data has been received and will show the efficacy of senior leader campaigns; communication methods will be adapted, if needed.
GSE team to lead a communication campaign starting in March 2022 using quotes from senior leaders to advocate for the GSE annual survey. The team will work with core groups such as DIAG, to identify additional routes for communicating and championing the survey to reach our diverse audience.
The campaign will aim to maintain a 10% completion rate for the second GSE annual survey in May 2022; this factors in GSE membership growth and the profession will review the results and create sub targets to increase representation in low scoring areas in future years.
Governance
Goal
We want to ensure that science and engineering expertise and evidence is drawn upon from a diverse range of sources by creating effective governance structures that maximise our network relationships to effectively share opportunities and best practices.
Objective
Use of existing relationships with institutions and professional bodies to promote the work of GSE and wider development opportunities such as secondment and interchange targeted at those from a diverse background.
Increase the presence and impact of DIAG within the GSE governance structure and departments by February 2022. Therefore, enabling wider links to D&I networks across government.
Action plan
Work with the professional institution working group to share promotional opportunities with DIAG/ GSE D&I representative for the annual recognition events from September 2022.
Work with external partners, such as WISE, to raise the profile and promote the profession and its inclusivity. Monthly meetings to review approach to start in November 2021.
Establish partnership working, with our professional registration partners from February 2022 to signpost opportunities via the newsletter, available for GSE members to access.
DIAG to take part in GSE science system project during September-November 2021, which will define the roles of different stakeholder groups within the profession and how they contribute to decision-making processes.
From Spring 2022, CSAs to promote equality, diversity and inclusivity with quarterly campaigns in their organisations focused on increasing GSE membership and DIAG representation across, roles, grades, and protected characteristics.
DIAG to have participation from every organisation represented by the GSE Board by end of 2022. Members to collaborate with local D&I leads in organisations and share good practice with DIAG.
Create a join-up across Civil Service diversity networks for gender, disability, social mobility, LGBT+ and race, to harness best practices and shared approaches. This will be achieved by having representation at each forum by March 2022.
People and culture
Goal
We want to empower our members across all grades, characteristics, and technical specialisations to feel confident in contributing to the Profession.
Objective
Achieve greater participation of members at all levels and involve them in decision-making to maintain relevant outcomes to those represented.
Improve the employee experience and help foster strong cultures that support the feeling of empowered belonging.
Review of the GSE Employee Value Proposition.
Action plan
Starting in January 2022, bi-monthly promotion of DIAG via the GSE newsletter and targeted reminders to heads of profession to encourage participation by their team members across roles, grades, and protected characteristics.
Complete work around the definition of clear roles and benefits of being a GSE Champion, with quarterly meetings to revitalise the group’s purpose, and recognise its successes. Programme in place by November 2021.
Increase the number of departments represented at the GSE Shadow Board by 10% by March 2022.
This will be achieved via a repeated communications promotion through the GSE newsletter and publishing testimonials from existing Shadow Board members highlighting how this opportunity has supported their development.
Senior leaders to publish D&I pledges and host organisation listening events by end December 2021.
Promotion to take place locally to encourage attendance. Broad output and level of engagement from these events to be shared locally within 2 months of the event. Regular GSE newsletter feature to be published post event, detailing high level progress to demonstrate open and inclusive approach to direct feedback, starting in January 2022.
Continue monthly blog content publication as part of the inclusive calendar programme recognising and celebrating key dates and events and share topics and metrics of the top 3 inclusion blog posts every quarter in the GSE newsletter, starting in January 2022.
GSE Connect partnership programme launched in February 2021 as a pilot to support women with their careers. Its evaluation, due by April 2022, will inform 2 further schemes and high-level analysis to be shared in a newsletter article by May 2022.
Continuation of the inclusive ‘every day’ role modelling GSE blog programme developed for bi-monthly publication. This promotes, empowers, encourages, and inspires colleagues to be their best self, break the mould, and step up for equality and inclusion. Publish a celebratory feature in the GSE newsletter to mark the first year, in May 2022.
By November 2022, DIAG to review the revised GSE Employee Value Proposition which includes the learning and development offer, articulation of existing benefits, unique benefits and opportunities and the development of a reward framework.
Promoting and celebrating GSE diversity and inclusion
Goal
We want to showcase our members and how their support and engagement has enhanced the GSE Profession. We want to highlight best practices of equality of opportunity and treatment throughout every touchpoint of the employee experience.
Objective
Celebrate our members’ stories and experiences to increase visibility and recognition of those from diverse backgrounds, engendering trust and confidence amongst members.
Action plan
Starting in December 2021, publish shared member stories on a quarterly basis as part of a series on the GSE blog pages.
Host a GSE Profession members’ conference in February 2022. Its purpose is to bring together specialists and decision makers from across national and local government to share experiences, present new tools, and celebrate the vibrant scientific/engineering community that exists.
Host GSE Inspirational Scientist/Engineer Awards in September 2022. Follow up with a summary GSE blog publication highlighting successes 1 month after the event.
As started in April 2021, continue to host topical, live celebratory events, every quarter to coincide with inclusion calendar key dates, featuring keynote speakers sharing their career story and inspiration, which may at times be targeted at specific diverse group participation.
Interventions to increase GSE diversity
Goal
We want to help ensure the GSEP is representative of the community we serve at every level.
Objective
Increase the diversity of GSE members in our organisations across roles and grades by examining recruitment and talent areas.
Establish sub working groups within DIAG to help tackle challenges related to characteristics such as gender, disability, social mobility and race.
Engage with departmental representatives to improve fair treatment and inclusion around learning and development opportunities by increasing accessibility of resources in support of all members.
Continually ensure diverse recruitment by developing a diverse STEM talent pipeline.
Action plan
Launch GSE Returners’ Pack to support recruiting managers develop programmes to attract mid-career talent and provide a supported transition back into work. Promote and embed its use in at least 6 departments by end 2022.
CSAs to provide high level diversity analysis of their recruitment campaigns to feature in the newsletter from June 2022.
Promotion of characteristic-targeted talent programmes that seek out and develop talent to expand the pool up through all grades to continue. CSAs to provide quarterly report on numbers in their teams on these development programmes from April 2022.
Increase the number of participants in DIAG by 20% by December 2021, through a rolling bi-monthly promotional campaign via the GSE newsletter, ensuring representation across location, grades and departments.
These existing groups to have LGBT+ and cultural oversight representation across all DIAG subgroups by March 2022.
Using a suitable online platform, GSE learning and development champions network and DIAG to ensure that learning created by the GSEP team is accessible to all GSE members across government by the end of 2022, and supporting inclusive practices relating to the demonstration of GSE technical skills through technical skills guidance which will be available by October 2021.
Use evaluation feedback from users to address any anomalies identified in the data or areas to improve fairness and inclusion and evidence the benefits by developing and delivering targeted interventions by August 2022.
Create a video montage programme of short content created by GSE members, to send to schools to promote STEM as a profession choice by December 2023.
Work with external partners, such as WISE and other expert advisers such as STEM UK and British Science Association to collaborate on a communications project aimed at developing a diverse STEM pipeline by December 2023. Updates to be shared with members via blog publications.