In an era where diversity and inclusion are increasingly recognized as essential pillars of organizational success, the Scottish Government has taken significant strides to embody these values within its workforce. On March 20, 2025, Scotland’s Chief Statistician released the latest Scottish Government Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Information statistics, offering a detailed snapshot of progress and challenges in creating a representative and inclusive public sector.
Based on data as of December 31, 2024, the report provides insights into the demographic composition of permanent staff across core directorates, agencies, and non-ministerial departments. It also sheds light on the lived experiences of various demographic groups within the workforce. These findings not only highlight areas of achievement but also underscore opportunities for further improvement.
The Scottish Government’s workforce is a microcosm of the broader society it serves. However, as the report reveals, achieving proportional representation across all demographic groups remains a work in progress.
Women constitute 57.3% of the Scottish Government workforce, surpassing their proportion in Scotland’s working-age population (51.1%). This overrepresentation reflects the government’s commitment to gender equality, particularly in leadership roles. However, ensuring equal opportunities for career progression remains an ongoing priority.
A notable gap exists in age representation. While individuals aged 16-29 make up 26.7% of Scotland’s working-age population, they account for only 13.8% of government employees. This underrepresentation signals a need to attract younger talent through internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level opportunities.
On the other end of the spectrum, employees aged 60 and above represent 7.5% of the workforce compared to 10.9% in the general population. This discrepancy highlights potential challenges in retaining older workers or creating age-inclusive policies.
One area where the Scottish Government has made remarkable progress is disability inclusion. Disabled employees comprise 19.9% of the workforce, nearly mirroring their proportion (20%) in Scotland’s working-age population. This achievement reflects targeted recruitment efforts and workplace adjustments that enable disabled employees to thrive.
Ethnic minorities account for 5% of the workforce, falling short of their 7.7% representation in Scotland’s working-age population. While this gap underscores the need for enhanced outreach and career development initiatives for ethnic minorities, it also highlights progress compared to previous years.
Employees identifying with minority (non-Christian) religions make up 3.9% of the workforce, significantly lower than their 10% representation in Scotland’s population. This underrepresentation points to opportunities for fostering greater religious inclusivity through outreach and supportive workplace policies.
The Scottish Government has demonstrated leadership in LGBTQ+ inclusion. Employees identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or other non-heterosexual orientations comprise 10% of the workforce—nearly double their proportion (5.2%) in Scotland’s general population. Additionally, transgender employees represent 0.6% of staff, slightly exceeding their representation (0.5%) in society.
While diversity metrics provide a quantitative view, inclusion is about how employees feel within their workplace environment. The People Survey 2023 offers a lens into these experiences across demographic groups.
Male and female employees report similar levels of feeling included and treated fairly (85.7% vs. 84.7%). This parity suggests that gender-based disparities in workplace culture are minimal—a positive outcome of sustained equality initiatives.
Younger staff (aged 16-24) report higher levels of inclusion (88.6%) compared to their older counterparts (82.8% among those aged 65 or over). These findings highlight generational differences in workplace experiences and point to opportunities for fostering intergenerational collaboration.
Disabled employees are less likely to feel included and treated fairly (76.5%) compared to their non-disabled peers (87.1%). This gap underscores the importance of addressing barriers—both physical and cultural—that may hinder full participation by disabled staff.
Encouragingly, ethnic minority staff report similar levels of inclusion (84.4%) as white employees (85.2%). However, continued efforts are needed to ensure equitable career advancement opportunities for all ethnic groups.
While LGBTQ+ employees report high levels of representation within the workforce, disparities persist in their experiences of inclusion and fair treatment (81.8% vs. 85.4% among heterosexual staff). Transgender employees face even greater challenges, with only 71.9% feeling included compared to cisgender colleagues (85.1%).
Employees from lower socioeconomic backgrounds—specifically those whose parents never worked—are less likely to feel included (80.3%) than their peers from higher socioeconomic backgrounds (85.4%). These findings highlight the need for initiatives promoting social mobility within public service careers.
The Scottish Government has implemented several targeted initiatives aimed at addressing gaps in diversity and inclusion while fostering an equitable workplace culture.
Three key action plans are at the heart of these efforts:
- The Recruitment and Retention Action Plan for Disabled People focuses on increasing opportunities for disabled candidates.
- The Race Recruitment and Retention Action Plan seeks to enhance ethnic minority representation across all grades.
- The Socio-Economic Diversity Action Plan aims to create pathways for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
These plans emphasize not only recruitment but also retention through mentorship programs, career progression support, and inclusive workplace practices.
A groundbreaking change has been introduced for interns recruited through Inclusion Scotland at A3 and A4 levels: successful completion now leads directly to permanent employment opportunities within government roles.
Recognizing that diversity must extend into leadership roles, bespoke programs have been launched to develop underrepresented colleagues into future leaders. With over 70 participants across three initiatives, these programs focus on personal development, sponsorships, and mentorships tailored to individual needs.
The Employee Passport initiative has proven transformative by facilitating conversations about workplace adjustments between employees and managers. With a high satisfaction rate—93% of users recommend it—the passport ensures that individual needs are met efficiently while fostering an inclusive environment.
Despite these achievements, challenges remain on Scotland’s journey toward full diversity and inclusion within its public service workforce.
Addressing the underrepresentation of younger workers will require innovative recruitment strategies such as partnerships with universities and vocational training programs tailored to public service careers.
Increasing outreach to minority religious communities could help bridge gaps in representation while promoting interfaith understanding within government workplaces.
Addressing disparities faced by LGBTQ+ employees—particularly transgender staff—will require robust anti-discrimination policies alongside awareness campaigns fostering allyship among colleagues.
Expanding access to internships or apprenticeships targeting individuals from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds can help level the playing field for aspiring public servants.
Bridging gaps in inclusion scores for disabled staff will involve not only physical accommodations but also cultural shifts emphasizing ability over disability.
As Scotland strives toward becoming a global leader in diversity and inclusion within public service, its progress serves as both inspiration and a call to action for other nations grappling with similar challenges.
The regular publication of workforce statistics demonstrates transparency and accountability—key ingredients for meaningful change—and provides a roadmap for continuous improvement.
By embracing innovative strategies like targeted recruitment plans, leadership development programs, and inclusive workplace policies tailored to diverse needs, Scotland is laying a strong foundation for equitable governance that reflects its richly diverse population.
As these efforts evolve over time—with lessons learned along the way—the Scottish Government stands poised not only to meet but exceed expectations as an employer championing diversity at every level—a true cornerstone upon which modern public service is built!
