Equity and diversity planning
Equity and diversity profile
An integral part of the plan focus is addressing equity and diversity issues. Effective diversity planning has the ability to positively impact upon staff capability and productivity.
The key principles that underpin this plan are ensuring:
- the workplace is free from racial and sexual harassment
- employment practices do not discriminate against existing or potential employees
- there is an inclusive and accepting workforce culture.
DAFWA’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2015-19 (DAIP) and Reconciliation Action Plan 2015-18 (RAP), further support the commitment to attracting and developing strong relationships with people from diversity groups.
The plan identifies and sets specific corporate priorities and actions, supported by directorate workforce plans, to achieve by the end of 2018.
The plan is designed to promote and achieve diversity outcomes and supports the legislative requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act WA 1984.
Equity profile
The equity profile is the percentage representation of the workforce from target diversity groups.
Table 5: Equity profile - percentage representation at 30 June of each year
| Status | 20083 | 20091 | 20101 | 20111 | 20121 | 20134 | 20145 | 20156 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women – tier 2 | 0.0% | 0% | 15.4% | 14.3% | 0.0% | 6.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Women – tier 3 | 24.0% | 26.7% | 0.0% | 17.2% | 23.1% | 23.4% | 31.6% | 33.3% |
| Indigenous Australians | 2.6% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| People with culturally diverse backgrounds | 12.9% | 15.9% | 13.0% | 13.9% | 13.8% | 14.8% | 15.1% | 14% |
| People with disability | 2.2% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.8% |
| Youth (under 25 years) | 6.0% | 7.4% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 1.9% | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| Mature (>= 45 years) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 63.8% | 63.1% | 62.3% |
3 “How does your agency compare 2012?” From the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment, page 5
4 State of the Sector Statistical Bulletin 2013, page 32
5 State of the WA Public Sector Statistical Bulletin 2014, pages 23 and 26
6 State of the WA Public Sector Statistical Bulletin 2015, pages 23 and 26
Equity index
The equity index is a measure of distribution. It compares the distribution of diversity groups in the workforce to the distribution of the workforce as a whole. If the group has a similar distribution across all levels as the total workforce the equity index is 100 (ideal). An index less than 100 indicates compression of the group at the lower levels. An index greater than 100 indicates compression of the group at the higher levels.
Table 6: Distribution (equity index) at 30 June of each year
| Status | 20083 | 20093 | 20103 | 20113 | 20123 | 20134 | 20145 | 20156 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 51.4 | 53.0 | 63.5 | 62.0 | 63.6 | 66.0 | 70.2 | 66.5 |
| Indigenous Australians | 14.3 | 20.0 | 26.1 | 31.8 | 24.1 | 32.0 | 39.7 | 37.8 |
| People with culturally diverse backgrounds | 111.0 | 80.3 | 109.9 | 105.0 | 95.6 | 107.0 | 181.0 | 89.7 |
| People with disability | 84.7 | 97.8 | 80.2 | 104.0 | 83.9 | 109.0 | 96.0 | 103.5 |
Key issues and opportunities:
- Attracting and developing women at senior management levels.
- Providing flexible working arrangements to women while enabling professional and career development opportunities.
- Encouraging women to apply for acting, mentoring and leadership roles.
- Attraction and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.
- Development and implementation of a cadetship and/or graduate programs to support key strategic succession planning initiatives aimed at creating employment opportunities for youth.
- Directorates to consider previously identified positions to provide employment opportunities, with discreet job tasks, for people with disability.
Diversity targets
This plan and directorate workforce plans formalise corporate and directorate strategies and measures towards the achievement of targets for the representation and distribution of staff from diversity groups.
Table 7: DAFWA Diversity targets 2017 to 2019
| Diversity groups | Public sector Sept 2015 (actual) | DAFWA Dec 2015 | DAFWA June 2017 | DAFWA June 2018 | DAFWA June 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representation (%) | |||||
| Women in management tiers 2 and 3 combined | 42.0 | 35.1 | 36.0 | 38.0 | 40.0 |
| Indigenous Australians | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| People from culturally diverse backgrounds | 12.4 | 15.3 | 15.4 | 15.5 | 15.6 |
| People with disability | 2.1 | 1.6 | 1.65 | 1.7 | 1.75 |
| Youth (<25 years) | 4.4 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
| Distribution (equity index) | |||||
| Women | 73.3 | 68.3 | 69.0 | 71.0 | 73.0 |
| Indigenous Australians | 40.9 | 27.2 | 28.0 | 29.0 | 30.0 |
| People from culturally diverse backgrounds | 100.0 | 93.1 | 94.0 | 95.0 | 96.0 |
| People with disability | 100.3 | 78.0 | 79.0 | 80.0 | 81.0 |