Background
to the
Research
- In order for equality of
opportunity to operate effectively, organisations must move beyond
the letter of the law to encompass good management practices and sound
economic business economics. It was within the context of this principle
that in 1993 the EOC (NI) and the CEF commissioned research to evaluate
gender and equality of opportunity across the public sector.
- The findings and recommendations
from the 1993 research were disseminated in 1994. This current report
represents the evaluation of progress made within the public sector
in relation to equal opportunities since the launch of the original
research and it's recommendations.
Research
Approach
- A telephone survey was carried out of 102
contacts in CEF member organisations; 40% of the contacts were located
in personnel departments with 21% having specific responsibility for
equal opportunities. Fourteen percent were located in either finance
or administration and 5% of participants were Chief Executives.
Main
Findings
- Ninety-six (94%) organisations reported
having an equal opportunities policy in existence (compared with 90%
in 1994). Policies tended to concentrate on gender and religion. The
majority of policies (77 out of 80: 96%) included disability.
- Sixty-five per cent (compared with 66%
in 1994) of those designated responsibility for equal opportunities
felt that sufficient resources were made available for day-to-day
operations within their organisation. Over half also believed sufficient
resources were available for new initiatives.
- Ninety percent of the policies had been
drawn up in consultation with trade unions (compared with 62% in 1994)
and 26% of contacts reported that trade unions had been consulted
with regard to equal opportunities training courses.
- The findings show that between the 2 survey
dates there appears to have been little increase in the provision
of childcare for employees in the Public Service, however there appears
to have been a dramatic increase in the number of organisations providing
job sharing, career breaks, part-time work and flexible working hours.
- In relation to positive action programmes,
95% of organisations mentioned some form of positive action (similar
to the 1994 findings); those that did not tended to be small and staff
shortages were viewed as operating against flexible working arrangements.
- In contrast with the 1994 findings where
only 9 organisations detailed opportunities/facilities specifically
for women, in the current survey 68 organisations (69%) offered women-only
training (e.g. assertiveness/women in management training).
Conclusions
- Most progress was made in the areas of
policies on sexual harassment; the introduction of informal advisory/counselling
services; trade union involvement in the development/reviewing of
policy; imaginative positive action plans and women-only and senior
management courses.
- Least progress was made in material and
human resources for equal opportunities and general awareness training
for employees.
- Variable progress was made in the development
of multi-dimensional equal opportunities policies, trade union involvement
in training, systematic research to address structural/attitudinal
barriers to women and systematic development of positive action programmes.
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