Conclusion

This report found that generally people felt equally included regardless of their religion, migrant status, qualification level, or caring responsibilities.

Having flexible work options, being more senior in an organisation and/or having higher pay was linked to greater feelings of inclusion. The factors that were linked with lower feelings of inclusion is having a disability and/or mental health condition, belonging to a rainbow community or smaller ethnic group and having a public facing role.

Comments in the Census indicated that the Public Service has shifted over time, becoming more inclusive. They also pointed to factors in the workplace environment that are also important to inclusion, such as support from leaders/managers and team members.

How we’re improving inclusion and next steps

Putting diversity, equity and inclusion at the centre of what we do is essential for the Public Service. We know that diversity, equity and inclusion work together and improving one area can then have a positive impact on the others.

Now that we know where our strengths and weaknesses are, we can begin to address the areas where we need to do more to achieve our diversity and inclusion goals. A range of work programmes and initiatives have been set up across public service to help us make further progress.

Papa Pounamu has identified five focus areas to guide Public Service agencies toward better progress on diversity and inclusion. These areas have the most potential to make the positive difference across all diversity dimensions. The five focus areas are also connected to other key work programmes such as the Positive Workplace Cultures programme and Kia Toipoto – the pay gap action plan to achieve the change we need. These are also supported by findings from Te Taunaki to contribute to improving inclusion in our workplaces.

We intend to run Te Taunaki every three years, and we will continue to use it as a tool to help us better understand the experiences of our public servants. We will also hold more deep-dive conversations with Public Service networks and population-based agencies. While we now have a greater understanding of the experiences of public servants, we know we need to do more to explore how intersectional aspects of diversity contribute to feelings of inclusion or lack of inclusion in our workplaces.

Findings from this report and the collective understanding we are building from Te Taunaki will continue to inform our diversity, equity and inclusion work programmes as they evolve.