Equality and Diversity Annual
Report 2011
Monitoring data
Internal Staff
1
Published: June 2011
Comments or queries about this report are welcomed and should be sent for the attention of the Head of Equality and Diversity.
The Equality and Diversity Team
University Secretary’s Office
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
Tel 01908 652867 / 652566
Minicom 01908 653074
Web www.open.ac.uk/equality-diversity
Internal Staff
General
About Internal Staff
Internal staff include academic, academic-related and support staff and at December 2010 the University had around 5000 staff in this category. Around three quarters of these are based at Walton Hall in Milton Keynes with the remaining staff based at centres in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and English regions. The recruitment pool is local, national and international for some job categories.
Notes on the data
The 2011 reporting period is from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010. In several areas, where data was available, the previous five years’ or aggregated data for a number of years is reported.
Staff on unpaid leave as at the 31st December of each year have been included in the headcounts. Agency temporary staff and consultants are reported separately.
In line with the Monitoring strategy set out in our Equality Scheme, data for Recruitment and Leavers as well as data on reasonable adjustment cases is monitored every 2 years and is therefore not included in this report.
Workforce Composition
Data for five years is included, for the entire workforce as well as for staff just in the most senior job roles, which is defined as Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Deans, Professors and Heads of Units. Data by location, by unit, by staff category, by grade and by contract type for the most recent year is available to staff to download in Excel files.
Promotion
In the context of this report, promotion is defined as an improvement in the job grade of an individual. This change to a higher grade could happen for several reasons and thus, four different categories of promotions are included in this section: (1) internal transfer, when an individual moves to a different unit; (2) internal promotion, when an individual is appointed to a different post within the same unit; (3) Job regrade, when an individual’s position is re-evaluated (i.e. increase of responsibilities) and (4) Secondment & Placement, when an individual moves to a different post temporarily for development purposes.
Training and Development
The average number of courses undertaken by staff is taken from the Staff Learning Management System (LMS). This system advertises OU training courses and allows staff to enrol for these courses and check their training records. It is estimated that LMS records currently cover between 70% and 90% of the training and development activities undertaken by OU staff, although this varies according to the practice of each unit in recording courses.
Data for the previous year and aggregated data for the previous five years is included.
Internal Staff
General
Promotions
Due to improvements in the process by which promotions are identified from the staff database, the number of promotions has changed somewhat when comparing the historical figures in this report with previous EDMG reports.
Training
In previous EDMG reports data pertaining to internal staff training was calculated by providing the average number of courses taken by staff who had taken at least one course. Due to the fact that this method of calculations did not provide an accurate representation of uptake of training as a proportion of total staff within a given group, the method for calculating the average number of courses taken has been amended for this report. In this report, the average course uptake has been calculated by dividing the total number of courses taken by individuals within a given group by the average total number of staff within that particular group.
Grievances, Bullying & Harassment
Due to the decreasing use of monitoring forms and the increasing reliability of the database systems used to capture and monitor Grievances, Bullying & Harassment cases this year’s report will no longer include numbers of monitoring forms and only report on the number of cases reported through the HR caseload database.
Staff Survey
Responses have now been collected from the Staff Survey consecutively over the past three years. The overall aim is to address The Open University’s (OU’s) Human Resources strategies so that they can be evaluated over time, and to examine how employees feel about working at the University. Data was gathered during the period, 25th May to 16th June 2010. In 2010, 2,714 employees completed the annual survey, providing a response rate of 54.7%
The current report provides the results across the three years for data collected related to age, disability, ethnicity and gender respectively.
Internal Staff
Age
Workforce Composition
In 2010 around 39% of internal staff are aged 51 and over and 20% of the workforce are aged 35 and under. There has been a similar pattern since 2006. 66% of Academic staff (including researchers) are aged 46 and above.
Table 1: Workforce composition, by age, 2006-2010
2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total
20 and under / 8 / 0.20 / 12 / 0.20 / 9 / 0.20 / 4 / 0.10 / 4 / 0.10
21-25 / 151 / 2.90 / 166 / 3.10 / 181 / 3.30 / 162 / 2.90 / 124 / 2.30
26-30 / 401 / 7.80 / 392 / 7.40 / 410 / 7.50 / 404 / 7.30 / 389 / 7.20
31-35 / 587 / 11.50 / 606 / 11.40 / 618 / 11.30 / 598 / 10.90 / 582 / 10.80
36-40 / 618 / 12.10 / 638 / 12 / 677 / 12.30 / 721 / 13.10 / 706 / 13
41-45 / 705 / 13.80 / 749 / 14.10 / 765 / 13.90 / 740 / 13.50 / 703 / 13
46-50 / 720 / 14.10 / 764 / 14.40 / 780 / 14.20 / 798 / 14.50 / 809 / 14.90
51-55 / 795 / 15.50 / 792 / 14.90 / 794 / 14.50 / 803 / 14.60 / 783 / 14.50
56-60 / 802 / 15.70 / 791 / 14.90 / 776 / 14.10 / 765 / 13.90 / 779 / 14.40
61-65 / 327 / 6.40 / 398 / 7.50 / 463 / 8.40 / 477 / 8.70 / 501 / 9.30
66 and over / 10 / 0.20 / 4 / 0.10 / 19 / 0.30 / 26 / 0.50 / 32 / 0.60
Total / 5124 / 100 / 5312 / 100 / 5492 / 100 / 5498 / 100 / 5412 / 100
Chart 1: Workforce composition, by age, 2006-2010
Internal Staff
Age
Workforce Composition
Senior staff include Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Deans, Professors and Heads of Units. In 2010, 14% (37) of staff within this category were aged 45 and under.
Table 2: Senior staff composition, by age, 2006-2010
2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total
31-35 / 2 / 0.80 / 2 / 0.80 / 1 / 0.40 / 1 / 0.40 / 2 / 0.70
36-40 / 11 / 4.50 / 8 / 3.10 / 5 / 2 / 7 / 2.60 / 9 / 3.30
41-45 / 19 / 7.80 / 27 / 10.40 / 25 / 9.80 / 27 / 9.90 / 26 / 9.70
46-50 / 27 / 11.10 / 29 / 11.20 / 31 / 12.10 / 36 / 13.10 / 38 / 14.10
51-55 / 51 / 21 / 52 / 20.10 / 47 / 18.40 / 49 / 17.90 / 46 / 17.10
56-60 / 85 / 35 / 80 / 30.90 / 77 / 30.10 / 75 / 27.40 / 62 / 23
61-65 / 48 / 19.80 / 60 / 23.20 / 66 / 25.80 / 70 / 25.50 / 78 / 29
66 and over / 1 / 0.40 / 4 / 1.60 / 9 / 3.30 / 8 / 3
Total / 243 / 100 / 259 / 100 / 256 / 100 / 274 / 100 / 269 / 100
Internal Staff
Age
Promotions
Table 3 shows the number and percentage of promotions by age, whilst table 4 shows aggregate data for five years. Staff in age band 25 and under were the most likely to be promoted.
Table 3: Promotions, by age, 2010
Total / headcount / % of headcount25 and under / 28 / 128 / 21.90
26-35 / 94 / 971 / 9.70
36-45 / 72 / 1409 / 5.10
46-55 / 53 / 1592 / 3.30
56 and over / 22 / 1312 / 1.70
Total / 269 / 5412 / 5
Table 4: Promotions, by age, 2006-2010
Total / avg headcount / % of avg headcount25 and under / 122 / 164.2 / 74.30
26-35 / 457 / 997.4 / 45.80
36-45 / 429 / 1404.4 / 30.50
46-55 / 302 / 1567.6 / 19.30
56 and over / 84 / 1234 / 6.80
Total / 1394 / 5367.6 / 26
Internal Staff
Age
Training and Development
The average number of courses taken by staff in the most recent year is 2.3 with staff aged 25 and under taking a higher than average of 3.3 courses and staff aged 56 and over taking a lower than average of 1.7 courses. Please note that the type of course is not consistently captured across all training and development initiatives within the OU and as such a large proportion of the courses fall under ‘Other’.
Table 5: Training, by age and type of training, 2010
25 and under / 26-35 / 36-45 / 46-55 / 56 and over / Totalavg per headcount / avg per headcount / avg per headcount / avg per headcount / avg per headcount / avg per headcount
Coaching & Mentoring
Equality & Diversity / 0.6 / 0.5 / 0.4 / 0.3 / 0.3 / 0.4
Health & Safety / 0.1
Leadership & Management / 0.5 / 0.4 / 0.5 / 0.4 / 0.2 / 0.4
Other / 2 / 1.5 / 1.4 / 1.4 / 1.1 / 1.4
Skills Development / 0.2 / 0.2 / 0.1 / 0.1 / 0.1 / 0.1
Total / 3.3 / 2.7 / 2.5 / 2.3 / 1.7 / 2.3
Table 6: Training, by age, 2006-2010
Total / avg headcount / avg per avg headcount25 and under / 2397 / 164.2 / 14.6
26-35 / 13787 / 997.4 / 13.8
36-45 / 17900 / 1404.4 / 12.7
46-55 / 19254 / 1567.6 / 12.3
56 and over / 10519 / 1234 / 8.5
Total / 63857 / 5367.6 / 11.9
Internal Staff
Age
Grievances, Bullying & Harassment
Staff aged 36-45 were most likely to file a Grievance or Bullying and Harassment case during 2010 although the numbers for each individual age grouping are too low to make meaningful comparisons. For the University as a whole, 0.4% of staff have raised a Grievance or Bullying and Harassment case during 2010 and over the five previous five years this is 1.6%.
Table 7: Grievances, Bullying & Harassment, by age, 2010
Total / headcount / % of headcount26-35 / 2 / 971 / 0.20
36-45 / 8 / 1409 / 0.60
46-55 / 6 / 1592 / 0.40
56 and over / 5 / 1312 / 0.40
Total / 21 / 5412 / 0.40
Table 8: Grievances, Bullying & Harassment, by age, 2006-2010
Total / avg headcount / % of avg headcount25 and under / 1 / 164.2 / 0.60
26-35 / 14 / 997.4 / 1.40
36-45 / 24 / 1404.4 / 1.70
46-55 / 27 / 1567.6 / 1.70
56 and over / 22 / 1234 / 1.80
Total / 88 / 5367.6 / 1.60
Internal Staff
Age
Disciplinary cases
Staff aged 25 and under were most likely to be involved in a disciplinary case during 2010 although the numbers for each individual age grouping are too low to make meaningful comparisons. For the University as a whole, 0.7% of staff were involved in a disciplinary case during 2010 and over the five previous five years this is 3.1%. Historical data indicates that staff aged 26-34 were most likely to be involved in a disciplinary case.
Table 9: Disciplinary cases, by age, 2010
Total / headcount / % of headcount25 and under / 3 / 128 / 2.30
26-35 / 8 / 971 / 0.80
36-45 / 9 / 1409 / 0.60
46-55 / 10 / 1592 / 0.60
56 and over / 9 / 1312 / 0.7
Total / 39 / 5412 / 0.70
Table 10: Disciplinary cases, by age, 2006-2010
Total / avg headcount / % of avg headcount25 and under / 6 / 164.2 / 3.70
26-35 / 41 / 997.4 / 4.10
36-45 / 38 / 1404.4 / 2.70
46-55 / 47 / 1567.6 / 3
56 and over / 36 / 1234 / 2.90
Total / 168 / 5367.6 / 3.10
Internal Staff
Age
Staff Survey
The question that collects data on age uses age ranges (five-year ranges mainly) as these are known to be more successful in gathering data than asking people to provide their exact age. This means that it is not possible to calculate a precise average age. However, an approximate age can be calculated by taking the midpoint of each range and using that in a weighted average calculation. Doing this, the average age of the OU staff is 45 years 9 months. This is six months higher than last year, which is a large and significant increase.
The graph below showing job security by age illustrates an interesting pattern. In early years (21-25), job security is relatively high possibly reflecting the confidence of youth and weak attachments. Between the ages of 26 and 45, job security is at its lowest probably reflecting a greater vulnerability whilst children are raised and career ambitions are still being strived for. From 46 onwards, job security increases reflecting inner confidence, the achievement of career goals, and possibly fewer dependents.
Internal Staff
Disability
Workforce Composition
In 2010 3.2% of internal staff declared having a disability. The percentage of staff having a declared disability has slightly increased over the past five years although this is likely the result of efforts aimed at encouraging staff to declare any disabilities using the Staff Self Service system.
Table 11: Workforce composition, by disability, 2006-2010
2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total / Total / % of Total
Disabled / 149 / 2.90 / 159 / 3 / 171 / 3.10 / 176 / 3.20 / 173 / 3.20
Non-disabled / 4969 / 97 / 5149 / 96.90 / 5317 / 96.80 / 5311 / 96.60 / 5225 / 96.50
Unknown / 6 / 0.10 / 4 / 0.10 / 4 / 0.10 / 11 / 0.20 / 14 / 0.30
Total / 5124 / 100 / 5312 / 100 / 5492 / 100 / 5498 / 100 / 5412 / 100
Chart 2: Workforce composition, by disability, 2006-2010