Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+)

Governance structures

In 2018-19, the Public Service Commission (PSC) developed a GBA+ Action Plan 2019-21 for implementing its GBA+ Integration Framework (March 2018). The action plan, developed in consultation with all PSC sectors, covers the following 5 components:

• Governance and capacity
• Awareness and training
• Integration and impact
• Data and research
• Monitoring and reporting

In August 2018, the PSC established a GBA+ Responsibility Centre within its Results and Delivery Division. Locating the responsibility centre in this unit supported a results-oriented, organization-wide approach to integrating GBA+ into PSC activities and decision-making processes. The responsibility centre also monitored progress in integrating GBA+. A champion at the vice-president level promoted GBA+ awareness across the PSC.

Human resources

During the 2018-19 fiscal year, the equivalent of approximatively one full-time employee was dedicated to GBA+ implementation across the PSC. One person acted as the GBA+ Focal Point (as part of the GBA+ Responsibility Centre). PSC employees across sectors were involved in integrating GBA+ considerations in their work, as relevant.

Major initiatives: results achieved

In 2018-19, the PSC started to integrate GBA+ into its major initiatives:

• GC Jobs Transformation: A preliminary assessment was undertaken with a GBA+ lens during Phase 0 (Pre-project) of the renewal of the Government of Canada recruitment platform. Considerations were identified with respect to factors such as gender (data collection and correspondence), disability (accessibility), income and area of residence (accessibility), as well as language support for French language speakers. To ensure a user-centric approach, consultation and engagement with stakeholders and the GBA+ Responsibility Centre will continue throughout the project.
• Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities: GBA+ considerations were identified during program development. Data regarding key factors intersecting with disability in a way that may shape lived experiences and outcomes (such as gender, age and educational attainment) was highlighted, and potential responses within the context of the development of the program were identified.
• Review of Public Service Employment Regulations: A GBA+ lens was integrated in the design and analysis of the PSC’s environmental scan survey at the outset of the review. GBA+ considerations will be used to support the future development of regulatory and non-regulatory solutions.

Given the nature and scope of most of these key initiatives, results are expected in the medium term, and will be monitored closely against intended impacts with respect to meaningful integration.

Also, as part of ongoing research and development initiatives for its test and consultation services, the PSC’s Personnel Psychology Centre continued to consider gender and all other employment equity groups in developing, maintaining and monitoring all of its tests. For example, tests are piloted with a diverse sample of respondents, and test content undergoes fairness reviews before being implemented. The centre provided training on bias for instruments that are subjectively scored (for example, Second Language Evaluation Test of Oral Proficiency, and assessment centres). The centre also continued embedding universal design features in its newest tests to make them more accessible.

In 2018-19, while the PSC did not introduce major initiatives that specifically intended to advance gender equality, it continued to promote and safeguard a merit-based, representative (including from a gender standpoint) and non-partisan public service that delivers results for all Canadians. This work was aligned with key pillars of the Gender Results Framework, such as economic participationand prosperity, as well as leadership and democratic participation.

Reporting capacity and data

In 2018-19, the PSC gathered individual microdata on a range of factors that could support the application of GBA+ as part of its activities to deliver recruitment programs and services supporting the Government of Canada strategic recruitment priorities and public service renewal. Most of this disaggregated data was collected through the Public Service Resourcing System (GC Jobs). Other sources of disaggregated data include tests administered to candidates by PSC’s Personnel Psychology Centre.

Some of this information (for example, gender, area of residence, educational attainment) was collected for each applicant, while other information was collected based on the applicants’ self-declaration as a member of one or many designated employment equity groups (women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities). In 2018-19, the PSC worked to align its data collection and display practices with the new government-wide Policy Direction to Modernize the Government of Canada’s Sex and Gender Information Practices.

Through its Oversight, Monitoring and Non-Partisanship program, the PSC notably:

• monitored and analyzed this information as well as additional hiring data
• conducted research to provide departments and Canadians with an informed view of the dynamics of public service hiring
• reports released by this program that provided aggregated program microdata in support of GBA+ included the Employment Equity Promotion Rate Study (May 2019)
• conducted surveys to provide a system-wide view of the staffing environment of the public service, including the 2018 Staffing and Non-Partisanship Survey, which:
  • collected disaggregated data on key sociodemographic factors (such as including a third gender option, employment equity group membership, level of education, region, and first official language)
  • allowed for detailed analysis of interactions between gender and self-declaration in relation to other employment equity groups
  • supported a more in-depth understanding of differences in perceptions of staffing that may exist for various groups, including gender and other identity factors and their respective intersectionality
  • disseminated data for each participating department and agency on the Open Government portal, allowing them to conduct high-level analysis to uncover potential opportunities for improvement that are unique to each organization

Through its Recruitment and Assessment Services program, the PSC’s Personnel Psychology Centre notably monitored aggregated data on the performance of members of all employment equity groups (women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities) on its personnel assessment and development tests to ensure that these instruments did not pose non job-related barriers to candidates.