Age - Scottish Government
The data below covers staff working in core Scottish Government directorate generals, some agencies and some non-ministerial departments. Data covering staff in core Scottish Government directorate generals only is also available. More details can be found in the notes of this publication.
Declaration rates for age in our internal HR system, recruitment systems and People Survey are 100%, 98.1% and 99.2% respectively. Data on the age of employees within the Scottish Government is complete, as this is gathered during the recruitment process once an offer has been accepted. Data on the age of applicants in our recruitment system and of survey respondents to the People Survey are not complete and include a ‘Prefer not to say’ response option.
Workforce composition
Headcounts
Staff aged between 16 and 29 years old make up 13.8% of the Scottish Government workforce, compared to 26.7% of Scotland’s population aged 16 to 64.
Staff aged 60 years old or older make up 7.5% of the Scottish Government workforce, compared to 10.9% of Scotland’s population aged 16 to 64.
The chart below shows the breakdown of the Scottish Government workforce by age and either pay band or working pattern (i.e. full-time or part-time). Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows to indicate figures that are significantly higher or lower than the staff average. The percentage breakdown of Scotland’s population aged 16 to 64 by age is added as a comparison where available.
A table below the chart also shows the breakdown for each Scottish Government agency, Director General area or other body covered by this publication
Figure 1a: Pay band or working pattern, by age - Dec 2024
Part-time staff make up 16.4% of all permanent staff.
Some cells in the table below might not contain data. These cells have been suppressed for confidentiality purposes, represented by [c], or are not present in a given data source, represented by [x].
Table 1a: Pay band, working pattern, DG or agency, by age - Dec 2024
Recruitment
36.4% of applications come from applicants aged between 16 and 29 years old dropping to 34.5% of offers accepted.
1% of applications come from applicants aged 60 years old or older remaining constant at 1% of offers accepted.
The chart below shows the percentage breakdown of the age of applications to work for the Scottish Government at each stage of the recruitment process. Applicants applying to multiple jobs are included for each application they make. The percentage breakdown of Scotland’s population aged 16 to 64 by age is added as a comparison where available.
Figure 1b: Recruitment stage reached in 2024, by age
The stages of the recruitment process are explained later in this report
Some cells in the table below might not contain data. These cells have been suppressed for confidentiality purposes, represented by [c], or are not present in a given data source, represented by [x].
Table 1b: Recruitment stage reached in 2024, by age
Turnover
The percentage of joiners in a given age group in 2024 ranges from 1.5% for the 60 and over age group to 37.4% for the 30 to 39 age group.
The percentage of leavers in a given age group in 2024 ranges from 11.3% for the 40 to 49 age group to 24.5% for the 30 to 39 age group.
The chart below shows the breakdown of the Scottish Government workforce, the staff that joined in 2024 and the staff that left in 2024 by age. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows to indicate figures that are significantly higher or lower than the staff average. The percentage breakdown of Scotland’s working-age population by age is added as a comparison where available.
Figure 1c: Joiners and leavers in 2024, by age
The chart above does not include any movement to, from or between any other Scottish Government organisations.
There is a higher rate of uncertainty in the breakdown of joiners, as the declaration rate of age among staff increases with time spent working for the Scottish Government.
Some cells in the table below might not contain data. These cells have been suppressed for confidentiality purposes, represented by [c], or are not present in a given data source, represented by [x].
Table 1c: Joiners and leavers in 2024, by age
Staff experiences
The experiences of staff belonging to different age groups are likely to be heavily influenced by pay grade, which is closely connected to age.
Absences
The average number of working days lost to sickness or absences in 2024 ranges from 7.2 for the 16 to 29 age group to 12.8 for the 60 and over age group.
AWDL is a measure of levels of absence that allows for comparison between different groups. A higher AWDL figure indicates a higher rate of days absent among that group, relative to the number of staff in that group and their working pattern.
Figure 1d: Average working days lost in 2024, by age
Some cells in the table below might not contain data. These cells have been suppressed for confidentiality purposes, represented by [c].
Table 1d: Average working days lost in 2024, by age
Performance
The proportion of an age group achieving a marking of “Highly effective” or “Exceptional” in 2024 ranges from 41.8% for the 16 to 29 age group to 55.4% for the 40 to 49 age group.
Performance is assessed annually in April. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows to indicate figures that are significantly higher or lower than the staff average.
Figure 1e: Performance markings in 2023-24, by age
Some cells in the table below might not contain data. These cells have been suppressed for confidentiality purposes, represented by [c].
Table 1e: Performance markings in 2023-24, by age
Substantive promotions
The proportion of an age group being promoted in 2024 ranges from 3% for the 60 and over age group to 23.6% for the 16 to 29 age group.
The chart below shows the percentage breakdown of staff getting a promotion in 2024 by age. The percentages below are not the success rates of staff that apply for promotion. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows to indicate figures that are significantly higher or lower than the staff average.
Figure 1f: Proportion of staff promoted in 2024, by age
The “not promoted” group includes the following groups of staff:
- Staff that were unsuccessful in their application for a promotion in 2024.
- Staff who did not apply for a promotion in 2024.
- Staff that achieved a promotion in 2024 but didn’t start their new position until 2025.
Some cells in the table below might not contain data. These cells have been suppressed for confidentiality purposes, represented by [c].
Table 1f: Proportion of staff promoted in 2024, by age
Temporary promotions
The proportion of an age group on a temporary promotion ranges from 2% for the 60 and over age group to 4.6% for the 30 to 39 age group.
The chart below shows the percentage of Scottish Government staff on a temporary promotion. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows to indicate figures that are significantly higher or lower than the staff average.
Figure 1g: Proportion of staff on a temporary promotion on Dec 2024, by age
Some cells in the table below might not contain data. These cells have been suppressed for confidentiality purposes, represented by [c].
Table 1g: Proportion of staff on a temporary promotion on Dec 2024, by age
Workforce culture
The data on workforce culture used in this publication comes from the Civil Service People Survey and covers core Scottish Government (SG Core) only. This data can be found on the SG Core page.