Historic England: Championing Workforce Diversity in the Heritage Sector

Historic England is the public body that champions and protects heritage to enrich lives. As part of its commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality (IDE), Historic England identified a significant gap in workforce diversity data across the heritage sector.

While some areas of the sector had conducted surveys in the past, these efforts lacked consistency, limiting their ability to highlight trends and inform sector-wide action. Recognising the need for a comprehensive and consistent approach, Nexer partnered with Historic England to deliver a pilot Heritage Sector Workforce Diversity Survey. Together, we developed a framework and practical tools to measure diversity, uncover barriers, and enable the sector to work towards greater inclusivity.

The project set out to answer the key question: What does the workforce look like across the heritage sector? Through the partnership, we not only delivered an initial diversity audit to set benchmarks but also created long-term sustainable plans that enable organisations to continuously monitor and improve inclusivity in the sector.

By providing user-friendly resources, delivering training, and designing an accessible and evidence-based survey model, the project successfully equipped heritage organisations to measure and report on workforce diversity.

The project had four key objectives:

1. Quantify workforce diversity across the heritage sector.
2. Identify trends and gaps in representation within different areas of the sector.
3. Develop practical recommendations to address barriers and challenges.
4. Establish a baseline of repeatable data to measure change over time.

We approached this project with a focus on inclusivity, collaboration, and empowerment. Guided by best practices in workforce surveys and data ethics, we co-created a solution with Historic England that would lay the groundwork for meaningful change.

We worked closely with Historic England to design a survey that was inclusive, accessible, and aligned with GDPR requirements. Drawing on the Equality Act 2010, alongside established research and insights from leading organisations such as Stonewall and the CIPD, we took an evidence-based approach in developing the question set. As this survey was the first attempt to collect workforce data across the whole heritage sector, we used established question sets such as the England and Wales Census to guide our thinking.  The survey captured data across a wide spectrum of diversity indicators, including:

• Protected characteristics.
• Socio-economic background.
• Caring responsibilities.

The survey also captured some specific data on which part of the heritage sector participants were part of, and what type of role they held. This was crucial to gather data on representation and diversity in each area, and in different roles and levels of seniority, for example.

We hosted the survey on Microsoft Forms, leveraging its secure, user-friendly platform for data collection and analysis.

In addition to the survey, we developed resources to empower Historic England and sector organisations, including:

• Guidance on running workforce surveys.
• Guidance for participants on completing the survey
• GDPR compliance documentation.
• Messaging templates and communication plans for promoting survey participation.

The guidance documents were designed to provide further information for those who requested it, both for the participants of the survey themselves and the individual organisations across the heritage sector.

With such a large workforce across the heritage sector, Historic England were keen to provide accessible and clear guidance for those who needed it and provide this in a recognised format. To achieve this, we worked alongside Historic England’s Inclusive Heritage Team to develop a series of guidance documents that would be published on their website. These documents were created according to our own established inclusive language guide, recognised accessible web content guidelines, and aligned with Historic England’s in-house style.

To ensure the survey resonated with organisations across the heritage sector, we facilitated focus groups to gather feedback on the survey experience and supporting materials. This allowed us to identify successes and areas for improvement, ensuring the project’s longevity and effectiveness.

The survey received 546 responses, providing a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of diversity within the heritage sector. Key findings include:

• A significant majority (90%) of respondents identified as White. Notably, none of the participants in higher managerial positions described their ethnicity as Black. Though we know there are several Black leaders within the heritage sector, this survey underlines the overall barriers and gaps in representation.
• While 67% of the workforce holds full-time, permanent contracts, this figure drops to 50% among disabled individuals, indicating a disparity in employment stability.
• Approximately 20% of respondents identified as disabled, and 25% as neurodivergent, highlighting the presence of these groups within the workforce.
• Less than 10% of respondents reported having a parent or guardian with a university degree, suggesting that the workforce has low levels of social mobility.

The survey was well received, and has primed Historic England for continuing the project, so that more data is gathered over time.  

To build on the findings of the 2024 Heritage Sector Workforce Diversity Survey, Historic England will take several targeted actions. These include mapping the sector to improve targeting and reduce bias in future samples, reviewing recruitment channels to expand reach and strengthen ties with DEI and HR groups, and considering the inclusion of volunteers and trustees in future surveys. Efforts will also focus on reducing barriers to participation by offering alternatives to online surveys, avoiding peak sector periods, and refining questions based on feedback to cover topics such as education level, geographic location, and work setting. At the start of this year, a series of roundtables have been launched to explore key diversity areas (race and ethnicity, disability, and social mobility) engaging participants with lived experience to shape actionable plans. Outcomes from these discussions will be published later in the year, alongside internal planning at Historic England to align resources for greater sector support. The next survey iteration is planned for 2026 to monitor progress and drive further improvement.

A word from Historic England

This project marks a pivotal step in advancing diversity and inclusion within the heritage sector. By creating tools, insights, and guidance, we’ve helped Historic England and its partners build a foundation for meaningful change. The project didn’t just deliver a survey, but rather a framework that can be repeated in the sector to glean tangible insights into diversity and representation that can be used to inform change in the sector, making it more equitable and inclusive for all.