Exploring Culture, Belonging, and Equity at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Building an inclusive, equitable, and supportive workplace at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Understanding Culture, Belonging, and Equity at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The Culture, Belonging, and Equity dimension explores how employees at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service experience fairness, inclusion, respect, and psychological safety within their workplace. It examines the extent to which staff feel valued, supported, and treated equitably, while also assessing engagement with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives and trust in organisational processes.
By combining measures of Equity and Trust, Inappropriate Behaviour, EDI Engagement, and a Safe and Inclusive Workplace, this dimension provides insight into the everyday culture of the Service, how people experience belonging, how inclusion is lived, and how confident employees feel to be themselves at work.
Understanding these experiences helps the Service build a more supportive, fair, and empowering organisational culture, one where everyone feels respected, included, and able to thrive.
Explore the Culture, Belonging, and Equity Dashboard
Navigate through the key dimensions of workplace culture at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to gain a deeper understanding of employee perceptions and experiences. Use the links below to jump directly to each Index and explore detailed insights.
Equity and Trust Index
The Equity and Trust Index evaluates employee perceptions of procedural fairness, transparency, and ethical practices at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Built from employee feedback on seven key questions, the Index highlights how organisational procedures – such as those for pay, performance, promotions, discipline, and grievances – are experienced within the workplace.
Employees were asked to rate their agreement with statements designed to assess critical dimensions of procedural justice, using a Likert scale ranging from 1 (to a very small extent) to 5 (to a very large extent). The questions explore whether processes are fair, consistent, unbiased, and uphold ethical standards, as well as the level of employee input and opportunities for appeal.
Equity & Trust Index
Breakdown of responses to individual items within the Equity and Trust Index.
Comparison of Index scores across groups at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, highlighting differences in perceptions of equity and trust.
Key Findings
The Equity and Trust Index is based on a validated scale measuring procedural justice. This evaluates employee perceptions of procedural fairness, transparency, and ethical practices at NYFRS in relation to decision making.
Employees were asked to rate their agreement with statements designed to assess critical dimensions of procedural justice, using a Likert scale ranging from 1 (to a very small extent) to 5 (to a very large extent). The questions explore whether processes are fair, consistent, unbiased, and uphold ethical standards, as well as the level of employee input and opportunities for appeal.
The Equity and Trust Index for NYFRS stands at 33, indicating limited confidence in the consistency, transparency, and fairness of organisational procedures.
While many employees believe that decisions are ethically made and well-intentioned, fewer feel able to influence, question, or appeal them. Only a small proportion of staff feel procedures are free from bias (19%) or applied consistently (14%), and just 8% feel they have meaningful influence over outcomes.
These results point to a perceived distance between decision-making and those affected by it.
Rather than reflecting deliberate unfairness, the data suggest that employees often lack visibility into how decisions are reached and how information flows back to those impacted. Operational and long-serving staff, who may be less directly involved in formal processes, are particularly likely to report low confidence in procedural fairness.
Higher confidence in fairness among Prevention, Protection, and middle management indicates that exposure to process, clear communication, and opportunities for dialogue help strengthen perceptions of equity. Conversely, lower scores in operational areas, such as York & Selby (19) and Harrogate & Craven (30), point to a need for greater clarity, communication, and feedback loops in decisions affecting these teams.
Overall, these findings reflect an organisation where integrity and intent are recognised, but procedural transparency and inclusion require strengthening to build trust and confidence across all staff groups.
Inappropriate Behaviour Index
The Inappropriate Behaviour Index assesses the prevalence of inappropriate behaviour experienced by employees at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service within the past 12 months. This measure provides insight into the lived experience of respect and professionalism across the organisation, essential components of an inclusive and psychologically safe workplace.
The Index is scored from 0 to 100, where a score of 100 indicates that no inappropriate behaviour has been reported. Lower scores reflect a higher prevalence of inappropriate conduct and highlight areas where further attention may be required to strengthen workplace culture.
Supporting questions explore whether staff have witnessed inappropriate behaviour, heard inappropriate jokes or comments, or avoided speaking up about such behaviour, providing valuable context for understanding how everyday culture is experienced and observed.
Inappropriate Behaviour Index
Detailed breakdown of responses to items within the Inappropriate Behaviour Index.
Comparison of inappropriate behaviour experiences across different groups at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Key Findings
The Inappropriate Behaviour Index for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service stands at 70, indicating that while most employees experience a professional and respectful workplace, inappropriate conduct persists in some areas and continues to shape perceptions of culture and inclusion.
Three in ten employees (30%) report personally experiencing inappropriate behaviour in the past year, and four in ten (42%) have witnessed it directed at others. For female staff, this rises to around 40%, a significantly higher prevalence than among male colleagues, highlighting an important disparity in lived experience. Around one in three (32%) have encountered inappropriate jokes or comments at work, with fewer reporting similar behaviour outside of work (18%).
Importantly, 18% of respondents say they have avoided speaking up about inappropriate behaviour. The most common reasons were doubts that issues would be handled sensitively (53%) or fears of being labelled or harming their career (34%). This indicates that while formal procedures exist, psychological safety and confidence in organisational response remain uneven across teams and roles.
The results vary substantially between groups. For example, Enable (83), Training (77), and Support Staff (80) report the highest scores, suggesting more positive workplace climates and stronger confidence in professionalism. However, Protection (50), York and Selby (63), and Station/Group Managers (46) report lower scores, suggesting that leadership visibility, consistency, or local culture may influence experiences of respect. Female staff (60) report significantly lower scores than male staff (76), reinforcing the need for sustained attention to women’s experiences and the informal cultural norms that shape everyday interactions.
Women’s Experiences and Cultural Dynamics
Due to the NYFRS workplace being male dominated (approximately 17% of all staff members are female), the evidence shows that women are disproportionately affected by inappropriate behaviour, including exclusion, sexism, bullying, and, at times, sexual harassment. These patterns highlight a critical and urgent cultural issue that must be addressed to ensure a safe and equitable working environment for all staff members.
The findings from conversations with staff members during the qualitative enquiry further support these findings.
In our conversations, current and historic experiences of inappropriate behaviour seem especially prevalent for women in NYFRS.
We were told about examples of sexual harassment, including examples of unwanted touching both in and outside the workplace, sexual comments, rape threats, and sexist language around clothing.
“He’s grabbed me, grabbed my bum, stuff like that.”
“Told I can join if I wear skimpy clothes to a service sporting event.”
Broader experiences demonstrated the lack of value and respect towards female employees by some male staff members.
These included the exclusion and ignoring of female colleagues, going around the backs of female managers to other male colleagues, and greeting female colleagues by gender. This final element was identified as making colleagues feel ‘gender-aware’, as male colleagues would not be greeted by their gender, and thus, made them feel different.
Two specific cases reported through the qualitative enquiry raise concerns about bullying during Breathing Apparatus (BA) training, behaviours that could have implications for operational safety:
In one case, a female employee said colleagues only briefed her male partner during BA drills, “completely ignoring” her involvement.
In another case, a woman described misogynistic treatment by both an operational manager and a firefighter within her watch:
“I didn’t feel safe at all, and I worried for the entire tour about getting a BA job. The two times I did wear BA with them, they did not follow procedure and left me starting up on my own. Then I couldn’t find them as they’d left without me to take instruction, furthermore, not sharing that with me so I was left feeling like an idiot. Luckily the jobs were smoke related and not fire related but this made me worry further to work with them.”
(Here, “starting up” refers to opening the cylinder valve to activate the air supply for breathing apparatus checks before use.)
These accounts show that inappropriate and exclusionary behaviours can intersect with operational risk, particularly when team cohesion, communication, or trust are compromised by cultural dynamics.
Signs of progress
Our qualitative data does indicate that there has been a cultural shift within NYFRS towards greater intolerance for inappropriate behaviours and growing confidence in leadership response, driven by the Chief Fire Officer and Strategic Leadership Team (SLT). Staff members reported that they were seeing improvements in the time taken to resolve incidents, and more confidence in the procedures being followed promptly:
“I’m very confident that things are dealt with seriously and professionally now.”
It is important for these changes to continue and to continue to build trust in the new reporting structures and processes to support staff in coming forward about inappropriate behaviour.
Understanding the Cultural Context
Quantitative findings are supported by qualitative interviews and composite vignettes developed through the Moving Forward project. These narratives — Olivia’s Story, Lauren’s Story, and Carl’s Story — illustrate how sexism, harassment, and bullying have been experienced by staff across different stages of their careers.
Olivia’s Story describes experiences of sexual harassment and objectification early in a woman’s career, showing how a lack of consistent organisational response can erode trust.
Lauren’s Story reveals how everyday gendered behaviours and dismissive “banter” can undermine confidence and belonging, particularly when leadership fails to challenge poor conduct.
Carl’s Story highlights how bullying and exclusion, often disguised as humour or “tradition,” can impact those perceived as different.
These vignettes reflect both historic and more recent experiences. They show how inappropriate behaviour, if left unchallenged, can persist as part of the informal culture, even as formal policies improve. They underscore the importance of consistent leadership, safe reporting, and visible accountability.
EDI Engagement Index
The EDI Engagement Index measures how engaged employees feel with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. It explores the extent to which staff value EDI principles, recognise their importance, and feel that inclusion is embedded within the organisational culture. Higher scores indicate stronger endorsement of inclusive values and greater alignment with the Service’s EDI ambitions.
EDI Engagement Index
Breakdown of responses to items within the EDI Engagement Index.
Comparison of EDI engagement scores across groups at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Key Findings
The EDI Engagement Index measures how engaged employees feel with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. It explores the extent to which staff value EDI principles, recognise their importance, and feel that inclusion is embedded within the organisational culture. Higher scores indicate stronger endorsement of inclusive values and greater alignment with the Service’s EDI ambitions.
The EDI Engagement Index for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service stands at 79, reflecting strong organisational support for equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Most employees actively reject discriminatory attitudes and recognise that inclusion is essential to a fair, safe, and professional workplace. A large majority (81%) agree that EDI initiatives are important, while only 7% believe that comments about protected characteristics are “just harmless banter.” This demonstrates widespread understanding that inclusive behaviour and language underpin mutual respect and team cohesion.
Engagement is particularly high among Middle Management (91) and Station/Group Managers (92), suggesting that leaders at these levels are positively aligned with inclusion efforts. Similarly, Prevention (85), Protection (85), and Training (85) show strong engagement, reflecting positive local team cultures and visibility of EDI work. Lower scores in Enable (80) and Emergency Response directorates (73–78) suggest that perceptions of inclusion may vary depending on communication, local leadership, or the visibility of EDI initiatives.
Female employees report higher EDI engagement (85) than male colleagues (78), aligning with findings across other dimensions that indicate greater sensitivity to inclusion and fairness issues. Scores are also highest among newer staff (83), suggesting that organisational induction and recruitment processes are helping embed inclusive values from the outset.
Overall, these results portray a Service where inclusive values are well established and broadly shared, with opportunities to strengthen engagement further by ensuring that EDI principles remain visible, practical, and consistently championed across all directorates and roles.
Safe and Inclusive Workplace Index
The Safe and Inclusive Workplace Index assesses how employees at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service experience psychological safety, inclusion, and respect in their daily work. It explores the extent to which staff feel valued, respected, and empowered to speak up, and whether they believe the organisation takes appropriate action when inappropriate behaviour occurs. Understanding these experiences helps managers foster a culture where all employees feel safe, supported, and able to bring their authentic selves to work.
Safe & Inclusive Workplace Index
Item-level responses within the Safe and Inclusive Workplace Index.
Comparison of Safe and Inclusive Workplace Index scores across groups at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Key Findings
The Safe and Inclusive Workplace Index explores the extent to which staff feel valued, respected, and empowered to speak up, and whether they believe the organisation takes appropriate action when inappropriate behaviour occurs. Understanding these experiences helps managers foster a culture where all employees feel safe, supported, and able to bring their authentic selves to work.
The Safe and Inclusive Workplace Index for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service stands at 63, indicating that most employees experience their workplace as respectful and supportive, though perceptions of safety and inclusivity vary across the organisation.
Nearly seven in ten respondents (69%) feel empowered to challenge inappropriate behaviour, showing confidence and willingness to uphold positive standards within their teams. However, only 37% agree that NYFRS takes the right steps when inappropriate behaviour is reported, while around one-third (32%) are neutral, reflecting uncertainty about how reports are managed or communicated.
Perceptions of respect and inclusion are generally strong among peers, two-thirds of employees (65%) feel valued and respected by colleagues, and six in ten (60%) feel safe being themselves at work. In contrast, fewer than four in ten (37%) feel that managers consistently set the right example for how to behave respectfully, pointing to a need for greater visibility, consistency, and role-modelling from leadership at all levels.
Scores are highest in Prevention (69), Enable (68), and Protection (67), where inclusive values appear well embedded. Conversely, Emergency Response – York & Selby (52) and Harrogate & Craven (58) show lower scores, indicating that operational pressures or local team dynamics may influence perceptions of fairness and inclusion.
Longer-serving staff (61) report slightly lower perceptions of safety and inclusion compared to newer employees (66), suggesting that past experiences and organisational history continue to shape views of the current culture.
Overall, these results portray a Service with strong interpersonal respect and peer support, but where confidence in leadership accountability and organisational follow-through needs reinforcement to fully embed psychological safety and inclusivity across all directorates.
Summary — Culture, Belonging, and Equity Dimension
The Culture, Belonging and Equity dimension explores how employees at NYFRS experience fairness, inclusion, respect, and trust in their workplace. This dimension draws together findings from four interlinked indexes: Equity and Trust, Inappropriate Behaviour, EDI Engagement, and Safe and Inclusive Workplace. Furthermore, we draw upon qualitative insights to provide rich contextual depth and lived experience. Together, these measures provide a picture of the Service’s cultural climate, from how policies and procedures are perceived to how individuals experience belonging and professionalism in daily interactions.
The findings show a Service undergoing meaningful cultural change, supported by a greater intolerance for inappropriate behaviour driven by the Chief Fire Officer and Strategic Leadership Team (SLT). Qualitative data from staff indicate a visible shift in attitudes and practice, with many reporting improvements in how incidents are handled and greater confidence in the timeliness and professionalism of responses. These changes reflect growing trust in the new reporting structures and leadership commitment to accountability and fairness.
Findings from this dimension reflect a workforce that largely values fairness and inclusion but continues to experience inconsistency in how these principles are enacted and upheld. Strong peer relationships, widespread support for EDI, and growing confidence in challenging inappropriate behaviour provide solid cultural foundations. However, lower scores on procedural fairness (Equity and Trust) and uncertainty around how the organisation handles inappropriate behaviour highlight gaps between formal values and lived experience, where trust in systems and leadership accountability has not yet fully caught up with interpersonal commitment to respect and inclusion. Operational and long-serving staff, in particular, describe the ongoing influence of “organisational ghosts”, past norms and leadership legacies that still shape confidence and trust in the present.
Key strengths
- Commitment to inclusion and values: The EDI Engagement Index (79) shows widespread recognition of the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Four in five employees view EDI initiatives as important, and over three-quarters reject the idea that discriminatory comments are “harmless banter.” This indicates a strong collective understanding of the principles underpinning respectful behaviour.
- Respect and peer relationships: Results from the Safe and Inclusive Workplace Index (63) show that most employees feel valued (67%) and respected (65%) by their colleagues, and that peer relationships remain a central strength of the Service. Many staff also feel able to be themselves at work and to challenge inappropriate behaviour when it occurs.
- Cultural progress and leadership alignment: Qualitative evidence indicates that many staff have observed improvements in how inappropriate behaviour is managed, with greater seriousness and professionalism under current leadership. Leadership in Prevention, Protection, and Enable directorates appear to have embedded inclusive and values-led cultures that could serve as internal exemplars of good practice.
Areas for development
- Procedural fairness and trust: The Equity and Trust Index (33) is the lowest in this dimension, showing limited confidence in the consistency, transparency, and impartiality of organisational procedures. Less than one in five respondents believe procedures are applied consistently or free from bias to a large extent, and only a quarter feel able to influence or appeal decisions. These perceptions may reflect low visibility of how decisions are made and communicated, rather than active unfairness, but they nonetheless undermine trust in the organisation.
- Prevalence of inappropriate and harmful behaviour: The Inappropriate Behaviour Index (70) shows that while most employees experience professional conduct, around one-third (30%) report personally experiencing inappropriate behaviour and 42% have witnessed it in the past year. Women report significantly lower scores (60) than men (76), identifying that 40% of female staff members have experienced inappropriate behaviour. Through our conversations, we found that some staff, particularly women, have experienced or witnessed sexist remarks, exclusion, harassment, and in some cases, sexual harassment during their careers. These experiences range from inappropriate comments to more serious incidents involving the undermining or ignoring of female staff during Breathing Apparatus (BA) training. Such behaviours pose not only cultural and psychological risks but, in operational contexts, may also intersect with safety-critical practice.
- Organisational accountability and communication: Only 37% of staff agree that NYFRS takes the right steps when inappropriate behaviour is reported, and around a third remain neutral. This suggests not necessarily a lack of action, but limited awareness or communication of outcomes. Strengthening transparency in how concerns are managed, while maintaining confidentiality, will be essential for rebuilding trust.
- Managerial role-modelling and visibility: Less than four in ten employees (37%) believe that managers consistently set the right example for respectful behaviour. This gap between expectations and visibility suggests that leadership behaviours, particularly at the middle and supervisory levels, play a critical role in shaping perceptions of fairness and inclusion across teams.
- Sexist, gendered disparities and uneven experiences of belonging: Across all indexes, gender and role patterns are consistent. Women report lower experiences of belonging, wellbeing, peer support, and workplace respect compared to male staff. These disparities signal that inclusion and fairness are not yet universally experienced, and that elements of informal culture in some operational settings continue to enable sexist or exclusionary behaviour. Addressing this requires sustained leadership focus, peer support, and collective responsibility across the organisation.
Overall, the findings portray a Service that is making tangible progress in improving workplace culture and accountability. Sustaining this momentum will depend on maintaining visible leadership commitment, open communication, and continued efforts to embed inclusive values in every team, ensuring that all employees feel safe, valued, and respected within NYFRS.
Dashboards and Downloads
Explore Insights and Drive Action
Interactive dashboards and downloadable reports provide more detailed analysis for each dimension, helping the Service explore patterns and inform improvement. These tools are designed to support open discussion and reflection, turning feedback into evidence-based actions that strengthen wellbeing, inclusion, and leadership across the organisation.