HR and Organisational Development
The Human Resources Service is responsible for the full range of human resource services including employee recruitment and development; human resource policies and procedures; terms and conditions of employment; and negotiation and engagement with staff and trade unions. In January 2025 the Council joined the Equally Safe at Work accreditation scheme.
Pages managed by this department
Staff resources and systems
Links to the tools, systems and resources you need in your day-to-day work.
Our structure
We are led by our Chief Executive and a team of Corporate Directors, each responsible for a group of services. You can find out how we are organised below, and download our full structure chart showing directorate remits.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
At Orkney Islands Council, we want everyone to feel valued, respected and able to be themselves.
Our equality duties and outcomes
Our Equality Outcomes help us meet the Public Sector Equality Duty. They are an impactful way to progress equality, tackle discrimination and harassment, and promote good relationships between different groups of people. As a public authority, we must create and publish an equality outcomes report every four years. We must also publish an update report every two years.
Workforce diversity and equality
We are dedicated to creating a workplace that is inclusive, fair and supportive for everyone. We collect information about the protected characteristics of our employees, along with data on recruitment, development and retention.
Impact assessments
Orkney Islands Council is committed to ensuring that decisions, policies and services are fair, inclusive and considerate of the people and communities they affect.
Our values
At Orkney Islands Council, our values reflect who we are and how we serve our communities. They guide how we work with residents, partners and each other to make a positive and lasting difference across Orkney. Shaped by feedback from our people, these values build on our strong foundations and set clear expectations for how we deliver services today and into the future.