Public Appointments > Latest News > 08/10/2025
Review of public appointees' time commitment and remuneration needed, study finds
8 October 2025
Public appointees have reported discrepancies between the advertised and actual time commitment within their roles, our study has found.
Between December 2024 and May 2025, the office of the Ethical Standards Commissioner undertook a thematic review on the time commitment, remuneration, and other aspects of the role of public appointees, in response to a growing number of anecdotal concerns regarding the experiences of public appointees in Scotland. Through detailed surveying, interviews, and focus group sessions, we find that some of the anecdotal concerns reported to us were substantiated. While those who participated in our study report being highly motivated in their roles, they also reported:
- Significant discrepancies between the advertised and actual time commitment required of them;
- Concerns about the disparity between the time commitment required and remuneration offered; and
- Areas for improvement in relation to the support they received once in post.
The Scottish Government has welcomed the findings of our research, reiterating the Scottish Ministers’ commitment to ensuring that public appointments are accessible to all members of the Scottish population who have an interest in contributing to the public life of Scotland.
In response to the findings of this research and the Scottish Government’s comments, Ian Bruce, the Ethical Standards Commissioner, said:
“I am pleased to share this report on time commitment, remuneration and other aspects of the role of public appointees in Scotland. The report highlights that Scotland’s current public appointees are highly motivated, engaged, and passionate about their contribution to public life. However, the research also clearly demonstrated that board work is currently different to what is advertised in applicant packs in a number of ways. It is encouraging that the Scottish Government have agreed to work with us on reducing the barriers which the report highlighted can prevent a wider pool of people entering into public life in Scotland. This will also be addressed by the upcoming refresh of our diversity strategy. I am very grateful to all of those who took part in our research. We look forward to working with the Scottish Government on implementation of the recommendations in the report and thereby improving the public appointments system in Scotland.”
You can find out more about the findings of this thematic review in our final report.
