EDF (UK)’s Post

It's Neurodiversity Celebration Week (18th - 24th March), the ideal time to learn more about neurodiversity and the best ways to embrace it in the workplace. The infographic below contains some valuable tips for employers to make inclusion a priority and to tap into the benefits neurodivergent professionals can bring to their organisation. Also, don't miss Stephen Ben Morris's article where he delves into five effective ways for employers to not only accommodate, but crucially recognise the value of, people with diverse thinking patterns: https://lnkd.in/ejxEVBCj

🎉 Celebrating National Day for Staff Networks! 🎉 At Principality Building Society, our staff networks are more than just groups of people – they're vibrant communities that make our workplace a better, more inclusive environment. I often read in guides and books that this is the remit of a staff network - but personally, I disagree. Here at Principality, our networks are supported by the leaders of our organization, which means that they have an impact beyond scale and input into delivering our strategy. We are empowered to lead on initiatives and feed into a number of things across our organization. Some examples of this would be the delivery of our carbon awareness training to the whole organization, written and delivered by our very own Planet-Friendly Network. The diversity of thought that goes into policies and procedures makes Principality a leader in areas like our family-friendly policy, flexible working, and Carers leave. Our sponsorship of Pride Cymru, which we are immensely proud of, is driven by our inclusion manager, brand team, and Pride Network. And our annual Network Open Day is an opportunity for the whole company to learn more, have some time away from the desk, and come meet some pretty awesome people! As someone who helps shape our network strategy, I'm continually inspired by the dedication of my colleagues. They not only excel in their day-to-day roles but also commit themselves to the success of their networks, embodying the true spirit of collaboration and community. I couldn't be prouder of the work we do, and I encourage everyone to recognize the power of their networks. Together, we can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. If anyone would like to learn more about our Networks, feel free to comment or message me. We are always looking to share our experience with others so we can all continue to learn together. Happy National Day for Staff Networks! 🌟 #PrincipalityNetworks #Inclusion #Diversity #Empowerment

Today is #worldautismday so I thought I would take the opportunity to highlight some of the ways that West Sussex County Council supports neurodivergent staff. Across the organisation, we offer flexible ways of working. This is often super helpful to those of us that struggle with overstimulation due to noise, large groups of people and busy environments. There are other hidden benefits too…working remotely offers the opportunity to have regular breaks from eye contact, masking and lots of other things. Accessibility and inclusion benefits everyone. We have a brilliantly supportive HR and recruitment team. I was invited by my colleague Rosa Siracusa to come along and talk to her team about interview pilots aimed at making the recruitment process more accessible. We also have a wonderful staff network group for neaurodiverse staff. It’s a lovely safe space to connect with people, whilst feeling wholly embraced for who you are. It’s also a great chance to influence policy and practice - we have come a long way in the 16 years I’ve worked for the organisation. Today is a great day to reflect on inclusion, challenge unconscious bias and consider what we can all do to make the world a kinder place for those that often experience much unkindness. The world often feels like a very difficult place to inhabit when you have ASD. It’s also great day to reflect on resilience and embracing the good amongst the challenge. I may well be too trusting, horrible at small talk and socially awkward….but I can repeat whole chapters of books…which is more handy than you might think…especially when taking an English Lit GCSE ( A+) 🤣 To all the little me’s of today: it gets better, there is normally a work around and YOU CAN DO IT ALL, exactly as you are. NEVER believe anyone when they say you can’t ❤️

Every March we mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week in our business, but this year we’ve been talking with members of our team and clients who are neurodivergent about what they’d like to see in how we recognise and celebrate this week. *Is celebration even the right term?* Is recognition not more important? And how do we carry this throughout the year, ensuring our commitments extend longer than an annual event? Read more from Katy Morrison, EDI Lead at Connect Three: #ncw2024 #neurodiversity #neurodiverseatwork #neurodiversityweek #neurodiversityawareness #neurodiversityacceptance #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek

The UK is not a nice place right now, making it a difficult and sensitive time, especially after the events that took place this weekend. Many are being affected one way or another, whether it’s themselves directly, or witnessing the trauma of their family and friends. Here are some ideas to help show support & solidarity to your colleagues who may have been affected: 🗣️Supportive & Open Communication: Release a statement expressing solidarity with employees, condemning the current events, and reaffirming the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). Maintain regular updates on what the company is doing to support employees and how it is responding to external events. This shows that the commitment is ongoing and not just reactive. 🧠Mental Health Support: Highlight and provide easy access to mental health resources, including counselling services specifically for those impacted by the trauma. Consider inviting speakers who specialise in trauma and resilience in the context of discrimination. 🎗️Visible Allyship: Encourage those who are not affected personally, to show visible support, such as through allyship badges, participation in diversity events, or through public endorsements of inclusive values. 📖Education: Conduct mandatory training on anti-racism, unconscious bias, and allyship for all employees. Make sure these are led by qualified professionals and create ongoing opportunities for learning. 👥Forms & Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Establish support ERGs. These groups can provide a space for support, networking, and advocacy within the organisation. Organise listening sessions where colleagues can share their experiences and feelings in a safe and respectful environment. 🌍Celebrate Diversity: Highlight and celebrate cultural diversity within the workplace through events, communications, and internal publications. This can help foster a sense of belonging and recognition for all colleagues. ✉️ Anonymous Feedback: Provide a way for employees to share concerns or suggestions anonymously, ensuring that everyone feels safe to express their thoughts without fear of retaliation. 🏘️ Community Involvement: Engage in or support local initiatives that work towards racial equality and justice. This shows a commitment to these values beyond the workplace. #dei #diversityequityinclusion #Supportingcolleagues #celebratediversity

How do you define diversity? Diversity in the workplace means employing people from a wide range of characteristics, experiences, and backgrounds. A growing body of research shows that organisations that build a diverse workforce experience greater creativity and innovation and are likely to experience stronger financial returns than those that don’t. At your workplace put into consideration what promotes community values and social justice. #EmbeddingResillience

Today we are releasing our Life Science Diversity and Inclusion insights report. This is a comprehensive and real time insight into the key factors of inclusion and diversity within the Life Science sector in Ireland which could be useful for people of all levels working within the industry. https://lnkd.in/eVBuBE-e

Are you doing enough to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in your tech workplace? Download our free employer guide below, and discover how to build a fairer organisation. #DE&I #diversity #equity #inclusion #workplace #guide #technology #opusresourcing #ITrecruitment

Supporting neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace is crucial for driving innovation and success! The always amazing Stephen DeStefani of Wells Fargo and Judy Reilly: Neurodiversity Employment Leader & Director of University of Connecticut's Center for Neurodiversity & Employment Innovation (CNDEI) recently shared their insights on our quarterly neuro-inclusion webinar. Catch the highlights and let me know what resonated with you! #Neurodiversity #InclusiveWorkplaces #WorkplaceInclusion

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week. 🎉 We’ll be joining organisations and individuals around the world to celebrate neurodivergent people, challenge misconceptions and champion inclusive policies in the workplace. 🙌   As part of your celebrations, why not read our latest Neurodiversity Index Report.👇   We surveyed 93 employers and 573 employees across every age range, sexual orientation and ethnicity to help employers understand neurodivergent staff experiences and inspire neuroinclusive workplaces.   Our key findings showed some great steps forward: 🧠 52% of organisations reported having adapted recruitment practices in 2023 🧠 35% of organisations have had one or more senior leaders sharing they were neurodivergent   But also highlighted the work that still needs to be done: 🧠 50% of people had been off work during the last year because of neurodivergent related challenges 🧠 28% of organisations reported not having any accommodations for parents/care givers of neurodiverse children   Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/egjee9GR   #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek #NeurodiversityWeek #ThisIsND #NeurodiversityIndex Neurodiversity Celebration Week