DISABILITY & NEURODIVERSITY
Gender Inclusion | Race | Social Mobility | Age | Disability & Neurodiversity | LGBTQ+ |
This page is a space dedicated to acknowledging the diverse range of uniqueness that make up our community. Despite being distinct diversity characteristics, a significant commonality exists between disabled and neurodivergent individuals in terms or involuntary unemployment. Additionally, they are highly intersectional diversity characteristics, and the need to mask one’s true self at work can lead to further disadvantage including mental health issues.
We firmly believe that inclusivity enriches us all and that every individual contributes uniquely to our industry. Navigating the world with a disability presents unique challenges but also profound strengths. This page is designed to foster understanding, provide resources and highlight good practice.
- Sign up for the Government’s Disability Confident employer scheme and aim to become a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and, as part of this, act as a champion within local and business communities.
- Ensure hiring and interviewing practices are aligned to the principles of the UK Government’s Disability Confident employer scheme.
- Support the #10000ableinterns initiative and pledge to offer paid internships to young disabled people.
- Consider developing partnerships with organisations, such as Ambitious about Autism, to announce job opportunities for neurodivergent individuals.
- Consider join industry peers in networks aimed at understanding how to create opportunities for neurodiverse people, such as GAIN (Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity)
- Review the inclusivity of communications (such as job adverts), removing phrases and imagery that are only relevant to some groups (such as assumptions that someone is able-bodied).
- Ensure that employees are made fully aware of when and how they can request reasonable adjustments and ensure that, when these are requested, they are notified of the outcome within two weeks.
- Promote the uptake of mental health awareness courses and train mental health first aiders.
- Offer further support and signpost employees to existing information on flexible working arrangements.
- Expand existing surveying of employees to a broader range of characteristics and ensure the results of these are published in an accessible format. Consider including neurodiversity as a separate characteristic.
- Encourage all employees to participate in data collections, ensuring they are given adequate time to complete any surveys. Ensure employees understand what the data will be used for and allow them to not answer any questions with which they are uncomfortable. Target guidance and support on those with additional potential sensitivities that may impact their attitudes to providing information (such as ongoing mental health challenges).
- Participate in initiatives designed to better understand the experiences of disabled employees and ensure that this acknowledges ‘hidden’ disabilities.
Our Member Zurich recognises and publicly expresses the immense benefit that neurodiverse talent can offer, and in working with various neurodiversity-focused entities has developed a package of initiatives to generate an inclusive workplace that will attract, support and encourage the development of neurodiverse talent.
Find out how we are encouraging our industry to make changes to improve outcomes for autistic customers.