Tag Archives: Inclusion

Accountancy & Accounts, Business, Diversity & Inclusion

Embracing neurodiversity brings business benefits, says new ACCA report

  • New report shares stories of individuals who are neurodivergent within the accountancy profession and their experiences
  • Estimates that one in five members of the workforce are neurodivergent indicates a greater need for neuro-inclusive practices in all levels of business

Leading global accountancy body ACCA’s latest report ‘Neurodiversity in accountancy’ explores the growing awareness by employers that those who are neurodivergent have real value to bring to an organisation.

The report highlights targeted hiring programmes that have actively sought out neurodivergent talent to undertake roles.

It is estimated between 15 – 20% (or roughly one in five) of the population are neurodivergent. As a result, organisations have a responsibility to include and support neurodivergent individuals, creating workplace environments where everyone’s challenges are supported and strengths are celebrated, and where neurodivergent individuals can thrive.

The business benefits for organisations that embrace neurodiversity include:

  • Diverse thinking: neurodiversity brings unique viewpoints, problem-solving approaches, fresh ideas and innovative solutions.
  • Increased productivity: accommodations for neurodiverse individuals enhance overall productivity.
  • Talent attraction: focusing on building neuro-inclusive workplaces attracts candidates – especially Gen Z.
  • Talent retention: a neuro-inclusive environment fosters loyalty and reduces turnover.
  • Enhanced creativity: neurodiverse individuals often think ‘outside the box’.
  • Positive workplace culture: Employees feel respected and valued, leading to better morale.

 

The report shares stories of individuals who are neurodivergent within the accountancy profession and ultimately celebrates thinking differently, representing organisations as diverse as accountancy firms EY and Cooper Parry, recruitment firm Michael Page Malaysia, HMRC, and The Ritz London hotel.

Numerous benefits to organisations were cited, from brand recognition and winning new business, to accessing previously untapped talent pools. Bringing innovation, creativity and other valuable skills to the organisation was also recognised as a key benefit. Ultimately, a proactive approach in this area has an impact on creating value for an organisation, both financially and socially.

Report co-author Jamie Lyon, head of skills sectors and technology at ACCA, says: “Supporting neurodivergent employees is essential for creating an inclusive workplace and this doesn’t need to be complex. Often knowing where to start can be the biggest challenge. Organisations can approach neuro-inclusion at both an organisational and individual level. The aim for any organisation should be neuro-inclusive design, where possible adjustments and ways of working are part of standard practice and no longer need to be requested.”

Report co-author Tania Martin, Neuro-inclusion consultant at PegSquared: “With an estimated one in five of the workforce being neurodivergent, and more people willing to openly share their stories, it is becoming even more important that employers are proactive in understanding and building neuro-inclusive workplaces. So often we find what works for one, benefits so many. But broader than that, neurodiversity also impacts employers’ clients and customers. Having an understanding of neuro-inclusion can be a competitive advantage – harnessing neurodiversity is ultimately good for business.”

The research sought to understand the challenges neurodivergent individuals face at work and in education; their strengths; how organisations have implemented support at both the organisation and individual level; and thoughts about the future of neurodiversity at work.

It concludes with key recommendations for organisations to better support their neurodivergent employee community, from leadership buy-in and sponsorship, education and training opportunities, through to inclusive job descriptions and recruitment practices.

Read the report and access the employers’ guide here.

Visit ACCA’s website for more information.

HR

Blancco partners with Ethan Indigenous to bridge digital divide in the Indigenous community

The initiative launched by Ethan and David Liddiard Group in collaboration with Blancco aims to improve digital inclusion by providing access to devices for Australia’s Indigenous community

Australia – May, 10 2022 — Blancco Australasia PTY LTD, the industry standard in data erasure and mobile device diagnostics, today announced it has partnered with Ethan Indigenous PTY LTD, to provide equal opportunities to young Indigenous Australian’s, enabling them to transition to economic independence through education, and employment in the IT industry. Blancco will support the campaign with licenses of its data erasure software so that refurbished devices can be safely and securely donated to schools and communities in need. Blancco and Ethan Indigenous have also committed to upskilling Indigenous cadets to help with the refurbishment process, with training on how to perform certified data erasure on donated devices.

Ethan Indigenous is a joint venture between Ethan and the David Liddiard Group, alongside partners including Blancco. One of the main goals of this collaboration is to empower the Indigenous community through improved digital and social inclusion. It will focus on upskilling youth for professional career pathways in ICT. This initiative will promote engagement with the circular economy, through sustainable support for existing government initiatives that are equipping the Indigenous community with access to technology and connectivity.

The coronavirus pandemic exacerbated existing challenges facing Indigenous Australians. Not having basic access to the internet or a laptop, computer or mobile device alienated young people isolating at home and delayed their education. Similarly, IT departments too faced restrictions while operating outside of office settings. To address and overcome these challenges, Ethan Indigenous with the help of Blancco’s Data Erasure Software aims to make IT assets more easily available to the Indigenous community by donating devices collected from Government institutions and enterprises.

As part of the collaboration, Blancco will be providing Blancco Drive Erasure Software to facilitate a secure purge of all data on the donated devices. Not only is this software compliant with the Australian Data Privacy Act and ISM requirements, but it also provides a detailed audit trail and certificate of erasure. The software securely sanitises devices of any traces of data and enables the refurbishment and reuse of the device.

To date, Blancco’s Drive Erasure Software has helped ready more than 2000 devices for redistribution amongst young people. This has already resulted in an increase in access to online learning and employment. The training provided by Blancco and Ethan Indigenous helps the community to develop valuable IT skills, as well as a deeper understanding of the importance of data management best practices that engage the circular economy.

David Liddiard, Managing Director of the David Liddiard Group has committed his life to ensure that Indigenous youth have a brighter future and the prospect of a professional career. David said, “It is only through putting technology in the hands of Students can we close the digital divide for our youth and enable them to have an equal opportunity to achieve their personal and professional goals.”

The vision of the two groups spearheading the project resonates with Adam Moloney, Chief Financial Officer, Blancco, who added, “This initiative is an example of how engagement with the circular economy can not only improve sustainability, but also improve social issues and inequality, providing our future generations from all socio-economic backgrounds with access to the resources and technology needed to receive a good education and equal employment opportunities.”

The project is always welcoming donations of new and used devices with future plans for further expansion to as many Indigenous communities and schools as possible. To find out more, visit: http://ethangroup.com.au/indigenous/home/index.html

News, Wellbeing News

Inspiring Workplaces announces the EMEA Inspiring Workplaces Awards 2022 finalists

  • Brands both big and small feature and include the likes of: Al Jazeera; BBC; Blood Cancer; BUPA; NHS; Places for People; Rackspace; Takeda
  • This year for the first time, we will countdown the Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces in reverse order
  • Top 5 Inspiring Workplaces across each business category will also be announced
  • Special recognition winners will also be announced for outstanding work across: Culture & Purpose; Leadership; Wellbeing; Inclusion; Communication; Experience
  • Exclusive gala dinner being held at the Kia Oval in London – nearly sold out

London – April 20, 2022: Today The Inspiring Workplaces Group announced its first ever Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces across EMEA. The order of the Top 50 will be announced at the Gala Dinner held at the Kia Oval in London on May 24, 2022.

In a newly revamped awards programme, the IW Awards asked each organisation that entered to complete the same form – a form that consisted of six key elements:

  • Culture & Purpose
  • Leadership
  • Wellbeing
  • Inclusion
  • Communication
  • Experience

The leaders in each of the elements will be recognised for their achievements on the night.

We will also be announcing the Top 5 organisations across each category based upon business size:

  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large
  • Enterprise
  • Non-Profit

Every organisation within the Top 50 will be awarded a certificate and online assets to promote their achievements and have the opportunity to take away an iconic trophy.

Founder of Inspiring Workplaces, Matt Manners said, “We have been recognising organisations and the inspirational people within them for over eight years now. This year, we wanted to evolve the awards to represent the way the world of work is evolving too. Congratulations to all the finalists. We can’t wait to share these stories and promote the inspirational work they are doing day-in-day-out.”

For more information please visit our online communities where every finalist has been individually announced:

  • Website – https://www.inspiring-workplaces.com/stories/
  • LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiringworkplaces
  • Twitter – https://twitter.com/inspireworknow

The Inspiring Workplaces Group will be announcing North America’s finalists on April 27, 2022.

Be inspired: InspireWork Summits in association with STM Group

After a two year break caused by the pandemic, the InspireWork Summits, (formerly the Employee Engagement Conference) return to London, New York and Sydney.

They will bring together all the learnings, innovations and expertise from some of the most Inspiring Workplaces around the world, topped with the latest insights from leading thought leaders and experts in the field of employee experience, HR, employee wellbeing, future of work and diversity and inclusion. Don’t miss out.

Register for London here: https://www.inspiring-workplaces.com/inspire-work-summit-london/.

Register for NYC here: https://www.inspiring-workplaces.com/inspire-work-summit-nyc/.

The Summits will also be available online.

Sponsorship

There are various opportunities for organizations to partner with Inspiring Workplaces. For more information please contact matt@inspiring-workplaces.com

News

Explorance launches breakthrough tool for employee experience management

Text-based open-ended employee feedback is traditionally challenging for enterprise organisations to analyse and interpret, but this unruly qualitative data can now offer the richest and most actionable insights to business and HR leaders.

Now, Explorance, a leader in Experience Management (XM) solutions, has introduced BlueML: the only machine learning-powered comment analysis solution specifically trained to turn employee responses into decision-grade intelligence. With BlueML, business leaders can make sense of — and make decisions from — the unstructured data gathered from employee surveys and other sources of feedback, driving meaningful and actionable insights in just seconds.

Until now, comment analysis tools only leveraged machine learning models trained to analyse generic text-based data, rather than real employee comments. BlueML is a “text analytics first” BI solution whose models have been trained on HR-specific content across different industries and organisations and include employee feedback around culture, onboarding, engagement, exit surveys and more.

The BlueML dashboard automatically scans and categorises employee comments and provides polarity sentiment analysis and forward-looking recommendations that drive insight and action. BlueML allows HR leaders to work with data and compare data sources and inputs in real-time, providing the insights they need to identify trends, challenges and opportunities.

“Talent is one of the biggest issues businesses are facing this year, presenting three critical challenges: recruitment, retention and inclusion,” explained Samer Saab, Founder and CEO of Explorance. “Businesses are collecting more employee feedback than ever before, yet they lack the tools to easily and accurately analyse and interpret this feedback. BlueML enables business leaders to not only listen to their employees’ feedback, but to take timely and meaningful action in response.”

Through its ability to quickly analyse comments at enterprise scale, BlueML helps each and every employee’s voice to be heard, supporting employee wellbeing, diversity, equity and inclusion, and driving meaningful feedback, engagement and retention while enhancing speed to impact. BlueML’s models learn and improve over time, continuously getting “smarter” and more accurate, delivering the richest insights possible to support companies’ biggest talent decisions.

BlueML is an integral part of Explorance’s full suite of Employee Experience Management solutions, including the recently updated Blue 8.0 XM platform. BlueML can also augment companies’ existing XM technology stacks by providing a scalable method for analysing text-based content from virtually any source, including both solicited feedback, such as employee surveys, and unsolicited feedback such as on social media. BlueML delivers unparalleled comment categorisation, sentiment analysis, insights, and recommendations that help HR leaders efficiently manage the employee experience “from hire to retire.”

News

Lead by example: Demand for ‘Inclusive Leadership’ coaching increases

Demand for ‘inclusive leadership’ coaching have increased, with 27% of executives citing it as an area for improvement

Inclusive leadership is climbing the business agenda and is now the most requested management coaching topic, according to the latest feedback figures from Talking Talent, a specialist coaching consultancy. While more than a quarter (27%) of business executives have requested more coaching on being an ‘inclusive leader’ there is still significant strides to be made to tackle diversity, equity, and inclusion issues within business.

Creating a truly inclusive workforce is one of the greatest challenges for leaders, and research from Gartner indicates that only 40% of employees agree that their manager fosters an inclusive environment. The behaviours shown by those at the top of a business filter through to the rest of the organisation, so it is essential that leaders give diversity, equity and inclusion due attention.

Chris Parke, CEO at Talking Talent, says, “Recognising and embracing employee differences continues to be a challenge within organisations. Not because people are negative or consciously biased, but because they are operating within their own cultural norms and are not necessarily aware that their own inherent thinking and perspectives influence their actions in ways that could be seen as exclusive. Those who have requested inclusive leadership coaching have taken an essential step, examined the state of inclusion around them and identified a problem, which is, of course, the first step in ‘solving’ the problem.”

Following the monumental events of 2020, where diversity, equity, and inclusion was cemented as a board level agenda item, Google searches for guidance on ‘inclusive leadership’ peaked throughout the year. Search queries of ‘diversity in business’ were up a huge 170% and demonstrates how pressing the need for coaching is. Inclusive leadership coaching aims to explore unique challenges for each business so that holistic and realistic solutions can be applied and will then affect the whole workforce.

Parke, adds, “Attitudes towards leadership are slowly evolving and 20 years ago it would have been a struggle to convince leaders to undergo this type of coaching. For me, looking inward and identifying areas for improvement is the mark of a true leader. While there is still a lot of progress to be made, it is encouraging that inclusive behaviours are now more essential within leadership.”

Inclusive leadership coaching has been conducting with a range of Talking Talent clients, after the sessions, a spokesperson from Mondi said, “I can implement these new leadership techniques in my own meetings, and I know how to be less passively inclusive. I also know to work on my own self-awareness and actively ask for feedback.”

A spokesperson from Siemens added, “The inclusive leadership awareness session left us with a lot of insights and thought-provoking moments. Further, it has strengthened our resolve to (a) reflect more intensively upon our actions (b) role model the desired behaviours and (c) keep moving forward with our aspiration of not just accepting & valuing inclusion but also actively combating exclusion.”

The ongoing effects of lockdown and events of 2020 highlighted the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion in business more than ever before. Terms such as ‘allyship’ and ‘unconscious bias’ were entering discussions in and out of the boardroom. Allyship in particular was a breakout query, with Google searches of ‘allyship meaning’ increasing by more than 5000%. Some organisations rushed to support causes, and with little inside understanding, the statements backfired. Being an inclusive workplace means being representative of the wider population which can reduce the risk of inaccurately representing experiences.

Parke concludes, “The water-cooler, or rather the video call catchup, moments of 2020 were about issues way beyond television and the weather. Instead, many were looking at our own behaviours and how they may impact those around us. From there we also looked at our places of work and the part leaders have to play in creating a place where people can openly call out exclusive behaviours and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. Conscious inclusion is about developing your culture through purposeful and intentional actions to support and uplift others, acting consciously and conscientiously to create real and lasting change, naturally this type of workplace is spearheaded by an inclusive leader.”

 

News

How to be inclusive when hosting meetings or presenting online

Running a business would be simpler if everyone did things the same way, but we know just how different people are.

 

The increase in the use of Zoom during the pandemic provides a useful example, (other cloud-based video conferencing services are available). If you’re hosting a meeting, you merely login, click a few buttons, send out the invites, admit people as they arrive, and off you go.

 

Easy? Yes, for most of us.

 

The thing is, human minds produce an infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning, and for many living with neurodiversities and disabilities, online interaction is not always straightforward and stress-free. The good news for hosts of online gathering is that there are a few simple things that can help make the experience easier for more people.

 

Around ten percent of people in the UK have some degree of dyslexia. People with dyslexia can be extremely creative thinkers and skilled problem solvers, but they can experience difficulty with information that is written down as the order of letters in words can appear to be jumbled when they read.

What can you do to make slides clearer and easier to understand?

 

First, alter the background colour. Whether you choose pink, blue or green, doesn’t really matter, provided you avoid bright white. Also, include a strong contrast between the background colour and font colour.

Fonts should be simple. For online slides, you want Sans Serif, such as Arial or Helvetica or Verdana; Verdana was designed to be read on screens. Also, boost your font sizes, and avoid, reds, blues and greens, as people with colour-blindness might find it challenging to read.

 

For the layout, again, simple is best. Don’t squish things together or try to be too fancy. Your goal is effective communication, not winning a design award! Good line spacing is essential, and make sure ideas are also clearly separated and differentiated.

 

Those are a few ways to improve the experience of your online gathering for people with issues with written communication, but what about verbal communication?

 

70+ million people in the world stammer. Stammering can take three forms:

 

  1. Repeating sounds or syllables of a word
  2. Making sounds longer
  3. Words getting stuck and not coming out

 

People can work to ensure their stutter is manageable—Golden Globe winning actress Emily Blunt, and President Joe Biden are all proof of that—but many people who have issues with stammering can be triggered in moments of anxiety or tension. As an online host, you can take steps to reduce potential stress.

Rather than just picking on someone randomly to answer a question, after asking your question, say that before turning to (name the person) to share their thoughts you will give people a moment to consider the question. During interactive sessions, if you allow people to just call out, someone with a stammer may feel that because they are unable to get their words out quickly, they might be overlooked, and so remain silent. A way to mitigate this is either ask people to raise their hand, or ask them to write a comment in the chat box.

 

If someone in the meeting begins to stammer, patience is more helpful than jumping in to try to rescue them. Rather than attempting to fill in what they are saying, just listen without interrupting, giving them the space and time to say what they want. By doing this, you make it clear that there is value in their contribution, and that what they have to say is more important than how they are saying it.

 

You may want to give participants in your online event the opportunity to flag up any special requirements, and it is best to do this in advance, perhaps in the form of a survey that allows for anonymity, with the option to get in touch with you direct.

To recap, here are the things to avoid:

 

  • Too much text on a slide
  • Red, green and blue fonts
  • Glaring backgrounds
  • Lots of links and buttons to click on for a meeting
  • Singling out someone or rushing someone

 

Things to do:

 

  • Use a Sans Serif font
  • Use large font sizes
  • Contrasting background colour with font colour
  • Creating an anonymous survey so people can say what specialist requirements they need.

 

As a business owner or manager, you want to empower everyone you work with. Being inclusive in all your online presentations, webinars and meetings is a key element of this as is giving plenty of positive reinforcement by being attentive, patient and relaxed throughout.

 

By Kellie McCord, Toastmasters International

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kellie McCord is a member of Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organisation that has provided communication and leadership skills since 1924 through a worldwide network of clubs. There are more than 400 clubs and 10,000 members in the UK and Ireland. Members follow a structured educational programme to gain skills and confidence in public and impromptu speaking, chairing meetings and time management. To find your nearest club, visit www.toastmasters.org

 

 

News

Fighting diversity in fitness through Covid-19

A Plymouth entrepreneur who set up a completely new fitness experience, underpinned by her commitment to diversity and inclusion, has described how the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a “rollercoaster of emotions” as her business finally emerges from lockdown restrictions.

Nadia Millinship, a single parent of two children, founded Club Kombat in 2018. Originally solely based at Revolution in Derry’s Cross, Plymouth, a venue Nadia chose because of its accessibility for people with disabilities, Club Kombat combines kickboxing and mixed martial arts to create a high intensity, unique fitness workout. Each cardio interval – packed full of ‘Kombat’ moves – is followed by a strength training exercise to tone and build the entire body.

Under Nadia’s model, the venue is utilised with groups at different stations around the space, as instructors move through each group to support and coach each exercise safely and efficiently. Whistles are used over the music to alert everyone about the change, and visual cues allow everyone to be able to look and follow the movements. The sessions, which include regular appearances from DJs, have been a real hit.

“I wanted to set up a business where people from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds would be able to take part in a fitness class with a mix of kickboxing and combat moves to give a full body workout,” said Nadia, who has recently completed her Masters’ degree in Entrepreneurship for Creative Practice, specialising in embedded diversity in fitness, at Plymouth College of Art. “I did not want it to be just another fitness class as it was important to me that I broke down barriers to enable people from all backgrounds and situations to be able to benefit from better health and a more positive mindset as part of a wider inclusive community.”

Nadia made steady progress in her first 18 months, hosting fitness classes every Wednesday evening and building her Facebook community, and was even awarded a Diversity Business Incubator Champion Award in January 2020. However, with Covid-19 restrictions in place and the Revolution venue being temporarily closed, she adapted quickly to take her fitness offering online and host her classes from her back garden.

“Such an exceptional event forced me to pivot and make swift decisions to ensure that my offering remained relevant and to keep my business afloat,” Nadia explained. “This meant a change to how I structure my working week and also consider how my children could also feature positively in my content to demonstrate the role of fitness in improving physical and mental health for all the family. Ironically, however, the move online has got me closer to the digital delivery model that I previously had in mind because it enables anyone to access my classes, including those who have no childcare support. I have also had people on my online classes who have been recovering from Covid-19.”

Through this difficult period, Nadia has been supported by YTKO’s GrowSmart programme, a national online learning platform giving SMEs the knowledge, skills and insight to scale up their businesses, teaching practical ways to reach markets and increase sales and profitability, as well as maintaining and improving productivity, equivalent to an intensive two-week course. “This has forced me to focus more and prioritise the activities that will monetise quickly and also be even more entrepreneurial in my approach,” Nadia said. “But you also need to keep calm and carry on at times like this. By believing in yourself you can get through this – remember why you started it in the first place.”

With lockdown restrictions slowly being lifted, Nadia plans to resume her classes at Revolution as well as continuing her online provision. “I would like to see Club Kombat go from strength to strength within this online platform, as well as building my new Nadia K Coaching brand,” she revealed. “My aim is to continue online and create more opportunities for instructors to join my platform, offering more options for people especially those who are underrepresented. I will also be running events in the nightclubs, starting in Plymouth but with a plan to recruit ambassadors in different areas, bringing members of the community together through fitness. I have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions and have had to remain positive and resilient with the hope that all my efforts will pay off. But I am feeling excited about what lies ahead.”

Nadia is one of over 22,000 businesses and nearly 31,000 disadvantaged entrepreneurs to have been supported by YTKO over a 14-year period. Analysis of 36 funded programmes across the South West, South East, London, East of England and Midlands, published in March 2021, showed YTKO assisted 30,752 entrepreneurs (including 47% who were previously out of work, 44% in receipt of benefits and 27% with entry-level qualifications), and 22,508 growth-ambitious businesses. It also revealed that 51% of those supported by YTKO were female entrepreneurs and 20% Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicity (BAME), compared to national averages of an estimated 23% and 5% respectively. Overall, YTKO’s performance delivered a ‘conservative’ net impact of £282 million GVA, a £362 million triple bottom line impact and a ROI of £10.70 for every £1 invested.

“We are incredibly proud of achieving such high levels of both improved productivity and job creation, increasing the competitiveness of the UK economy during the longest period of economic uncertainty in the UK,” said YTKO Group CEO Bev Hurley CBE. “It also robustly demonstrates that financial and social exclusion can be overcome, and therefore how we are impacting directly on the levelling up agenda and left-behind places. We have addressed issues around gender diversity and the under-representation of both women and BAME, pioneering a more inclusive economy. For well over a decade, we have supported more women starting and growing businesses than men, in contrast to the national picture. I am so proud that, as an SME ourselves, our teams have delivered such a major impact through our social mission – but we are not stopping here.”

Please visit: https://www.ytko.com/