Collaborative Masterclass: Inclusion in the workplace
The latest Collaborative Masterclass provided leaders with an opportunity to explore inclusion in the workplace, develop a greater understanding of neurodivergence and consider how organisations can become more inclusive employers.
Featuring contributions from Laurence Turner, Head of Research and Policy at GMB, Jon Salmon and Holly Sutcliffe, the session brought together a range of neurodivergent voices who shared their personal experiences and perspectives on creating inclusive workplaces.
The masterclass began with an exploration of neurodiversity in the workplace led by Laurence Turner. He shared key facts about neurodiversity and highlighted the discrimination that neurodivergent individuals can still face at work. His session encouraged participants to consider:
- How organisations can think differently to better support colleagues.
- Practical ways to support neurodivergent team members.
- Reasonable adjustments that can be made, particularly for those without a formal diagnosis.
Participants then heard from mental health campaigner Jon Salmon, who spoke openly about his personal experience of dyslexia in the workplace. His session explored how employers and colleagues can better understand and support people with dyslexia.
Key messages included:
- Around one in ten people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.
- It is important to recognise the different thinking skills that people with dyslexia bring.
- Dyslexia should be reframed positively, empowering individuals to utilise their strengths.
To conclude his session, Jon shared his top tips for workplaces looking to better support colleagues with dyslexia:
- Take time to understand what dyslexia means for each individual.
- Encourage and support colleagues with dyslexia.
- Consider how recruitment processes may affect neurodivergent applicants.
- Listen and respond, recognising that different people require different forms of support.
The final speaker, neurodivergent advocate Holly Sutcliffe, shared what she described as “not the autistic experience, but an autistic experience.”
Holly reflected on her journey to receiving an autism diagnosis later in life, following her efforts to secure support for her autistic daughter. Through her powerful personal story, she highlighted several ways organisations and colleagues can help neurodivergent individuals thrive:
- Listen to others.
- Show acceptance and understanding.
- Be accommodating.
- Celebrate individual strengths and differences.