We recognise the immense value of diversity in the workplace. From different backgrounds and experiences to unique perspectives and abilities, diversity fuels innovation, creativity, and productivity.
There has been a growing awareness of the importance of neurodiversity – the natural variation in how individuals think, learn, and process information – in the workplace. As we celebrate Neurodiversity Celebration Week, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how we can move from awareness to action and truly integrate neurodiversity into our workplaces.
Research has shown that neurodiverse teams can offer several benefits to the workplace. These include:
1. Increased Innovation:
Neurodiverse individuals often tend to think outside the box, leading to innovative solutions and approaches.
2. Enhanced Problem-Solving:
Different cognitive styles can lead to more powerful problem-solving processes, as neurodiverse teams bring a variety of viewpoints and strategies to the table.
3. Greater Creativity:
Neurodiverse individuals may have unconventional thinking patterns that spark creativity and foster a culture of innovation.
While awareness of neurodiversity is crucial, it’s equally important to take tangible steps towards integrating neurodiversity into the fabric of your business. Here are some strategies to consider:
1. Education and Training:
Provide training sessions to employees to raise awareness and understanding of neurodiversity. This can help reduce stigma and foster a culture of acceptance and inclusion.
2. Accessible Recruitment Practices:
Review your recruitment processes to ensure they are inclusive of neurodiverse candidates. We work alongside our clients to offer alternative application methods to accommodate different communication styles.
3. Compromises and Support:
Implement reasonable compromises to support neurodiverse employees in their roles. This could include flexible work arrangements, assistive technologies, or personalised workspace adjustments.
4. Mentorship and Peer Support:
Establish mentorship programs or peer support networks to help neurodiverse employees navigate the workplace and develop their skills. Encourage open communication and collaboration among team members.
5. Promote Neurodiversity Celebration Week:
Use Neurodiversity Celebration Week as an opportunity to showcase your commitment to inclusion and diversity. Host events, workshops, or guest speakers focused on neurodiversity awareness and acceptance.
Embracing neurodiversity is not only the right thing to do but also the smart thing to do. By recognising and celebrating the unique strengths and talents of neurodiverse individuals, we can create more innovative, inclusive, and successful workplaces. Let’s continue to move from awareness to action and make neurodiversity integration a priority.
In honour of International Women’s Day 2024, Impact’s co-founder Jules Dosne spearheaded a compelling Vodcast featuring Dipti Shah, the Founder of Conscious Rebel Leadership.
Their dynamic conversation delved into the vital topic of allyship, branching out to explore Dipti’s remarkable journey as a woman of colour operating at the helm of leadership in the global media landscape.
Our Vodcast also features as part of UpliftHER’s global series – hearing from inspiring women around the globe on IWD.
Click here to watch our International Women’s Day Podcast with Jules Dosne and Dipti Shah and don’t forget to comment your thoughts!
In a rapidly evolving business landscape, businesses are seeking ways to futureproof their operations and ensure sustainable growth. As one of London’s top ethical recruitment partners, we guide our clients on a journey toward building inclusive teams that thrive on creativity, collaboration, and collective brilliance.
We’re here to guide and explore the power of diversity in talent acquisition and share actionable insights to inspire and futureproof workforces while creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered.
Diversity encompasses a broad range of factors, including gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural background. By embracing diversity in the workplace, we can create a culture that is rich in ideas, perspectives, and experiences, leading to enhanced performance and success that benefits all.
Innovation and Creativity:
Diverse teams bring together individuals with unique perspectives, experiences, and problem-solving approaches, leading to the development of innovative ideas and solutions that drive competitive advantage.
Enhanced Employee Engagement and Retention:
A culture of inclusivity and belonging cultivates higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. Employees who feel valued and respected for their individuality are more likely to remain loyal to their employers, reducing turnover rates and the associated costs of recruitment and training.
Broader Talent Pool Access:
By prioritising diversity in recruitment practices, organisations can tap into a broader talent pool, attracting top-tier candidates from diverse backgrounds. This not only enhances the quality of hires but also ensures that companies remain competitive in the talent market.
As a recruitment company committed to futureproofing talent, we advocate for the following strategies to help businesses harness the power of diversity:
Redefine Recruitment:
Ditch the one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment. Embrace inclusive practices like blind screening and diverse candidate sourcing to ensure every voice has a chance to be heard.
Nurture Inclusivity:
Cultivate a culture where diversity isn’t just celebrated—it’s woven into the fabric of everyday interactions. Create safe spaces for dialogue, promote empathy, and champion authenticity.
Lead by Example:
Diversity starts at the top. Ensure leadership teams reflect the diversity you wish to see in your business. When leaders embrace inclusivity, it sets the tone for the entire company.
Continuous Learning:
Invest in diversity training and education to raise awareness of unconscious bias and promote cultural competence. Provide employees with the tools they need to navigate diverse perspectives with grace and empathy.
By embracing diversity in all its forms, organisations can build teams that are not only resilient and innovative but also compassionate and inclusive. Contact our specialist ED&I team today to embark on a journey of growth, empowerment, and collective brilliance.
An Impact breakfast interactive workshop for Office Support Clients
As part of our Social Impact commitment, we were excited to host our Office support clients for an interactive breakfast workshop. This was an hour-long session delivered by Talent and Inclusion Recruiter – Daniel Asaya and organised by our Head of Support (Michelle Davies) and Temp Manager (Denise Watson).
The aim of the workshop was to improve our clients’ understanding on workplace stereotyping, its effects in the workplace and ways to reduce it. We also explored topics around privilege and how to be a supportive ally.
What is workplace stereotyping?
Workplace stereotyping is a fixed, overgeneralised belief about a person or group of people. This stereotype may be based on your past experience with someone of a similar age, gender, ethnicity, background, education, etc., or your cultural biases and prejudices (which we all have).” Brent Watson
Privilege: What it means and doesn’t mean
“If you get upset when someone points out that you have privilege, that probably means you don’t fully understand what privilege is.” – Maisha Johnson
How to be a supportive ally
In a 2016 tweet, Kayla Reed co-founder and executive director of Action St. Louis (a grassroots racial justice organisation that seeks to build political power for Black communities in the St. Louis, Missouri, region of the United States), laid out what it means to be an effective ally:
A – always centre the impacted
L – listen & learn from those who live in the oppression
L – leverage your privilege
Y – Yield the floor
Franchesca Ramsey also explained 5 tips to becoming an ally in this short YouTube video
A big thank you to all our guests and we look forward to continuing this important conversation in our upcoming events. If you are interested in joining our future discussions, please email daniel.asaya@impact-london.com
This #AntiBullyingWeek we look at how to identify and prevent workplace bullying to create a positive working environment for all.
Workplace bullying is repeated, and perverse behaviour directed towards an employee or group of employees that creates a risk to mental health and well-being in the workplace.
Bullying can happen in any type of workplace, and to people in any type of role from part-time employees to CEOs.
It can also take lots of different forms, from verbal or physical abuse to online harassment and in some cases can extend to out-of-work-hours harassment.
It is important to note that single incidents of unreasonable behaviour are not considered bullying. However, it is still important to deal with these issues correctly and monitor them accordingly.
For more information on dealing with workplace bullying, head to the National Bullying Helpline webpage.
Inclusive Hiring Workshop at Impact
Impact are huge advocates of driving positive change around Diversity & Inclusion within the media and creative industry and we consistently welcome the opportunity to enhance our skills.
A huge thank you to Jennie Child who facilitated a fantastic and informative session with our team last week. Jennie is DEI specialist for Recruitment Network, an ex Talent Acquisition Director within WPP agencies and she now runs her own diversity consultancy, Balance.
Collaborating in small groups, we firstly took the time to acknowledge the barriers and bias that feeds into the hiring process. Guided by Jennie, our focus was then spent discussing positive solutions and how we can continue to positively influence our clients through the recruitment process.
We shaped our thoughts with:-
We wrapped up by creating a clear action plan that is both achievable to consistently deliver on and importantly, aligns with our values. Thanks again to Jennie for helping us stop and reflect on this important topic.