Neuroinclusive Sectors
Effective neuroinclusion is more than just a legal box-ticking exercise. Some of the most successful organisations across all sectors have adopted the most forward-thinking neuroinclusion strategies and initiatives. This is no coincidence.
“I truly believe that the world needs a neurodiverse workforce to help solve some of the big problems of our time, so it’s brilliant to see more and more leaders catching onto this too.” – Richard Branson
Why does neuroinclusion matter?
While overlooked in the past, the business case for neuroinclusion is now glaringly obvious: up to 20% of the UK population is estimated to be neurodivergent, but many avoid disclosing their disability for fear of discrimination or lack of understanding.
We need to see real change, where everyone benefits:
• Employees and stakeholders feel safe to be themselves, and thrive in environments tailored to their needs.
• Employers, managers and organisations reap the benefits of the diverse and dynamic teams they’ve invested in.
• Users can easily access the services they need.
• Products and services are designed and marketed for everyone.Not only do organisations that embrace this diversity see improvements in innovation, productivity and reputation – they also have a measurable impact on people’s lives.
My sector-focused solutions are designed for organisations that are ready to move beyond compliance and tap into the full potential of neurodivergent talent – whether you’re in housing, construction, finance, insurance, technology or professional services.
I work with organisations of all sizes and set-ups that want to invest in becoming field leaders in inclusive practice.
Housing
The Problem
There are no accurate stats on the number of neurodivergent people living in social housing, but if it follows other trends, it’s much higher than average:
54% of households in social housing contain at least one disabled person (while approximately 23% of the UK population has a disability).
12% of homeless people are autistic (vs 1% in the population as a whole).
Autistic people face the largest pay gap of all disability groups, receiving a third less than non-disabled people on average.
The Solution
The Result
Construction
The Problem
According to the National Federation of Builders, around 1 in 4 construction workers consider themselves neurodivergent, with many neurodivergent people actively seeking a career in this industry. And it’s no wonder – neurodivergent brains are wired to solve problems and challenges differently, and are often able to come up with creative adaptations and solutions when met with design challenges.
But despite this wealth of potential, the construction industry is significantly short on talent.
• Traditional cultures are hindering diversity and alienating neurodivergent talent.
• Poor communication and rigid processes are excluding and frustrating employees and customers.
Over 250,000 extra construction workers are needed by 2028 to meet the current demand.
36% of neurodivergent construction workers haven’t disclosed their disability at work.
38% of construction industry workers believe there’s no or very little empathy for the neurodiverse.
The Solution
The Result
Financial services and Insurance
The Problem
Financial and insurance firms are increasing their investment in skills, yet rapidly losing people. Some of the most in-demand roles in these industries are proving to be the hardest to fill, and organisations are under pressure to attract top talent and demonstrate inclusion.
Yet according to research by The Institute of Leadership & Management, half of leaders and managers surveyed said they would not employ someone who is neurodivergent.
That’s a real problem, because in the right environment, neurodivergent individuals demonstrate strong analytical and critical thinking skills, creativity and problem solving, and a greater ability to work under pressure on urgent tasks.
This lack of diversity is creating wider problems. Neurodivergent customers, who are typically more vulnerable to financial challenges and scams, find it harder to access the financial services they need. Poor communication and lack of reasonable adjustments could lead to financial harm, further isolation, and mental health problems.
• Discrimination and lack of neuroinclusion is leading to lost productivity, underperforming workplaces and poor public image.
• Bottlenecks and miscommunication across the customer journey are creating frustration, inefficiencies and reputational damage.
The Solution
The Result
Neurodiversity in the Tech industry
The Problem
Neurodiversity and tech often go hand in hand, and businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the unique skills and productivity gains neurodivergent colleagues can bring to the table. Neurodivergent employees can often spot problems that neurotypical colleagues might overlook, bringing an analytical approach and creative solutions and strategies for your business.
• But barriers to neuroinclusion mean that some companies are struggling to attract and retain star talent.
• Others are burning out and leaving. Not because of the workload, but because of the workplace.
• Products and services are unsuitable for neurodivergent users.
The Solution
The Result
Professional services
The Problem
Professional services firms have cottoned on to the benefits of neuroinclusion and are ready to invest in making workplace improvements in that direction. But rigid processes and practices mean they lack practical insights and lived experience.
• Groupthink, workplace culture and lack of neurodivergent voices are leading to loss of innovation, ideas and implementable solutions.
• You’re spending money on good intentions, but you’re not sure what you’re doing is working.
The Solution
The Result
What our Clients say
Councillor Chris Hayden
She went above and beyond and made the leaflet much more accessible to my target audience. She responded promptly and moved quickly to meet an incredibly tight deadline. Provided with bullet points and a general thrust of the intended outcomes Ruth went to task and composed a thoroughly well researched document written in a style that far exceeded my expectations. From start to finish I received a professional service. I could not be happier with the outcome or the time it took for delivery
Helen Pennant, First Secretary, Labour and Social Affairs, British Embassy, Paris
Ruth’s ideas [for the State visit event] showed a high degree of creativity e.g. in thinking up ways of making the event more coherent and relevant to the students. She has also introduced a number of innovative ways of managing information for the team such as electronic storage.
Trusted by organisations across sectors:
FAQ
Neuroinclusive service design is good service design.
According to Lou Downe, their are 15 principles of good service design. Due to cognitive and sensory challenges, the barriers that most service-users reluctantly endure can prevent us from using a service at all. This means we are really well placed for spotting any bottlenecks in the customer experience.
So the question isn’t how do you design services that are accessible for neurodivergent customers, but what can you learn from your neurodivergent customers about designing good services for everyone?
Principle 1
Be easy to find.
Principle 2
Clearly explain its purpose.
Principle 3
Set a user’s expectations of the service.
Principle 4
Enable each user to complete the outcome they set out to do.
Principle 5
Work in a way that is familiar.
Principle 6
Require no prior knowledge to use.
Principle 7
Be agnostic of organisational structures.
Principle 8
Require the minimum possible steps to complete.
Principle 9
Be consistent throughout.
Principle 10
Have no dead ends.
Principle 11
Be usable by everyone, equally.
Principle 12
Encourage the right behaviours from users and service providers.
Principle 13
Quickly respond to change.
Principle 14
Clearly explain why a decision has been made.
Principle 15
Make it easy to get human assistance.
Sensory-friendly service design means taking sensory sensitivities and hypo-sensitivities into account and making adjustments to accommodate them. This could mean tweaking the light, temperature, sound and materials, or overhauling information and communications.
Drawing on the insights of our panel of experts, we help you consider all sensory profiles when designing your services.
Barriers are often the result of a failure to consider the most appropriate medium, channel or format for what you want to achieve, or worse, changing it half-way through the process. This is compounded by a failure to clearly explain what the process entails and what your service-user needs to do.
Sometimes this is due to the wording used but more often than not it is due to the information not being readily accessible or visible in the first place. This can be because it is delivered verbally or is not displayed prominently in correspondence.
Get in touch – we have endless examples!
In physical spaces overlapping noise, ambiguous signage and confused sign-in process are just a few examples of the barriers faced by neurodivergent people when accessing services.
Every candidate is unique. We all have different sensory profiles, different talents and different ways of processing information.
An inclusive recruitment process anticipates a range of requirements, is flexible, and puts accommodations in place when required.
We draw on the experiences of our panel of experts to ensure all neurotypes are catered to and everyone feels welcome.
Instead of using “set” language, it’s worth understanding common neurodivergent communication struggles and adapting your job advertisements to them.
The good news is that often this simply means adopting plain English, which everyone appreciates! Avoid jargon and ambiguous requirements and be clear about what is a requirement and what is a “nice to have”.
Remember that many candidates will interpret your “essential” requirements very literally.
Be flexible.
We will give you honest feedback on your job descriptions and help you develop guidelines, glossaries, cheat sheets and templates to make neuroinclusive recruitment a breeze.
Reach out – we’re happy to support you with tailored advice, policy reviews, or a discovery call to get started.