48% of neurodivergent people have not disclosed their condition in work, according to Red C poll
- Almost 1 in 10 adults 18+ personally identify as being neurodivergent
- 26% of adults 18+ say they are personally, or have an immediate family member who is, neurodivergent
- Just under one-in-five adults who are working believe that their company’s policies and practices support neurodivergent people
- Bank of Ireland launches training for all colleagues to enhance awareness, and introduces a range of policy and process improvements including in recruitment, supports for new-joiners, and career development
- “How we better support neurodivergent people in education, the workplace and wider society requires a joined-up effort and focused action. We want to create an inclusive and supportive workplace for all of our colleagues – and one where all people applying for a role or coming to work for us feel welcome and valued at every stage of the process.” – Matt Elliott, Chief People Officer, Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland has today launched its Neuroinclusion Strategy including a suite of policies and process improvements to support neurodivergent colleagues and candidates. In line with its ambition to be one the best places to work, Bank of Ireland aims to become one of the most neuroinclusive organisations in the country.
Nationally representative research conducted by Red C revealed that, of those who identified as being neurodivergent and are working, just under half have not disclosed their condition to their employer (48%) and a similar percentage (45%) feel that their workplace is not inclusive*.
In the area of policies and practices, just under one in five of all people surveyed (19%) believe that their company’s policies and practices support neurodivergent people. The survey revealed that 9% of the population aged 18+ identify as neurodivergent, half of whom are diagnosed and the other half are self-assessed. This compares to a global average of approximately 15-20%. It is widely understood that there is under-reporting of neurodivergent conditions in both the population and the workplace due to factors including lack of understanding and awareness as well as the risk of stigma.
Among those who identified as neurodivergent the most common conditions are Autism Spectrum Condition (34%), Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (34%), Dyslexia (18%) and Dyspraxia (8%).
Bank of Ireland aims to become one of the most neuroinclusive organisations in the country, and is introducing a range of policies and practice improvements to support neurodivergent colleagues and candidates in three key areas: Understanding, Infrastructure and Culture.
Neale Richmond, TD, Minister for Employment Affairs, said: “Ireland is a great place to work and I want to see workplaces adapt to include all of those who have an important contribution to make to our businesses and to our economy. I welcome the launch of Bank of Ireland’s Neuroinclusion strategy as it is vital that large employers are representative and inclusive of the entire population in order to better serve their customers and communities”.
Matt Elliott, Chief People Officer, Bank of Ireland, said: “How we better support neurodivergent people in education, the workplace and wider society requires a joined-up effort and focused action. When a national survey tells us that just half of people feel that their place of work is inclusive of neurodivergent people, and only one-in-five are aware of their employer’s policies or practices to support neurodivergent people, it is clear much more needs to be done.
“As one of the largest employers in the country we have a responsibility to get this right. We want to create an inclusive workplace where all people applying for a role or coming to work for us feel welcome, supported, and valued. We are taking some practical steps and making improvements to our colleagues’ and managers’ understanding, the physical and operational infrastructure and our culture to make our organisation one of the most neuroinclusive in the country.
“Talent is everywhere. People don’t all look, sound, or think the same way. In making Bank of Ireland a more inclusive place to work, we are also building a company that is better equipped to serve all of our customers and to make a positive contribution to wider society”.
Bank of Ireland has partnered with the globally recognised organisation auticon, a specialist technology consulting business and social enterprise, that helps companies become a destination for neurodivergent talent. Working with auticon and using its Neuroinclusion Maturity Assessment (NIMA) process, Bank of Ireland conducted an in-depth assessment of its policies, practices and employee experience. The findings from this wide-ranging assessment helped to inform the actions the Bank is taking to become a more neuroinclusive workplace.
Global CEO of auticon, Kurt Schöffer, said: “Over the last 15 years, we have seen, through auticon’s proven global success, that creating a neuroinclusive working environment isn’t just good for the individual, it’s good for everyone. Expanding our offering into Ireland presents a huge, and exciting opportunity to bring widespread understanding of the exceptional skills and talents that neurodivergent people have to offer, along with working with organisations to create workplaces where they can thrive. Everyone stands to benefit. Our Neuroinclusion Services are crucial to facilitating this and we are so delighted to be partnering with Bank of Ireland – an organisation that shares our passion for showcasing the strengths of neurodivergent talent.”
Bank of Ireland has announced that it will partner with the DCU School of Inclusive and Special Education to continue to learn and understand neurodivergence in education and the workplace through the latest academic research. The first research project, a six-month study, will commence in September 2024. In the longer term, the partnership with DCU will extend to conduct four pieces of co-funded research concerning different aspects of neurodivergence.
Notes to Editors:
Terminology: Neurodiversity means the difference in how people’s brains process information. Neurotypical people are the majority group, with respect to their information processing. On the other hand, neurodivergent group members’ processing differs from the majority (and often each other), sometimes in ways that substantially affect daily life. Autistic, dyslexic and dyspraxic people, or those with ADHD or Tourette’s syndrome, could all be described as neurodivergent – though individuals many not identify in that way.
Bank of Ireland’s Neuroinclusion Strategy initiatives include:
Understanding – To build awareness and understanding on neurodiversity and neuroinclusion by:
- Providing all colleagues with a foundational level understanding of neurodiversity and empowering them to educate themselves with available resources.
- Training People Managers to have confident conversations about neurodiversity and understand where to access support.
- Providing neuroinclusion training for customer-facing colleagues so needs of neurodivergent customers are served consistently well.
Infrastructure – To develop operational infrastructure for Neuroinclusion through:
- Language guides, support avenues, resources and diagnosis support.
- Revised and improved processes on attraction, recruitment, onboarding, accommodations and career development.
- Assessment of colleague and customer physical environments and adaptation for neuroinclusion.
Culture – To create an environment that values neurodiversity by:
- Changing perceptions, reducing stigma and valuing the strengths of neurodiversity.
- Embedding an ethos that everyone is different by introducing an Inclusion Passport to encourage communication of needs.
- Actively including neurodivergent voices in decision-making.
Red C Research methodology:
Online research was conducted with n=1,002 adults aged 18+ living in the Republic of Ireland. Respondents were recruited using RED C Live, RED C’s own online panel of over 40,000 members. Quota controls were used to ensure a nationally representative sample of ROI adults aged 18+, with interlocking quotas to provide extra confidence in sample profile. Fieldwork for this research took place between 29th February and 5th March 2024.
*In the case of those from the nationally representative sample who have identified as being neurodivergent and working, the sample referenced is 47 people from the total sample.
Autism and neurodiversity resources: