Neuroinclusion boosts workplace spirit and connection to customers

Bank of Ireland's welcoming Neuroinclusion Strategy makes workplace more friendly for people with autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia

Launching Bank of Ireland's Neuroinclusion Strategy in Baggot Plaza, Dublin: Matt Elliott, chief people officer at Bank of Ireland, and Kirsty Cook, global director of neuroinclusion services at auticon. Photo: Conor McCabe

Creating a neuroinclusive workplace gives an employer access to a greater talent pool and boosts team spirit, say the HR leaders driving Bank of Ireland’s initiative to support neurodivergent colleagues and new job candidates.

For the past year, Bank of Ireland has partnered with specialist neurodivergence consultant auticon. The bank is using auticon’s Neuroinclusion Maturity Assessment (NIMA) process in an in-depth assessment of its policies, practices and employee experience.

The review has informed the bank’s efforts to become a more neuroinclusive workplace. Neurotypical people are the majority group. The neurodivergent group includes people with autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia, or those with ADHD or Tourette’s syndrome.

“We take a consulting approach,” said Kirsty Cook, global director of neuroinclusion services with auticon. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach with neurodivergence. “We conduct a review and we advise on practical things that people can put in place to make the environment as personal and as welcoming as possible.

“We talk to the entire staff and to neurodivergent people in particular. We help the employer improve the biggest gaps and help them develop a pathway tailored for all staff members.

“We have been working with Bank of Ireland for over a year. They are really inspiring in the level of engagement they’re going to with neurodiversity and inclusion. They have integrated neurodiversity into their ‘inclusion passport’, supporting identification and removal of barriers for colleagues.

“They’re also hosting training for neurodivergence ambassadors, who are available to support their fellow staff members. We are working with managers, developing practical supports for people with neurodivergent needs.” 

 For example, the bank has made changes to its environment to support the heightened sensitivity to sound and light experienced by some neurodivergent staff members.

Kirsty Cook has been working with Bank of Ireland on maturity assessments, eLearning, classroom training and consulting services to support its journey towards better neurodiversity inclusion.

Kirsty joined auticon as a job coach in 2017, but it was only after returning to work from maternity leave in 2022 that she realised she may be neurodivergent herself. At the age of 35, Kirsty was diagnosed with combined-type ADHD.

Kirsty says companies benefit hugely from creating an enhanced environment for neurodivergent workers.

“There is great loyalty among neurodivergent people for their employers and colleagues,” said Kirsty. “If a person has had a hard time fitting in elsewhere over their career, then finally finding a company that is making huge efforts to make them feel welcome inspires great loyalty.” 

Kirsty was in Dublin to attend Bank of Ireland’s recent launch of its Neuroinclusion Strategy. The event was also attended by Neale Richmond, Minister of State with responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail, Adam Harris, founder and CEO of the autism charity AsIAm, by Kurt Schoffer, CEO of auticon, and by Matt Elliott, chief people officer, Bank of Ireland.

At the event, the bank unveiled the findings of a nationwide poll conducted by Red C, which found that 48% of neurodivergent people have not disclosed their condition in work. The study was of the general workforce in Ireland, not an internal Bank of Ireland survey.

The survey found that almost 1 in 10 adults aged 18+ personally identify as being neurodivergent. Some 26% of adults aged 18+ say they are personally, or have an immediate family member who is neurodivergent.

Just under one-in-five adults in Irish workplaces believe that their company’s policies and practices support neurodivergent people.

The Bank of Ireland training initiatives aim to enhance awareness, and introduce a range of policy and process improvements including in recruitment, supports for new-joiners, and career development.

The bank has also conducted extensive research with DCU into removing barriers for neurodivergent people as they go from education into the workplace.

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. 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 brings a lot of personal experience to Bank of Ireland’s Neuroinclusion Strategy. His 14-year-old son is neurodivergent. 

“He speaks about it as being his ‘diffrability’. He doesn’t see himself as being different to anybody else,” said Matt. “My hope is that our approach will go beyond Bank of Ireland and have an influence elsewhere.” 

Bank of Ireland’s Neuroinclusion Strategy is part of its overall inclusive commitments. Investing in Ethnicity, an organisation that encourages greater ethnic diversity in the workplace, recently accredited the bank for its initiatives in relation to ethnic inclusion across its workforce.

The bank has taken a range of steps to monitor ethnicity at all stages of recruitment, creating dedicated talent programmes for career pathways, and providing unconscious bias training for all hiring managers.

“We want to create a workplace where everyone can thrive,” said Matt Elliott. “Our approach to neurodiversity is part of that strategy. Everyone has their own unique contribution to make.

“We have people working in the bank who do need supports to be able to be at their best. We want to be a great place to work, and we are doing everything we can to ensure we get the best from our people.

“This is very important both in terms of our colleagues and from a customer perspective. Our training also helps colleagues to be supportive of our neurodivergent customers.” 

Matt said that everyone at the bank has benefited a lot from the expertise that auticon has brought with practical changes to the workplace, e-learning, as well as research and performance insights.

“We have looked at the ways that managers can communicate and give more clarity with neurodiverse colleagues. Our Neuroinclusion Strategy is a practical document that, for example, sets out how we might bring in any expertise that might be needed,” he said.

The bank’s strategy document looks at how any necessary changes can be introduced over a period of time. If someone needs noise-cancelling headphones, that is taken care of immediately. Some changes are instant, others take more time.