Currently working on the central Staff Development team within the Culture Hub which sits in the broader People team, I have decided to develop my intervention to reflect part of the work we are developing on the Art of Management programme. This modular programme aims to equip managers at UAL with the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to support their teams in doing their best work and to succeed in their roles as line managers. The programme consists of six learning suites, one of which focuses on Inclusive Management. Currently, we offer four workshops within this suite: Inclusive Management Fundamentals, and roundtables on Anti-Racism, Trans and Non-Binary, and Disability and Neurodiversity.
Launched in November last year, the programme aims to continue evolving. Based on the feedback collected from the Inclusive Management sessions and discussions with our EDI consultant, it is clear that there is a significant demand for additional training and resources to better manage and accommodate neurodiverse staff members. Moreover, the latest staff survey revealed that neurodiverse staff members reported less positive experiences working at UAL. This highlights the need to improve the experience of neurodiverse individuals within the institution.
In addition to the workshop offerings, we are developing another learning activity for the Art of Management programme: the Line Manager Welcome Event. This event is intended for any line manager joining the organisation, as well as staff members newly appointed to a manager position. My team and I are currently working on the event’s outline and a Manager Induction Handbook. One of the initiatives I aim to implement is a guideline and resource summary of best practices for managers in supporting neurodiverse staff. While some policies and guidelines are already available on Canvas, effective communication remains a challenge within the institution. Therefore, I believe incorporating these resources into the Line Manager Welcome Event could have a positive impact in making sure line managers across UAL are directed to the available information and training.
Bibliography:
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CIPD- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2018). Neurodiversity at Work. Available at: https://www.cipd.org/globalassets/media/knowledge/knowledge-hub/guides/neurodiversity-at-work_2018_tcm18-37852.pdf#:~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cipd.org%2Fglobalassets%2Fmedia%2Fknowledge%2Fknowledge. (Accessed: 27/05/2024).
Day-Duro, E., Brown, G. and Thompson, J. (2020). Thinking Differently: Neurodiversity in the Workplace. Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a88ab00f43b552a84c3b7c9/t/5ef7af662801f1255ced9ee0/1593290657559/NeurodiversityWorkplace_REPORT.pdf. (Accessed: 27/05/2024).
Knowles, S. (2022) Building an inclusive workplace for neurodivergent employees. TLNT The Business of HR. Available at: https://www.tlnt.com/articles/building-an-inclusive-workplace-for-neurodivergent-employees. (Accessed: 27/05/2024)
Neurodiversity HUB. Available at: https://www.neurodiversityhub.org/resources-for-employers. (Accessed: 27/05/2024)