Supporting our neurodiverse colleagues

We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive organisation with a workforce that represents modern Scotland and reflects the clients we serve. This includes being a welcoming place to work for everyone.

Some of our colleagues identify as being neurodivergent which covers a wide range of conditions and we offer a range of support to help all colleagues reach their full potential at work.

We have an Accessibility Team who are on hand to ensure that everyone who needs extra support at work is able to access it.

The support we offer our neurodiverse colleagues takes both the type of work they do and their work environment into account.

Colleagues with ADHD have a selection of productivity tools available to them which may help them when periods of concentration are required to complete projects. We are also testing an innovative ‘Body Doubling’ programme – where people with ADHD can complete tasks with another person present in order to keep them on track. The doubling can either be in-person or through a video call – this technique has proved popular with 25 colleagues trying it. We are now looking to expand this programme to all neurodiverse colleagues in the near future.

There is a wide range of assistive technology that colleagues can have access to depending on their specific needs, including text-to-speech software and MindGenius, a project management tool.

Our head office in Dundee – Agnes Husband House – was designed with input from colleagues, stakeholders and people who use our service. This means that accessibility and inclusivity is at the heart of the design of the building.

We made a number of choices in designing the office space to be more inclusive of our colleagues and clients who are neurodiverse and we also updated elements of our Glasgow office to reflect these design choices.

LED lighting was installed across Agnes Husband House and was used to replace the fluorescent lighting in High Street. These provide warmer colour temperatures to provide a more comfortable environment and are more energy efficient.

Smaller meeting rooms had pendant lighting installed to give a more natural and less intense feel to these rooms. Meeting rooms have also been painted with neutral colouring to allow a more calming environment and there are smaller, private spaces that colleagues can use if they need to concentrate in a quieter environment or take a break from the busy workspaces.

We have building user groups where colleagues can share their feedback and suggestions to help us continue to improve inclusion within our buildings.

Supporting our colleagues who are neurodivergent is just one way we demonstrate our core values of dignity, fairness and respect in our workspaces.