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Overview by Dr Vina S. Theodorakopoulou
In my view -and I am speaking as a non technologist, but a behavioural economist- technology exists to enable our species progress. It is debatable, however, whether this is what happens in practice; and slightly worrying once we reflect on the flurry of AI technology (over)production that fails to showcase a clear purpose and/or function.
Before I make an early ethics reference followed by a waterfall of criticism, I must admit: accessibility is the single core item I personally advocate for. Accessibility, whether digital, financial or employment-related. I believe in a society that has no interest whatsoever in erecting barriers to social integration. In -my- ideal world everyone is free to engage with the wider socio-economic-political infrastructure.
Not quite the world we live in, you’d agree. In the ‘real’ world, accessibility is far from a given. Collectively -and each one individually- the parameters of intersectionality tell a story of pervading accessibility challenges. With neurodivergence being GAIN’s (Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity) core area of engagement across the financial sector, our mission reflects this reality-
GAIN aspires to spark a radical improvement in the employment prospects of neurodivergent people in our industry.
A radical improvement can only be achieved if employers commit themselves to i) recruitment practices that have the ability to identify, attract and nurture cognitive diversity and ii) workplaces that support employees to realise their full potential rather than conform to a homogeneous line of working. Could we use technology to enable greater accessibility in the workplace and beyond? That’s what we debated on with Adam Tweed, AbilityNet, Connor Ward and Mat Taylor, Brain in Hand, as well as Paul Fox, TextHelp, during GAIN’s Technology events this month.
‘Technology is the enabler to lead the life I want to lead’ remarked Connor, acknowledging the range and impact of assistive technologies available to those workplaces that are actively committed to support their employees’ needs. But, how can an employer identify the wide range of needs given that each person -whether neurodivergent or not- has a unique set of characteristics, experiences and, hence, needs?
Communication is always the starting point to address this challenge.
ü being person-centric (namely user-centric in the tech space); a user panel may prove particularly helpful a way to evaluate the user experience and receive direct insight (-> better decision-making for the procurement department).
,whilst
ü listening to the wider community for those evolutionary pressures, challenges and trends.
Connor’s urging the industry to be “bravely innovative” resonated. “We are in a good space to innovate as a species […] and take the opportunity to shake up the scene”, he added, reminding us of the importance to keep pushing barriers in order to land to environments more accommodating to difference. It is not a mere ‘good to have’, but our moral responsibility to achieve this.
Employers have a duty of care towards their employees; and that is a firm call to action as a core “mission driver”, underlined Paul. Reflect on values, such as community, courage, and impact, to harness the power of anthropocentric education across the workplace. Ultimate goal being “everyone to understand and be understood” Paul succinctly noted.
AbilityNet, a pioneering UK charity with a global perspective that promotes the accessibility of digital technology is introduced through a bold lens by Adam: “we are working to put ourselves out of business”. With a firm focus “on barriers rather than conditions”, AbilityNet is steered by the social model that (digital) technology “should be available to everybody when needed”. And this is an excellent point that in practical terms turns ‘assistive’ into “adaptive technology”: a tool that interacts with the user in a progressive, two-way stream.
Accessibility is the quintessential quest: to level the playing field, we must make the digital world accessible to all. And this is the main challenge, according to TextHelp’s Paul Fox, for “there’s so many building blocks behind it [the digital world].” The good news is that people are no longer keen to tolerate a workplace that is not diverse; they often choose to leave a company if it fails to be representative of the society/community/client base it serves.
With innovation being a differentiator for business, argues Mat Taylor from Brain in Hand, we are called to engage with and utilise the skillsets of those cohorts that have been historically disadvantaged (not limited to the neurodivergent, this applies across the intersectionality equation). We may start by flexing the accommodations we offer to employees. It will offer a pathway to eradicate “the mental health complications of somebody who’s desperate to do their job, but is blocked by the set way they are expected to do it”, advised AbilityNet’s Adam Tweed.
The following practical tips may help overcome some of the frequently quoted challenges surrounding i) communicating neurodivergence and ii) endorsing adaptive technologies across the workplace-
Ask, don’t assume one’s need(s) for support
Don’t panic regarding the cost of assistive technologies
Assistive technologies are not expensive with the average adjustment costing ca. £75 pp and a wide range of free technologies/add ons.
Work your way progressively across the offerings scale
Starting with the free options (e.g. built-in dictation in Word) transition to paid packages (e.g. Dragon once limitations are identified.
Stop thinking, start doing
Overcome the fear factor, yet ask yourself ‘why am I adopting this tech?’. Rather than accepting defeat to unfounded tech phobia, treat assistive technology as a creativity catalyst
Embed a lean authorisation process for technologies that enable your workforce to achieve its full potential.
Further info:
https://www.texthelp.com/en-gb/ https://www.braininhand.co.uk/ https://abilitynet.org.uk/
Do check out AbilityNet’s Tech4Good awards, https://www.tech4goodawards.com/. An initiative that has been celebrating people-centric and diversity-enabling technologies.
Techshare Pro ‘23, Europe’s biggest accessibility and inclusion forum, will take place on 14-15 November (2023), https://abilitynet.org.uk/techsharepro.
by Dr Vina S. Theodorakopoulou
With a doctorate in behavioural economics and 25 years' experience across the wider financial services, Vina is a passionate advocate for diversity of thought in the workplace.
A polyglot who has led multi-disciplinary deal teams with focus on aligning deliverables with corporate values, Vina is a Supervisory Board Member and leads GAIN’s [Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity] individual member stream. GAIN's mission is to spark a radical improvement in the employment prospects of neurodivergent people in the financial sector.
Through both her professional endeavours and community-led initiatives, Vina aspires to an inclusive insurance and financial services industry that utilises talent, embraces neurodiversity and celebrates human potential.
To start a dialogue, you may email her at vina@gaintogether.org or contact her on LinkedIn
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