A representative and inclusive workforce is what every modern-day organisation (says they) strives for, but unfortunately, research shows that 70% of UK employees have worked in a toxic environment at some point in their career. In this blog, we’ll be delving into an often-overlooked cultural prejudice. The Sutton Trust revealed that 29% of senior managers from working class families have been mocked for their accent at work. As someone with a strong Glaswegian accent, accent bias is a topic close to my heart. Our distinctive Scottish brogue often raises eyebrows or leads to assumptions about ..read more

How can we ensure we’re running an inclusive interviewing process so we don’t lose talent unnecessarily? What’s your current interviewing process and is it hurting or helping to meet your diversity and inclusion goals? Let’s be frank - it’s all very well to have good intentions where Diversity & Inclusion of talent pipelines is concerned, but if we’re not also considering how to implement an inclusive interviewing process as part of that hiring approach, then those efforts may as well go in the bin! In this excellent guide by D&I expert Jennie Child, we dive into the art and science o ..read more

LISTEN Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0FRssDsAUpx1WCbxDfvFoG Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-d-igest-a-diversely-podcast/id1607041648 What many of us have been told about autism is all wrong. The ‘autistic traits’ that are seen as typical don’t necessarily define everyone with autism. In this episode, we sit down with Louisa Van Vessem, Creative Business Strategist and Mentor at Ingenious Corner. Louisa shares her journey as a solo parent raising an autistic child while managing her own late-diagnosed autism at the age of 43, along with several other health ..read more

LISTEN Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0FRssDsAUpx1WCbxDfvFoG Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-d-igest-a-diversely-podcast/id1607041648 Dr. Roxy Manning didn’t initially realise how much race was impacting her experience as a black immigrant in the US, but she faced racism in numerous forms throughout her education - despite her aptitude for learning. The effects racism had on her education were exemplified when she wrote a brilliant paper which awarded Roxy an F, being told that “Black folks can’t write like that”. In this episode, Dr. Roxy Manning shares wi ..read more

LISTEN Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0FRssDsAUpx1WCbxDfvFoG Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-d-igest-a-diversely-podcast/id1607041648 Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-d-igest-a-diversely-podcast/id1607041648 Marie-Liesse Calméjane shares with us her powerful journey of resilience, in this episode. Marie-Liesse started her career in communications and marketing at Danone in France. After she moved with her family to Asia, Marie-Liesse’s fourth child was diagnosed achondroplasia, a rare genetic condition which is the most common form ..read more

LISTEN Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0FRssDsAUpx1WCbxDfvFoG Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-d-igest-a-diversely-podcast/id1607041648 Dyslexia affects one in five people. So why aren’t we talking about it more? In this episode, Joan Bohan, Founder of Dyslexia, Inc. chats with us about her story and how her organisation is raising awareness of how businesses can leverage dyslexia as an opportunity. Joan emigrated from the US to France 30 years ago. After her son was diagnosed with dyslexia, she founded Project “Dysnie” during her tenure at The Walt Disney Com ..read more

LISTEN Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0FRssDsAUpx1WCbxDfvFoG Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-d-igest-a-diversely-podcast/id1607041648 The NHS is the largest employer in the UK. Therefore it’s essential that it stays ahead when it comes to providing a working environment that’s inclusive and equitable. Paul Deemer is the Head of D&I at NHS Employers, and in this episode, we dive deep into how the NHS approaches D&I and his journey into the space. Paul shares the story of how he got into D&I, how D&I has changed over the past 20 years and how t ..read more

What does empathy mean to you? And how can it positively impact an inclusive recruitment process? In this blog we start to explore what shapes and forms empathy can take when it comes to recruitment through 8 quick tips. What does it mean for the candidate? How can you make sure you’re taking action through the sourcing, interviewing and hiring process? And what outcomes can you expect? Introduction In today's competitive job market, businesses are looking for ways to attract and retain top talent. One way to do this is to create a culture of empathy and inclusion in the hiring process. Empath ..read more

1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. So why is it so hard for so many people to get diagnosed? In this episode, we speak with Gary Grange about his work with The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity and his journey with his neurodivergent son. Gary’s son began to exhibit challenging behaviours at school during his teenage years caused by his ADHD and dyspraxia. Gary and his wife sought out a diagnosis for their son, but as many parents do, they faced an uphill battle. Their son was labelled as a ‘bad kid’ by the schools, and GPs didn’t recognise his conditions. Things began to change drasticall ..read more

Is D&I made too complicated? Isn’t it just about being kind, compassionate and accepting of the fact that people have different experiences? In this episode, we speak with award-winning LGBT+ change agent, Shaun Dellenty. He has been in the education sector since 1996 and is also a speaker, author, present and more. Despite his impressive list of credentials, Shaun sums up his role as ‘encouraging people to be the kindest, most compassionate version of themselves’. Shaun shares with us his story of how he got to where he is today. We learn about the response that Shaun received when he cam ..read more