Neurodiversity policy

• We provide neurodiversity awareness training for all employees.
• Any team member can take part in our diversity and inclusion discussions and play an active part in shaping our diversity and inclusion agenda.
• If someone discloses their neurodivergence, we ask if they want others in the organisation to know and keep it confidential if not.
• We make it clear on the Beyond Words website and social media channels that we welcome different thinking styles in our organisation.
• We consider that some of our clients may also be neurodivergent.

• We have inclusive job descriptions that avoid generic and cliched requirements such as ‘confident communicator’ or ‘highly organised’, if these skills aren’t essential.
• We provide a neuro-inclusive interview guidance document to all hiring managers to help them make sure the process is clear, adjustments are offered, and appropriate information is provided in advance. This includes:
  - Directions to the location of the interview and photographs of the entrance of the building.
  - A check that the interviewee is happy with the location of the interview.
  - The procedure for arriving at the interview location.
  - The names of the people who will be interviewing (with photographs) and information about what their role will be during the interview.
  - A clear timetable of events during the allocated interview time.
• We share the majority of interview questions in advance.
• We offer the option to have written-only interviews in certain circumstances.

• Before new employees start, we provide a video walk-through of the studio and what it’s like to work here.
• We provide a new starter guide on the Beyond Words intranet that covers commonly used terms, what people do for lunch, typical working times, and other company culture.
• We offer a buddy system, pairing neurodiverse employees with colleagues who can provide assistance and answer questions.
• We ask the new employee about any adjustment needs using a workspace preference questionnaire. And we make it clear what equipment can be requested.
• We work to understand individual challenges and strengths, using the following methods:
  - Visual strengths exercise
  - Manual of me (working styles, feedback preferences, communication styles)

• We offer a hybrid working environment where possible (if you're in a country which has a Beyond Words studio), where you can split your time between the studio and home.
• Working hours are seven hours a day, broken up by an hour for lunch and regular short breaks.
• We offer flexible start and end times to the working day.
• We encourage the use of noise-cancelling headphones if they help improve focus.
• We offer the option to have equipment to aid personal organisation, such as trays and filing drawers.
• We offer inclusive technology options - like colour filters for screens or assistive text software.
• We can provide written summaries of meetings or allow for recordings of meetings.
• We have a ‘Red flag’ policy – this is a safe word to mention to the Managing Partner or your line manager if your workload is at risk of being too much / causing you stress.

• Line managers schedule regular 1-1s with their reports to discuss projects, training and career progression. The employee’s preferred location or call format for 1-1s is taken into account.
• Appraisals are based on the individual and their performance and are qualitative rather than quantitative to accommodate different working styles.
• We have a resourcing board for the whole team that we use when deciding who to assign projects to balance the workload across the team and ensure everyone gets a variety of project experience.

• We encourage clear and direct communication among team members.
• We have multiple options for communication, such as Slack, Google Meet calls (with or without a camera), email and in-person meetings.
• We give as much notice as possible of meetings going in and of schedule changes to meetings.
• We attempt to avoid last-minute requests and try to avoid asking employees to quickly absorb and respond to new information. We provide time and support when change is unavoidable.
• We allow for extra time on projects for people with neurodiverse needs.
• We make clear any project deadlines.
• We try to understand and adapt to different working styles (e.g. preferences to be immersed in one project or work on a variety of projects at once).