2025 Workforce Trends Every Communicator Needs to Know
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
We’ve reviewed insights from leading organisations, including Great Place to Work, Top Employer, Make Work Better, Gallup, Mercer, and more. We’ve identified the six key trends shaping workplace culture, and how communicators can play a pivotal role in supporting these trends.
1. Changing workforce demographics
As the workforce spans more generations than ever, the growing generational gap could lead to intergenerational tensions.
How communicators can help:
Earlier in the year we explored the communications challenges that can cause friction between different generations. Check out our practical guides on unravelling ageism, improving collaboration between generations, shifts in language, channels and communications format and hear from experts on how the multigenerational workforce can be united.
2. Creating Neuroinclusive workplaces
With greater awareness of neurodiversity, organisations are recognising the value of different ways of thinking. To unlock this potential, workplaces need to become more neuroinclusive.
How communicators can help:
Explore how to create neuroinclusive work environments or sign up to this event on the 10 January with Autism Unlimited, to learn practical steps and strategies to foster a neuroinclusive workplace culture.
3. Adapting to evolving technology
While technology promises greater efficiency, it also risks overwhelming employees if not managed carefully. Adding new communication channels without retiring outdated ones can lead to digital overload.
How communicators can help:
Discover how to identify and address communication overload in your organisation. Read this article for practical fixes and insights into improving digital body language for more meaningful, productive interactions.
4. Focusing on sustainability and ESG
The climate crisis demands urgent action, and organisations need to actively engage employees in their sustainability and ESG efforts. There’s no room for “climate fatigue.”
How communicators can help:
In this research, we discovered how different generations talk about climate and sustainability so that we engage employees and create a culture of sustainability.
To carry on the conversation in 2025, join our Green Monday sessions to hear from sustainability and comms leaders on how they are engaging their communities.
5. Strengthening belonging and inclusion
Everyone deserves to feel safe, included, and free to be themselves at work. Accessibility plays a vital role in creating an inclusive environment where everyone can fully engage and contribute.
While progress in DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) has accelerated, there’s still much work to do – especially as rising workplace loneliness highlights the gaps in creating truly connected and supportive cultures. Accessible communication can help to ensure no one is left out, fostering a sense of belonging that goes beyond physical and digital barriers.
How communicators can help:
For communications to be impactful and inclusive, they must also be accessible. Give everyone the same access to your comms with our practical advice on levelling up accessibility in your communications
6. Prioritising health & Wellbeing
Declining employee wellbeing continues to raise alarm bells – from burnout and mental health challenges to rising cancer rates and reduced physical activity.
How communicators can help:
Take the first step in building a culture of wellbeing. Read our guide for practical strategies, or explore how to support employees living with cancer.
As we approach 2025, fostering a workplace culture that is healthy, safe, and inclusive has never been more critical. If you’re looking for expert support to develop internal communications strategies that engage and empower your workforce, we’re here to help.
B Corp insights: Delivering and scaling impact
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
B Local Surrey is a network run by local B Corps, fostering a community of purpose-driven businesses and individuals committed to building a better world. It brings together certified B Corps and those aspiring to join the movement through networking and information-sharing events, empowering businesses to grow their impact.
At the newly B Corp-certified Denbies Wine Estate, this vibrant community gathered for an inspiring conversation on scaling up and doing business better. A quick show of hands revealed a diverse audience – seasoned B Corps, newly certified businesses, and those curious about joining the movement.
The keynote speakers, Anuradha Chugh, former CEO of Pukka and B Lab UK Board Member, and Douglas Lamont, CEO of Tony’s Chocolonely and former CEO of Innocent, shared powerful stories of leading purpose-driven brands.
Putting purpose at the heart of business
Anuradha spoke passionately about building a culture that sustains purpose through growth, challenges, and change. She likened it to being a farmer – constantly tending, listening, and nurturing the culture of the business to ensure values are deeply rooted. Her reflections on how purpose, culture, and courage intersect were a reminder that real solutions often emerge from within, empowering teams to lead the way.
Douglas took us on a journey into Tony’s Chocolonely’s mission to eradicate exploitation in the cocoa industry. He reminded us that being mission-first isn’t just a business strategy; it’s a way to drive systemic change. Through innovation, like sharing their open supply chain, Tony’s Chocolonely exemplifies how a purpose-led model can be both impactful and profitable.
Showcasing local B Corps
Members from of our Surrey B Corp community also shared their inspiring stories. Tad Ostrowski from Artington Legal explored the balance between time, cost, and quality, emphasising how aligning your values with how you spend your time can maximize your impact.
Kate Gibson of Gibson Games reflected on her family business’s 100-year legacy of creating joy and connection, sharing that consistent, everyday actions toward positive change are often what drives the greatest impact.
Dan Webber from Chimney Fire Coffee shared how they build equitable supply chains through long-term farmer partnerships. By staying true to the business’s founding mission of fairness and sustainability, they’ve maintained their values while growing the business.
Finally, Matthew Wood from Millwood addressed wellbeing in the construction industry, a field known for its challenges. He discussed how even small efforts – like trying to do just 1% more – can lead to significant and transformative changes.
Key insights for driving and scaling impact
Here are some standout takeaways from the event speakers on scaling impact effectively:
- Drive culture: A mission-led culture attracts top talent and motivates teams to achieve extraordinary results. It creates a positive cycle: purpose draws in exceptional people, who drive success and amplify impact, which in turn attracts even more talent. Culture is the foundation of impact.
- Collaborate for solutions: Form coalitions and explore partnerships, even with competitors, to address shared challenges. Movements like B Local Surrey demonstrate the power of collective effort and knowledge sharing.
- Aim to inspire others: Look for solutions that are clear, simple, and easy to replicate that can scale beyond your business or the B Corp movement. By empowering others to adopt your approach, you amplify your impact.
- Have patience: Change rarely follows a straight path – it ebbs and flows like the tide. With persistence and purpose, even small steps build momentum over time.
- Bring joy to your mission: People respond to connection and positivity, not lectures. Communicating your purpose in an engaging, relatable way encourages action and builds understanding.
- Sign the Better Business Act: Commit to driving change at a systemic level by supporting initiatives like the Better Business Act, which aims to ensure all businesses prioritise people and the planet alongside profit.
These are undeniably challenging economic and globally turbulent times, testing the resolve and potential of purpose-driven businesses. But staying transparent and honest – both with your team, customers, suppliers and wider community – is vital. Sometimes, protecting your mission may mean making tough decisions, like scaling back projects that don’t fully align with your impact goals. What matters is staying true to your values, making a difference where you can, and being upfront about the challenges along the way.
What’s next?
For more opportunities to connect and collaborate, join the B Local Surrey LinkedIn group. Plans are already underway for the next B Corp Month event in March.
And for another dose of inspiration, save the date for Green Monday on 20 January 2025, where we’ll transform Blue Monday into a day of sustainability and optimism. Packed with networking sessions and thought-provoking panels, this event is designed to inspire action. Find out more.
How can we support employees living with cancer?
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
One in two people will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. This means cancer is likely to impact us all at some point – whether we receive a diagnosis or know someone facing cancer.
In the UK alone, 890,000 working-age people are living with cancer, and around 700,000 are balancing work while caring for a loved one with the disease. However, half of those living with cancer are afraid to tell their employers and over a third feel isolated at work during their cancer journey.
At such a difficult time, people should feel supported by their employers and colleagues – not afraid to share their diagnosis and left feeling like they aren’t receiving the support and flexibility they need.
Joined by Lindsay Bridges, Global Head of HR at DHL Supply Chain and Anna Dunn, Associate at Working With Cancer, our CEO, Sally Pritchett, started an honest and insightful conversation about how we can better support employees living with cancer.
What common challenges do those living with cancer face in the workplace?
One of the biggest challenges around cancer is the misunderstanding it creates, both for the person facing it and their employer. Until someone experiences diagnosis and treatment, it’s hard to know what recovery will be like. Cancer recovery isn’t linear – everyone responds in their own way and with different emotions. Understanding this can help create a more supportive and empathetic environment for those going through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
What can employers do to better support employees facing cancer?
Understand that everyone’s situation is different
Cancer recovery isn’t the same for everyone. People with similar diagnoses can still experience very different emotions, treatments and challenges. This makes having a standard ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy difficult.
While it’s important to have a workplace policy, employers should also guide colleagues on who they can talk to and what processes are in place, and provide flexibility to meet each individual’s needs. Offering a clear, open line of communication can help reduce stress and create a supportive environment during an already challenging time.
Give your managers clear guidance
Equip line managers with the tools and information they need to confidently support team members facing a cancer diagnosis. Clarify what support your company provides, let them know their role in supporting the employee (versus the responsibilities of HR) and provide helpful resources. This not only ensures employees receive the support they need, but also helps them feel less like a burden, knowing managers are prepared to offer the right support.
Consider creating a guide for managers or running training sessions to help line managers within your company feel more confident handling these sensitive situations.
Support employees with their return to work
After cancer treatment ends, many people face a new set of emotions – loss of identity, a lack of confidence and fear of recurrence. While they may want to return to normality, navigating these feelings can be tough, and added pressure from employers can make it harder. Compassion and open communication are key during the return-to-work period.
When discussing an employee’s return to work, it’s important to ask how they’re feeling and what feels right for them. Let them lead the conversation so they can be honest about what feels right for them. Just like treatment, the post-treatment phase is not the same for all. A phased return to work period of at least 12 weeks can help employees ease themselves back into work and rebuild their routine without feeling overworked or overwhelmed.
How can employees better support their colleagues who are facing cancer?
Give people control
When someone is facing cancer, they may feel a loss of control. Asking how they’d like to discuss their diagnosis and treatment – or if they want to talk about it at all – can help them regain some control by setting their own boundaries. It’s important to respect their wishes and follow their lead on how open they want to be.
This conversation should continue after treatment too, so you can continue supporting them in the right way for them. Asking simple questions like “How’s your health?” allows someone to choose how much they want to share and whether they want to discuss their cancer moving forward.
Treat your colleagues as you normally would
Cancer doesn’t define a person, and many may not want to be seen only through that lens. Treat your colleagues as you normally would, while being mindful of their needs and how they’ve said they’d like to talk about their cancer.
A quick call or message to check in can mean a lot, but remember – there’s more to their life than cancer. Keep conversations balanced, acknowledging their interests and experiences beyond their diagnosis, so they continue to feel recognised for who they are beyond their diagnosis.
Think about what you say
It’s normal to feel unsure about what to say to someone facing cancer. A simple acknowledgement, like ‘I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry,’ can be enough. Avoid making assumptions about their journey or suggesting treatments, as everyone’s experience is unique.
Let the language that they use guide you – some people may feel empowered by using language like ‘battling’ or ‘fighting’ cancer, while others might prefer to say they are ‘living with cancer’. Respect their chosen language and be sure to support them in a way that feels right for them.
Advice for colleagues and employers who want to better support those living with cancer
There are lots of amazing resources available to help you better support someone living and working with cancer. Charities like Macmillan offer online communities and advice specifically for those supporting a loved one, friend or colleague through their cancer journey. Organisations like Working With Cancer can help employers and employees, employers to manage cancer and work.
For employers, offering training about cancer recovery can help teams better understand what someone may be experiencing. This awareness helps them offer more compassionate and informed support, creating a more understanding, supportive and empathetic work environment for everyone involved.
If you want to make your workplace fairer, healthier and happier by better supporting your employees living with cancer, we can help. Get in touch to find out how we can help you educate your workforce and create a culture of care and support.
Tune in: Supporting employees living with cancer
Employee Wellbeing Calendar 2025
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Download your free Employee Wellbeing Awareness Days Calendar for 2025.
Stay committed to your employees’ health and wellbeing in 2025 with our free downloadable calendar that highlights key health and wellbeing dates and events.
Why Employee Wellbeing Matters
Engaging your employees and delivering important health and wellbeing communications is an ongoing process that requires consistent attention throughout the year. Recent statistics reveal a concerning trend: global workplace wellbeing is declining, with a staggering 78% of employees reporting that work stress has negatively impacted their physical health.The role of employers in addressing this issue is increasingly clear and crucial. A overwhelming 93% of employees believe their employer is responsible for helping them manage their mental health.
Encouragingly, 89% of employees report that their company’s leaders openly discuss their own mental health, indicating that discussions around wellbeing in the workplace are becoming more commonplace and expected. This shift highlights the growing importance of prioritising employee wellbeing as an integral part of organisational culture and strategy.
How Can Our Calendar Help You?
- Comprehensive Planning: Helps you plan your employee wellbeing programmes for 2025.
- Key Dates: Includes important health and wellbeing celebration and awareness dates throughout the year to keep your business on track.
- Conversation Starters: Provides top tips for initiating important discussions about health and wellbeing with your employees, encouraging healthier behaviors and breaking down stigmas.
If you find this calendar useful, then check out our Diversity and Inclusion Calendar and Sustainability and Environmental Awareness Calendar.
If you’re looking for a partner to help you roll out your employee health and wellbeing programmes, we’d love to hear from you.
Download our Employee Wellbeing calendar
Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2025
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Download your free Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Days Calendar for 2025.
Never miss an important date in 2025 with our free downloadable calendar that includes key diversity and inclusion awareness dates and events.
Nurturing a true sense of belonging among your employees can’t be a short-term objective – it’s an
ongoing commitment to ensuring that everyone in your workforce feels heard, respected and
valued. And with 65% of employees wanting to feel a strong sense of belonging at work, now is the time to ensure your business is aware of diversity and
inclusion days that matter to your employees.
How can our calendar help you?
- Helps keep your diversity and inclusion employee engagement programmes on track.
- Includes a wide range of cultural, racial, religious, age, gender, sexual orientation and
disability awareness dates. - Top tips for opening up and developing important conversations to help you make the
most of these events
If you find this calendar useful, then check out our Employee Health and Wellbeing Calendar and Sustainability and Environmental Awareness Calendar.
If you’re looking for support in rolling out your diversity and inclusion programmes, get in touch to see how we can help.
Download our Diversity and Inclusion calendar
Great for women, great for all
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
We’ve been ranked in the top 10 UK’s Best workplaces for Women (Small Businesses), alongside 330 companies including industry-leading and global brands. This achievement is a team effort, not based on management promises, policies and words on an entry form, but on day-to-day actions leading to genuine and personal team feedback through Great Place to Work’s independent employee survey. Data analysed looks at how well organisations have removed barriers to female career advancement and created workplaces where all employees can flourish, regardless of gender.
Whilst we’re delighted to have achieved this incredible accolade, our mission is to create workplaces that are fairer, healthier and happier for all – both at Something Big and in the organisations we support.
Our journey to this achievement hasn’t been about giving women special treatment. It’s been about driving a positive and inclusive workplace culture, for everyone, which means breaking down barriers for women in particular.
Regardless of where we want to be as a world and society, we’re not there yet. The world is still patriarchal, unconscious bias continues to be a challenge, there are still not enough visible female role models and gender pay gaps remain a problem.
‘”Parity in the workplace remains a work in progress.”
Great Place to Work
Positive change is visible on the horizon though. In the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women, 42% of C-suite positions are held by women versus just 28% in FTSE 350 organisations. Pay gaps are narrowing in the UK, with women earning 92p to their male counterparts £1, and companies ranked in this list have closed that gap further, with the UK average of female employees agreeing they are ‘paid fairly for what the work they do’ at just 53%, in the Top 5 UK’s Best Workplaces for Women a whopping 83% of female respondents agreed they were fairly paid.
The UK’s Best Workplaces for Women are also proof that delivering work/life balance is possible, whilst the UK average stands at 60% for ‘people are encouraged to balance their work life and personal life’ in the UK’s Best Workplaces for women, a significantly higher 84% of employees agree with this statement.
What are we getting right at Something Big to earn our 8th place ranking?
#Flexibility
Flexibility isn’t a buzzword, a policy or a broad commitment – it’s a huge undertaking that takes a team effort to deliver. According to GPTW’s report, 40% of women not working say that access to flexible work would mean they could take on paid work and 77% said they’d be more likely to apply for a job if it advertises flexible working options.
At Something Big, flexibility is a way of life. From changing and flexing working hours around ever-changing care arrangements to sabbaticals mean that work can fit around life, rather than squeezing life around gaps in work.
Our tip: Delivering flexibility successfully isn’t just about senior leadership commitment, it’s also about peer-to-peer support. Working alongside colleagues on different hours or shorter days/weeks can be tough, it takes empathy, great communication skills and respect for boundaries to make it work without sacrificing quality, productivity or pace. Support and nurture your whole team to make flexibility work for everyone.
#Appreciation
Everyone wants (and deserves) to feel appreciated. For women, this is especially critical, when outside of work their effort and contribution can often feel invisible and taken for granted. In the workplace, there’s a disparity between genders when it comes to feeling that management shows appreciation for good work and extra effort. 64% of men feel appreciated versus 58% of women. Unsurprisingly, this gap is closed in companies featured on this list, with both genders scoring equally and with higher appreciation levels, with both genders scoring a significantly higher 85%.
Our tip: Appreciation often costs nothing. We believe it’s as critical a component as other rewards are often overlooked or left to busy line managers who might not always have time. Set up structures that encourage regular peer-to-peer appreciation, celebrate awareness days like Employee Appreciation Day, even when budgets are under pressure try to make space for fun.
To find out more about what it takes to create a workplace where women can thrive, you can read the full report here or talk to us about our journey and how we’re helping the organisations we’re supporting.
The emotional rollercoaster of work: insights from Gallup’s 2024 Report
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
We explore the latest Gallup State of the Global Workplace report to uncover key insights and their implications for the workforce.
Imagine this: over a quarter of the UK workforce experiences sadness for a significant part of their workday. Yes, you read that right. The UK is second highest in the world when it comes to workplace-induced sadness. And on top of that, stress levels remain alarmingly high with 38% of employees reporting high stress and almost 1 in 5 experiencing frequent anger.
Our jobs, which should ideally bring purpose and satisfaction, are casting shadows over our daily lives. Clearly work can evoke strong emotions in employees and for many, it’s negative.
These shocking insights comes from the Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2024 report, covering data from 100 different countries across the world.
We take a deeper look into the numbers to see what’s really going on behind those office doors and on the factory floors.
Key insights from the Gallup Report: engagement or disengagement?
The first notable finding in the report is the level of engagement. Unfortunately, here in the UK engagement remains low at 10%. But there’s a twist – management plays a crucial role in this statistic.
Why managers matter
Gallup’s findings highlight that managers are pivotal, accounting for 70% of the variance in team engagement. So, if employees are feeling disconnected at work, managers may well have a lot to do with it.
Here are some insights from the report:
- Loneliness at work: 20% of the world’s employees experience daily loneliness, with young employees feeling it more acutely. Interestingly, having a job generally decreases loneliness – 20% of working adults feel lonely compared to 32% of those unemployed.
- The manager’s dilemma: Whilst managers are more likely to be engaged and thriving in life, feeling their opinions count and having a strong connection to their organisation and colleagues, their emotions are a rollercoaster. They experience higher highs and lower lows than non-managers, likely leaving them mentally exhausted.
- The flip side: However, the flip side is equally stark – managers are more prone to stress, anger, sadness, and loneliness. They’re also more likely to be on the lookout for a new job.
Challenges facing younger employees
The workplace environment for employees under 35 has significantly deteriorated, painting a challenging picture for the future workforce:
- Declining wellbeing: Wellbeing among younger employees declined in 2023.
- Loneliness epidemic: Younger workers under 35 are more likely to experience loneliness and less likely to feel cared about or have opportunities for development, especially in remote and hybrid settings.
- Lack of clarity: Less than 40% of young remote or hybrid employees know what is expected of them at work.
These stats are not just numbers; they reflect a growing discontent among younger employees that could have long-term implications for businesses if not addressed promptly.
Read more: How to effectively communicate with a multigenerational workforce
Strategies for improving workplace engagement and wellbeing
Managers play a pivotal role in shaping the employee experience. Countries with higher manager engagement see two times more engaged employees. When managers are engaged, their team members are more likely to be engaged too.
Disengaged employees cite the need for better culture. 41% of disengaged employees suggest that improving culture and engagement would enhance their workplace experience. And enhancing employee engagement can lead to significant improvements in business outcomes, retention and absenteeism, so it’s worth the investment.
Here are some practical takeaways for internal communicators to take forward:
- Support managers: Provide them with the tools and training they need to manage stress and build resilient teams. Encourage managers to have meaningful, two-way conversations with their team members.
- Develop clear communications: Clarity is key. Ensure that all employees, especially younger ones, understand their roles, what is expected of them and how their work aligns with the overall business purpose and goals.
- Openly support mental health and wellbeing: Provide resources and support for mental health. Creating an open and honest environment where employees feel cared for can improve overall wellbeing.
- Provide opportunities for connection: Encourage collaboration and interaction across all levels of the business to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Build a sense of community through team-building activities and social events, even as virtual or hybrid events.
While the Gallup report paints a rather bleak picture of the current state of the global workplace, it also offers opportunities for the path forward. By focusing on engagement and supporting our managers, we can turn the tide and create a work environment that uplifts rather than brings down.
Are you ready to take a step forward to a more engaging and emotionally balanced workplace? Get in touch to discover how we can support you in creating a fairer, healthier, and happier workforce through the power of accessible and effective communications that drive real change.
Creating a culture of wellbeing
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
In this article, Sally Pritchett, our CEO, shares the initiatives that have helped us foster a culture of wellbeing, recently recognised by Great Place to Work.
We are thrilled that Something Big has once again been recognised by Great Place to Work as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing this year. Wellbeing is not something we take for granted or just a box we tick once and move on from. On the contrary, we recognize the fragility of health and wellbeing and understand that it requires ongoing attention.
Here’s a brief overview of what we’ve been doing to take care of ourselves over the past year:
Physical wellbeing
Given our employees’ largely sedentary roles and the increase in remote work, it wasn’t surprising when our employee surveys revealed a decline in physical activity levels. We know that this is a challenge many businesses are facing, with one in four people in England doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.
Of course, it’s not for employers to dictate their employees’ lifestyles. However, if back-to-back Teams calls and long hours at a laptop are causing unhealthy levels of inactivity, it becomes the employer’s responsibility to step in. And that’s exactly what we did.
As is often the case, the best place to start was an honest conversation with our team. We discussed the results from our employee wellbeing survey and explored ideas such as standing desks and walking meetings. We emphasised the health benefits of a daily 10-minute brisk walk, which can reduce the risk of early death by 15%. We encouraged everyone in the business to support each other in taking breaks from their laptops. This can be as simple as asking a colleague, “Have you taken a walk today?”
Following that, we launched our Big Walk challenge to coincide with National Walking Month, motivating the entire team to boost their step counts by setting a goal to collectively walk the length of the country and back again.
We achieved a 90% participation rate, increasing our average number of intentional physical activity days to 6 days per week – a 1.86 day improvement. Additionally, 55% of participants reported being inspired by the Big Walk to reduce their sedentary time.
Critical illness
1 in 2 of us will get cancer at some point in our lifetime, so it is vital that as employers we support our workforces through critical illness, be that their own or someone they’re caring for.
It’s been a difficult year for many of us at Something Big, from living through the realities of cancer treatment, caring for loved ones or working through the grief of those we’ve lost.
As employers, we can make these situations easier by showing empathy, being flexible, listening to the needs of individuals, encouraging preventative screening, raising awareness and critically, and creating a safe environment to have open discussions about this difficult and sensitive topic.
Sadly 50% of people with cancer are afraid to tell their employers. A proactive step to alleviate this concern is for employers to educate themselves and, like us, commit to signing the Working with Cancer pledge.
Mental wellness
With so much uncertainty prevailing outside our workplaces – financial concerns due to the cost-of-living crisis, global conflicts, and the rapid evolution of technologies like ChatGPT influencing the future of work – it’s understandable that employees are anxious about what lies ahead.
Employers can have significant influence on the mental wellbeing of their workforce, by fostering open and honest workplace cultures. Establishing psychological safety, offering platforms for employee voice, linking work to a greater purpose, and actively acknowledging and respecting contributions can all help.
At Something Big, we have maintained regular Time to Talk sessions, fostered an environment where employees feel safe disclosing neurodiversity, and supported flexible working arrangements.
Our leadership remains committed to transparency, providing ample opportunities for employee voice. We’ve also established clear pathways for employees to seek assistance when needed, ensuring a supportive environment for all.
Flexibility
Regardless of where anyone is within their career, work is just one aspect of our lives and needs to be balanced with other conflicting priorities. From raising a family to caring for loved ones, pursuing hobbies, side hustles, staying active, engaging in volunteer work, and more, it’s essential to carve out time in our lives for activities beyond our primary jobs.
Employers need to take a clear stance on flexibility, making flexible working arrangements accessible to all and adaptable to changing circumstances as employees lives ebb and flow around their changing priorities. We’ve always prided ourselves on our flexibility at Something Big, but we’ve continued to make arrangements accessible, transparent and equitable.
We know it’s not always easy to work around colleagues working different or restricted working hours. It requires careful planning and management. But we also recognise how much our team appreciates this flexibility and the significant reduction in stress it can bring to their lives.
We’re committed to making workplaces fairer, healthier, and happier through inclusive and effective communications. If you share this mission or need a partner to enhance your workplace culture, please get in touch. Let’s drive positive change together.
Q4 2024 Awareness Days Calendar
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
Download your free Awareness Days Calendar for Q4 2024.
As we begin to plan for the end of the year, it’s important to keep employee wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion top of mind. Our downloadable Q4 2024 Awareness Days Calendar highlights key dates in October, November, and December to help you:
Wrap up the year on a positive note:
- Organise end-of-year employee wellness programs
- Celebrate your sustainability achievements
- Reflect on diversity and inclusion progress
- Engage employees in thoughtful discussions
- Acknowledge important events for colleagues and customers
Don’t miss the opportunity to end 2024 strong and lay the groundwork for an even better 2025.
If you need support maximizing these awareness days, get in touch to see how we can help.
Download our Key Awareness Days Calendar for Q4 2024
Creating a more neuroinclusive work environment
By Sally Pritchett
CEO
With many citing empowering neurodivergent talent as a business imperative, discover how your workforce can behave in a more neuroinclusive way.
Embracing neurodiversity within your workforce can introduce fresh perspectives, new ways of thinking, and innovative ideas. According to Deloitte, “organizations that make an extra effort to recruit, retain, and nurture neurodivergent workers can gain a competitive edge from increased diversity in skills, ways of thinking, and approaches to problem-solving.”
With studies showing that an estimated 15-20% of adults are neurodivergent, businesses that neglect to take measures to recognise, embrace and support people who are neurodiverse, risk being left behind.
Neurodiversity isn’t a superpower. However, by empowering a diverse workforce, and creating a workplace environment where everyone feels understood and accepted, employees can feel psychologically safer and more able to share different perspectives and approaches.
There are some simple steps we can encourage employees to take to better support their neurodiverse colleagues.
So, what steps can we give our teams to help them work in a more neuroinclusive way?
In an office environment…
Reduce office overstimulation
Think about a typical office environment – bright lights, unexpected noises, different smells, lots of people moving around. This can make offices very overstimulating for many people. Consider ways you can help reduce office overstimulation. This could involve encouraging team members to take calls and eat their lunch away from the main office area, or to use headphones when watching videos.
Respect quiet spaces
If someone takes themselves away from a main office space to work it may be that they are looking for a quieter environment to focus. When someone seeks a quieter space to work, ask your team to consider popping over a quick message asking for a discussion or scheduling a dedicated time to talk.
When sharing information or tasks…
Give specific instructions
Don’t expect people to read between the lines. It can be very difficult for someone to pinpoint exactly what they need to do or achieve if they are not given specific instructions. Encourage clear and direct communication.
Avoid unclear information
We like the ‘What you need, by when, and why’ basis for giving them instructions , shared by Ellie Middleton in her highly recommended Nano Tips for Working Inclusively with Neurodivergent Employees LinkedIn Learning course. Saying things like ‘this is urgent’ but without clearer instructions can be overwhelming, as people’s perceptions of urgency can be different. Encourage your team to provide clear timeframes to help colleagues plan their time accordingly or rearrange tasks if needed.
Keep everyone on the same page
Have all processes and policies written down so that everyone has access to clear guidelines. Ensure that everyone knows where and how to access these processes and policies so they can refer to them as they need to.
Make information available
Neurodivergent people can become overwhelmed by not having enough information. Make sure all the details people could need in the workplace or for specific tasks are accessible. It can also help to provide people with the opportunity to ask for further information if they require it.
When working together…
Adapt communication styles
We all communicate with one another in different ways, and some people feel more confident expressing themselves through specific methods of communication. Encourage your team to tune in to and understand each other’s preferred ways of communicating, and adapt to these styles where possible. For example, when asking for ideas or feedback in a meeting, you could also give people an opportunity to share their thoughts via email after the discussion.
Embrace diverse work styles
It’s important to recognise and appreciate that people have varied work rhythms. By focusing on outcomes, instead of the way someone reaches that outcome, people can feel more comfortable working in a way that helps them deliver their best work.
Share information early
Help everyone prepare by always sharing meeting agendas and information in advance. This gives people a chance to digest the information they need to understand and feel comfortable and confident when they get into a meeting.
Pop over a message before calls
Unexpected calls or meetings can disrupt people or cause them to feel unprepared for or anxious about the incoming call. Suggest that colleagues send a quick message before making calls to help ensure a productive conversation, and give people time to prepare for and get into the right mindset for the call.
Neuroinclusion benefits everyone
As we’ve discussed, diversity brings new perspectives and ways of thinking about things. Better support of neurodivergent people can help us all to access different perspectives and approaches. A neuroinclusive environment nurtures a culture of empathy and acceptance, enhancing the workplace and strengthening teamwork.
However, reading through these tips you may have felt that they are really just some best practice and sensible suggestions on ways of working with other people. Neuroinclusive practices foster clearer communication, patience, and understanding among all team members – both neurodivergent and neurotypical. An inclusive approach paves the way for better interactions and collaboration, benefiting everyone.
Are you ready to talk about neuroinclusion?
If you want to start the conversation about neuroinclusive working with your employees, get in touch as we can support you with creating engaging communications that help nurture an inclusive workplace culture.