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The changing workplace: Enabling disability-inclusive hybrid working

The changing workplace: Enabling disability-inclusive hybrid working

The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally shifted the way in which people work, with a rise in remote and hybrid working. While many workers, businesses and sectors have benefited from changing working practices during the pandemic, disabled people bore the brunt of the pandemic’s economic consequences and experienced higher rates of unemployment and redundancies than non-disabled people. Just 52.7% of disabled people are in employment, compared with 81% of non-disabled people. A key driver of the disability employment gap is workplace inflexibility. Pre-pandemic, many employers were reluctant to allow remote or hybrid working, even as a reasonable adjustment for disabled workers. However, as the pandemic led to compulsory remote working for most desk-based workers, we are now seeing employer plans change.…
Dr Neil Thompson
September 5, 2023
The challenges of creating gender-inclusive birthing services

The challenges of creating gender-inclusive birthing services

As society’s understanding of gender and sex evolves, our use of language evolves, too. Maternity wards and pregnancy care have, traditionally, largely used language oriented around women: the word ‘maternity’ itself, for one, but also ‘midwife’, ‘matron’, or ‘sister’. And while cisgender women remain the primary patients in such services, a rising number of trans and non-binary people, who may not identify as women, are also engaging with pregnancy planning and birth-related services, Being excluded by the language used in birthing settings could lead to these parents feeling othered by the experience of bringing a child into the world, and potentially plant the seed for further-reaching mental health impacts. With giving birth being as stressful as it is, plus the…
Dr Neil Thompson
September 5, 2023
Seth Godin’s blog – Childish or childlike?

Seth Godin’s blog – Childish or childlike?

Childlike involves wonder. It’s the ability to see the world with fresh eyes and create magic. Childish, on the other hand, is living as if there are no consequences. Over time, we’ve gotten very good at measuring the long and short-term consequences of our actions. And good at ignoring them. Adults do well when they seek to be childlike, and that’s possible without being childish. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
September 5, 2023
Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Don’t drop hints

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Don’t drop hints

Speaking openly and honestly is more likely to be effective than dropping hints. This is because: (i) people often don’t tune in to the hint; it goes over their head; and (ii) if they do get it, they may resent it – they may feel that you are trying to manipulate them, rather than communicate with them in a genuine way. Despite these problems with hinting, it is a very common occurrence for people to risk alienating others in this way. Learning and practising the skills involved in sensitive and tactful direct communication without ruffling anyone’s feathers are much wiser steps to take. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
August 23, 2023
CIPD resourcing and talent planning report

CIPD resourcing and talent planning report

The CIPD’s 2022 Resourcing and talent planning report, produced in partnership with Omni RMS, explores the difficulties that UK employers are facing in recruiting and retaining people during the cost-of-living crisis. Now in its 23rd year, the report and supplementary case studies help employers and their people teams make informed decisions about people management and investment. While these findings are based on UK data, the broader trends and implications should be of interest wherever you are based. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
August 23, 2023
Stigma sucks: Addressing stigma to overcome poverty

Stigma sucks: Addressing stigma to overcome poverty

I’m part of the ‘Exploring Stigma and Poverty’ design team, a group that’s been created to look at the issue of stigma and the impact it has on poverty. Our discussions and exploration have been deep as well as wide-ranging. When we met in January 2023 we looked at the impact stigma has on society as a whole, but also on us as individuals. We called this latter part, ‘making visible the invisible’ as we feel that there is little focus on how damaging stigma is on the individuals that experience it. We drew on our collective experience of stigma. This took some of us back to our childhoods. It’s been a very reflective experience and really made me think…
Dr Neil Thompson
August 23, 2023
How to make a whistleblowing disclosure at work (in the UK)

How to make a whistleblowing disclosure at work (in the UK)

By law (the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998), you can make a whistleblowing disclosure to one of the following: your employer a legal adviser government ministers – this only applies if you work for a statutory body another person who is responsible for the wrongdoing a prescribed person or body any other person or body if there's a good reason to, or if it's related to an 'exceptionally serious failure' – for example, the police or media You must also make sure your disclosure is made with 'reasonable belief' and is: a qualifying disclosure in the public interest When making a disclosure, it's good practice to consider the list in order. But there might be cases when you do not…
Dr Neil Thompson
August 23, 2023