“I didn’t realise we’d won it and just sat there clapping for a moment thinking it was someone else.”
Pinsent Masons’ learning and development manager Josh Quadri was delighted to pick up Best Health & Wellbeing Initiative (for firms of over 750 employees) at the People in Law Awards, along with PA services manager Danielle Khier, but both were still recovering from the shock when the pair landed the overall Grand Prix award.
Danielle remembers: “It was a brilliant night. Everyone came up after the awards and were asking questions about our work. We’ve had a lot of interest since with regard to our network and what we are doing.”
“Getting that award was amazing… but I didn’t know the Grand Prix award was a thing,” adds Josh.
Around one in seven adults in the UK are neurodiverse, so most organisations already have employees with a range of neurodivergent conditions that can include autism, dyslexia, ADHD and dyspraxia.
But it’s now widely understood that these essential human characteristics are not necessarily an impediment to being able to work well with others and contribute to our wider prosperity.
But Danielle realised first hand that attitudes needed to change back in 2019 when working with a colleague whose performance was judged to be lacking in some areas. The colleague told Danielle they had dyslexia and a beacon was lit in Danielle’s mind. With extra support and more suitable tools to do the job the colleague’s work improved and it occurred to Danielle that this approach could help others. This sparked the Neurodiversity Network as a result of her efforts and those of the Disability and Wellbeing Group.
With Josh on board as co-chair with Danielle, the Network set out to alter attitudes. As Josh says: “Some of the most gentle shifts in mindset are the most powerful.”
Stigma and lack of openness can make progress heavy going without support. But the Network has enabled people to be much more forthcoming and happy to share information.
To highlight the benefits neurodiverse individuals bring to the workplace and to identify how neurodiverse individuals can be better supported and enabled to flourish, the Firm has developed in-house learning aimed at all colleagues and for people leaders. In addition, guest speaker led workshops have been incorporated in to the dedicated neurodiversity offering within the global L&D Inclusion & Wellbeing skills programme and interest has grown not only within the UK but from abroad, with Pinsent Masons being a global entity.
“We need to be very careful with language so we don’t exclude groups of people. We have developed an e-learning package to empower people and encourage them to use inclusive language.” This means not using terms such as “suffers” with dyslexia but referring to characteristics in a more positive way – “has autism” for example.
But it’s one thing to tackle stigma and spread awareness of neurodiversity, a successful strategy also means a major step up in making reasonable adjustments and altering company policy to promote the full gamut of software that assists people with a variety of characteristics.
In recruitment the Network has rethought how the firm presents itself to candidates. Says Josh: “We are a purpose-led firm, how we go about enabling people is part of how we do business, including attracting a diverse range of applicants through recruitment and selection activities. We don’t go out to say ‘this role would be great for someone with autism’ but we have taken steps to support ND individuals through the recruitment and selection process. We have an e-learning package called ‘Enabling Everyone through Recruitment’ to empower hiring managers to make inclusive people decisions. In practice, we’ve made adjustments so that people can give the best of themselves.” Danielle has steered much of this activity with the recruitment team to engender positive outcomes for individuals and for the Firm.
The firm’s clients have been impressed with the firm’s initiative. “They want to know more about this,” says Danielle. “They want to know we walk the walk not just talk about it.” Josh, who has dyslexia himself, adds: “Our clients want to work with businesses that have a rounded, responsible mindset. It goes far wider than neurodiversity… it’s about diversity in general.”
Although awareness has spread throughout the organisation and dozens of colleagues are attending neurodiversity training while others are benefiting from daily support, Josh and Danielle are looking to the wider sector for their next move. They are keen on the idea of establishing an external network among professional services firms. Danielle says: “There might be firms out there thinking ‘where do we start’ and we can really help with that. Or firms that have done good work and are ready to share.”
Josh’s learning and development role focuses on performance management, leadership development, e-learning and the global inclusion and the wellbeing skills academy offering. This makes him particularly well placed when it comes to co-chairing the neurodiversity network and identifying how the Firm enables ND individuals. Josh developed the in-house offerings on ND and said “I really love working in learning and development, helping lawyers, wider professionals and leaders to find their spark. I have a passion for enabling people and making business work better for everyone, every aspect of my role facilitates that, including my role within the ND network.”
Both are thankful that the organisation has proved so receptive to their initiative. “I felt at home at Pinsents the moment I walked through the door for my interview”, says Josh.
Danielle feels the same way. She wanted to work in the legal sector from a very young age, having listened to her mum describing her role as a legal secretary. She adds: “I started as a legal PA and now manage across the UK and Ireland. I love it, and that feeling of being at home hasn’t changed after 10 years.”
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