GRAMPIAN Autistic Society (GAS), a leading charity for autism and neurodiversity, strengthens its board with the addition of Terry Allan.
As CEO of Global E&C, Mr Allan brings a unique perspective to GAS and their efforts to highlight the successes of thinking differently. As the only Board member currently operating in the energy industry, and as a current member of the Diversity and Inclusion for Energy Task Group, his business background is set to drive further ambitions for encouraging neurodiversity in the workplace.
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GAS CEO, Billy Alexander, commented: “My fellow Directors and I are delighted to have such a strong leader in Terry join as a new colleague on our Board. The Global E&C business has already been working closely with GAS for some time now and are a great example of an organisation that challenges the norm and embraces neurodiversity in the workplace. We’re confident that Terry’s commitment on the Board will help accelerate our drive to influence change in further corporate spheres.”
It is estimated that around one in seven people are neurodivergent as it has a wide spectrum and covers a range of hidden neurological conditions, such as but not limited to Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette Syndrome, and social anxiety.
This means that many organisations and businesses already have a neurodiverse workforce as Mr Allan commented: “Thinking differently is a major benefit of neurodiversity and is a vital characteristic for the 21st century workplace where we need to harness the power of strong problem-solving skills, a great imagination and creative, big-picture thinking. It is important that employers ensure that there is an understanding of what neurodiversity is and that managers have developed skills to lead and manage neurodiverse staff.”
This news comes on the back of similar recent announcements that project the value of neurodiversity in the workplace. In March, LinkedIn and Dictionary.com officially recognised ‘dyslexic thinking’ – making a huge impact on the way in which dyslexic individuals view their own unique way of thinking and the value this brings to the world of work.
Linkedin, the world’s largest professional careers platform, now offers its 810 million+ members the chance to add ‘Dyslexic Thinking’ to their profiles and Dictionary.com has also redefined the term as “strengths in creative, problem-solving and communication skills.”
Mr Alexander welcomed these advances but added that there is ‘still more to do’ in terms of shedding light on neurodiversity and said: “People with neurocognitive differences have talents, perspectives and skills that can be distinctly beneficial in many work environments. More and more employers are beginning to understand these benefits and develop hiring initiatives that focus on recruiting neurodivergent workers.”
“Quite often though, people with neurocognitive differences experience barriers to employment before they can even begin a job. The various aspects of the recruitment process, from job descriptions to interviewing, can pose concerns along the way that can deter neurodivergent candidates from pursuing a position.”
Founded in 1989, GAS has been supporting autistic children, young people, adults, and their families across the Grampian region from its facilities at Carnie Drive, Aberdeen. With the appointment of Terry Allan to its board, they plan to ramp up their efforts to support workplaces in their efforts to be more diverse and inclusive.