REWARD
Part three was all about onboarding and career development. Onboarding a new member of the team is critical to them settling in well and giving their best to a new role. We looked at some adjustments which could be offered, and how to help the employee settle in with strange new people in a strange new place (and this can be strange even if they’re working from home). There were also ideas on ensuring the physical work environment suited their needs, especially if they have sensitivities or get easily distracted by a flow of people near to their desk. I also called out ‘hot desks’ and the issues these could pose. Catch-ups were also mentioned. This triggered an idea for a whole article on performance development reviews. That’s one for the future if you want to hear about it. Retention was the last thing mentioned, and that’s a part of the revolving lifecycle of an employee. Much of onboarding is, in fact, ongoing and evolving, and isn’t just important in the first few weeks of the employee joining. The big call out from this was for employers to keep communication lines open. Article four centred on events and conferences. I’ve only become familiar with events and conferences over the last couple of years. My first experience was on my own – I walked into the main room and straight back out again in tears. But that was two years ago, and I now know so much more about my traits and limits
that I can now anticipate, and hopefully negate, any huge issues. We looked at the benefits of attending events for neurodivergent individuals, weighing up the pros and cons, and how this could help an employer looking to offer support for those planning to attend events. I also shared tips that have helped me and other people I know who are like me. “I looked at the neurodiverse community as a whole and how we are the perfect employees – we may just need a few adjustments and a bit of extra support to get there” It was not only about external events, but also those that are arranged within the business. The communication from event organisers is key, and if it isn’t clear what provisions they have in place, then an employee or their colleague can ask them about it. And for work events, employers must consider the needs of everyone. The penultimate article covered qualifications and training. This was yet another area which has plagued my life for years with failure after failure. Writing this article brought back so many memories of
failure, but the real problem was because I could never find an appropriate course to take. However, in payroll, I found courses which were short enough that my passion would lead, and this meant I could get through them without burnout, or the flight instinct kicking in. Qualifications and training can really help develop someone’s career, but everyone needs to be mindful of the extra pressure it can inadvertently put on a person. Getting it right can really propel someone’s confidence and engagement. As I said, everyone needs a foundation on which to build a career. Looking forward No matter where a business is in its goal of becoming more inclusive, they could consider signing up to the Neurodiversity Employers Index (https:// ow.ly/Ja8t50VRaat). This is a multipurpose tool, which can be used to establish where a business is and what else they can do to support those of us with traits and conditions. The final message here needs to be that everyone is a unique individual, and there’s no one-size-fits-all. Always ask and keep the conversation open. Just because we have brains that work differently doesn’t mean we should ever be at any disadvantage, only that we may need a bit of extra support to truly thrive. By providing this support, the employer will have the most loyal, dedicated, engaged individuals all trying to put the business first. n
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 112 | July-August 2025
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