Aviva has added a dedicated neurodiversity pathway for group income protection (GIP) customers to its wider suite of vocational rehabilitation and early intervention services.
The pathway aims to provide workplace support for employees with a neurodiverse condition to help them thrive and ensure they and their employer can identify and overcome any challenges.
Neurodivergent employees can be referred to Lexxic.
Its network of chartered and occupational psychologists offer a range of support including screening assessments and the development of strategies and solutions to help neurodivergent individuals overcome any challenges.
Support is also offered by identifying suitable adjustments to a neurodivergent individual’s way of working or their environment, to help improve their experience, performance and comfort at work.
Coaching and training for employees and their colleagues to help them better understand neurodiverse conditions and how individuals can be supported is also available.
Aviva has introduced several condition-specific pathways support GIP clients, which cover mental health, musculoskeletal conditions, cancer and Covid-19.
Fran Bruce, managing director of protection at Aviva, said: “Diversity and inclusion are such important parts of a modern workplace, but from listening to our customers it is clear that not all employers understand how to truly get the best from their neurodivergent employees.
“Aviva’s neurodiversity pathway aims to not only support and empower neurodiverse individuals who may be struggling at work, but will also help employers and line managers to draw on the strengths within their neurodiverse staff and see them flourish in the workplace.”
Kate Goodanew, head of partnerships at Lexxic, added: “Our workplaces are filtering out the very types of minds and skills we need for the future.
“Creating a workplace where employees are understood and empowered by their talent is not just an act of kindness. It is also a beneficial, long-term business strategy that will improve many aspects of your business and the overall wellbeing of your employees.”
The insurer added that last year, a group of data scientists, HR representatives and neurodiverse employees at Aviva worked together with the University of Cambridge’s Think Lab to help design a blueprint that would attract and support neurodiverse people starting in the Aviva Quantum data science practice.
It said lessons from the blueprint have now been put into practice across all data science vacancies and its standard recruitment programme is now designed with neuro-inclusivity at its heart.