’We want Zurich to be a place where neurodivergent talent can thrive,’ says chief human resources officer
Zurich UK has revealed that it will be offering all employees neurodiversity assessments as part of its healthcare package from January 2025.
The move will give staff, as well as their children and partners if covered by the plan, the opportunity to be evaluated for neurodivergent conditions, including autism and dyslexia.
Neurodiversity refers to the idea that differences in neurological functioning are natural variations in brain development, rather than disorders or disabilities.
The insurer found that 54% of neurodivergent adults feel more secure in their roles following a diagnosis, while 64% report better mental health.
It hopes its new offer will better support neurodivergent individuals.
In addition to this, Zurich UK has also rolled out autism awareness training for hiring managers and employees, created sensory maps of the UK workplaces and removed subjective language from job descriptions.
Steve Collinson, chief human resources officer at Zurich, said: ”We want Zurich to be a place where neurodivergent talent can thrive.
”These assessments are a significant step toward creating a more inclusive workplace.”
Research
This comes after research by the insurer, published yesterday (14 November 2024), found that half of neurodivergent job seekers have faced bias from hiring managers or recruiters across the UK.
Read: Aviva, Ageas and Zurich among insurers to join neurodiversity campaign
Read: Neurodivergence – the ‘absolute commercial opportunity’ for insurance firms
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Meanwhile, 31% said their applications were dismissed immediately after disclosing their neurodivergent condition, while 28% reported being rejected based on subjective reasons like “communication style” or “team fit”.
Some 27% also faced negative comments about their abilities, while 25% were “ghosted” by recruiters.
And one in five reported being laughed at due to their neurodiversity, with 16% having job offers rescinded.
The findings come from a survey of 1,000 neurodivergent UK adults.
Marc Crawley, founder and director at Diversita, a recruitment agency designed to assist neurodivergent job seekers, said: “The job market for now is way behind the curve, but every day we see progress from companies that embrace neurodivergent talent and these companies will be the beneficiaries.”
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