By Contributor,Nancy Doyle
Copyright forbes
Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham and Dr Shirley Woods Gallagher
https://www.gmgoodemploymentcharter.co.uk/the-charter/pay/
Be Neuroinclusive: Three Strategies For Growth
Manchester’s Mayor, Andy Burnham, has a clear vision for Manchester which combines economic growth with good working conditions. He has set in motion a number of initiatives, such as the “Good Employment Charter”, where 1500 employers, covering half a million employees, have signed up to act as responsible employers. Commitments include job security, a living wage and support for health and wellbeing. Alongside, is the “Bee Neuroinclusive” project, which aims to make Manchester a neuroinclusive city. But what does this mean and how will it deliver growth?
Growth Strategy One: Develop Careers
Signees to the Charter and the Neuroinclusive Code of Best Practice commit to retention and progression of neurodivergent employees. This sounds simple and obvious, but in reality it will involve upskilling managers and thinking creatively about career development. Many businesses assume that neurodivergent people are less likely to learn, or to develop the emotional and social skills required for management. This assumption has a hidden cost, where good ideas are languishing in entry level roles. Neurodivergent people frequently have in depth specialist knowledge or technical skills, which contribute to innovation and problem solving. Bringing us into the inner circles, investing in our skills, may have a significant dividend.
Growth Strategy Two: Psychological Safety Leads To Higher Productivity
Occupational Psychologists have identified psychological safety as a key driver of productivity and safety critical communication. Psychological safety occurs when individuals in the business feel able to take risks, or make mistakes, without undue reprisal. In the neurodiversity world, a symptom of this is disclosure. The Bee Neuroinclusive Code of Best Practice recommends that businesses are monitoring prevalence of neurodiversity and, even anonymously, this has been historically low. Prevalence in the population should be 15-20% of the workforce, and if your disclosure data is similar, then is a positive sign that your employees feel able to overcome the risk of sharing information.
Growth Strategy Three: Make Recruitment Neuroinclusive
There is a myth in circulation that neuroinclusive recruitment means making allowances that lower the standards for neurodivergent recruits. In fact, neuroinclusive recruitment means increasing the use of work-relevant sample tasks and reducing the number of irrelevant activities. For example, do data analysis and finance clerks need to be interviewed? Or should they be given a spreadsheet and asked questions about the data which can be answered in writing? Conversely, have you placed writing tasks in the assessment of people whose jobs rely on interpersonal skills? Making unnecessary conventions obsolete is a sound business decision on every level. Many recruitment protocols are notoriously poor at predicting job performance. By aligning your recruitment and job tasks you will be neuroinclusive AND more efficient as a business. A solid strategy for growth.
The Bee Neuroinclusive Code Of Best Practice
Ian MacArthur, Director for the Good Work Charter, reports:
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“Being a good employer in today’s labour market means more than just providing fair pay, secure contracts, and an employee assistance programme! The best employers understand the true value of diversity for their colleagues, their clients, and their productivity. The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter has been delighted to work with a wide range of partners and lived experience voices to develop the Bee Neuroinclusive Code of Best Practice. It will become a foundation in our efforts to raise awareness and continually drive change, delivering workplaces where everyone contributes and thrives.”
The Been Neuroinclusive Code of Best Practice was launched on the 10th October 2025 at the Friend’s Meeting House in Manchester. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Manchester points out that closing the disability employment gap is a growth strategy in and of itself. If the 70% of neurodivergent people currently out of work were reduced to even the average for disabled people, the contribution to the economy would be immense. He is quoted in the foreword:
“Greater Manchester has always been a place that thrives on the unique strengths of its people. Our success as a city region is built on the creativity, innovation and resilience that come from embracing difference.
Neurodivergent people bring perspectives and problem-solving ability that can transform workplaces and drive progress.
Yet too often, those talents are overlooked because recruitment processes, workplace environments or communication styles are not designed with neurodivergence in mind. We can and must do better.”
The last word goes to Dr Shirley Woods-Gallagher, whose tireless advocacy has spearheaded the prominence of neuroinclusion within the Good Work Charter, and as a strategy for regional growth.
“I am an unapologetic Autistic leader of public service in Greater Manchester. Following being outed to sabotage my career during the pandemic I was determined that no one else would experience what I had done. I was determined that neurodivergent people of all ages at work are treated with dignity, compassion and as your peers. Andy and Ian have been magnificent in getting right behind my campaign for a Bee Neuroinclusive code. 20% of Greater Manchester is a city the size of Manchester so it was never a minority issue. It’s about us all. It’s about courageous hope. Some folk absolutely treated me worse post diagnosis. However, the team behind Bee Neuroinclusive treated me better and that’s the most important lesson I have learnt that I can share to empower others. Psychological safety doesn’t come from individual disclosure. It comes from ethical leadership”
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https://www.gmgoodemploymentcharter.co.uk/the-charter/pay/
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