Creative Differenes – Neurodiversity in the Creative Industries
On the 17th of January, Universal Music UK published “Creative Differences”, a handbook for ways to embrace neurodiversity in the creative industries. The handbook is a product of Universal Music UK’s Creative Differences Project. A project they launched to improve inclusivity within the company. As part of the project, Universal Music UK carried out research to find a practical guide to assist them in making improvements. When they did not find one, they decided to create their own.
With the assistance of experts in neurodiversity from varies organisations such as; Autism Research Centre, Cambridge University, The Future is ND and Tourette’s Action, Universal Music UK started researching the experiences and needs of people who have neurodiverse traits. These included; ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and Tourette Syndrome. The research was carried out in three main steps; desk research - reviewing existing works and gathering information from experts – interviews with neurodiverse employees and freelance workers across the industry and quantitative surveys. From this research, ten barriers, along with recommendations to overcome them, where identified and form the core of the “Creative Differences” Handbook.
Some of the barriers identified included; a low level of awareness and understanding about neurodiversity in the workplace, a lack of communication and support for addressing the needs and strengths surrounding neurodiversity and the types of environments and how changes to the workplace can be disabling or stress-inducing.
Universal Music UK found that these barriers could be removed in a variety of ways, such as, providing staff training, ensure regular and honest lines of communication are kept open with managers and trained HR persons and discuss with individuals how to best tailor the working environment to their needs.
As David Joseph, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK said, “We may say we value alternative thinking, but it doesn’t always feel like it.” When a company says they value alternative thinking, they must put those words into action. Universal Music UK has done this, creating a guide that can help improve the inclusiveness of the creative industries.
For further information on Universal Music UK’s “Creative Differences” handbook click here.
Alternatively, if you need further information on how to make facilities or services more accessible and inclusive, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team on (01) 415 12 85 or e-mail [email protected].
