PSS welcomes report on inclusive workplaces

PSS has welcomed a new report setting out how employers can improve employment opportunities and workplace experiences for neurodivergent people. 

Produced by DWP’s Expert Academic Panel on Neurodiversity, the report calls for employers to consider inclusion throughout the employment journey, from recruitment and induction to learning, development, and progression. 

For the port sector, that means looking closely at whether everyday processes create barriers which are not necessary to the role. Clearer job information, practical ways to demonstrate capability, accessible learning materials, well-supported supervisors, and transparent routes for development can all help people perform at their best. 

PSS supports the report’s emphasis on responding to people’s needs rather than relying on a diagnosis. Individuals can face similar barriers for different reasons, while two people with the same diagnosis may need quite different support. An effective approach starts with the person, the work they are doing, and the environment in which they are doing it. 

PSS Skills, Careers and Diversity Lead, Angela Ward, said: “This does not mean compromising on competence or safety. In safety-critical roles, the required standard remains the required standard. However, recruitment, training, and assessment should be designed to remove unnecessary barriers, giving people a fair opportunity to develop and demonstrate the competence required for the role.” 

Its findings reinforce PSS’s wider work to support safe, inclusive, and effective workplaces, recognising that clear systems, good communication, and fair opportunities benefit both people and port operations. It also provides useful food for thought for employers seeking to attract, develop, and retain people from the widest possible range of backgrounds. 

Read the full report below.