The LTC (Licensed Trade Charity) has launched a new employment guide to help managers recruit, onboard and retain more neurodiverse teams in hospitality.
Free to access on the LTC website, the new ‘Empowering Neurodiversity in the Workplace’ Guide has been developed in response to feedback from operators and LTC beneficiaries that more resources are essential for the sector to better support neurodiverse colleagues.
The new Guide champions the benefits of building a team with different preferences and skill sets, and unlike generic resources, this Guide is tailored to the unique needs of the hospitality sector, making it an indispensable tool for those working in licensed hospitality. It provides managers with practical step-by-step sections to work through, and an outline of things to think about at each stage of the employee journey.
With research from Deloitte showing teams with neurodivergent professionals in some roles can be 30 per cent more productive than those without[i], and McKinsey reporting companies with more diverse workforces can be 19 per cent more profitable, Chris Welham, CEO, LTC, is confident that building neurodiverse teams is good for business:
“The LTC is on a mission to help the licensed trade embrace difference, positively address the barriers that exclude many candidates from entering the workplace – and support performance.”
He continued: “Licensed Trade customers come from all walks of life. Having a diverse team reflects the rich variety of individuals in a locality and means employees can connect with customers in unique ways. Understanding individual strengths and skill sets also creates efficiencies.”
With different perspectives, the Guide highlights the benefits of identifying which team members are better at problem-solving, spotting new opportunities or finding innovative solutions, and those who may prefer more structured and predictable tasks, such as the routine of a successful service. By investing time in tailoring roles, offering flexible work patterns, and fostering an inclusive culture, LTC believes businesses can attract and retain a diverse talent pool – and drive performance.
In compiling the Guide, LTC worked with some of its beneficiaries and supporters including Stuart Green, manager of the Cabbage Patch, Twickenham:
“We’ve worked with more than 300 people with neurodivergent thinking in the Cabbage Patch. With the right in-work support, we grow team members who are passionate about being in-work and are fully engaged in whatever task you ask them to do.
In turn, we fill vacancies and create a diverse and inclusive workforce that represents the communities we serve.”
Welham concluded: “As we enter 2025, we’re all going to need creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving skills – which a neurodiverse team will have in abundance – to find ways to drive growth. By being inclusive and working together, we can create the memorable, customer-centric experiences that our sector is known for – and that is good for business.”
The new digital guide is available at: https://www.licensedtradecharity.org.uk/neurodiversity-support-guide/