Written by Leo Ould
At the latest Living Wage Scotland Awards, Passion4Social won the Employee Choice Award. As a small social enterprise, we were proud to see our employer recognised for implementing the scheme.
Being a real Living Wage Employer is how we put our company values into practice.
Neurodivergence, disability and employment
Many of our staff are disabled and/or neurodivergent. I have worked for Passion4Social for five years as a Graphic Designer. I am also autistic and dyslexic.
As an autistic person, I am acutely aware of the statistics around employment and how difficult the workplace can be for different thinkers.
The Buckland Review (2024) reveals that only 3 in 10 autistic people of working age are in employment, and have “the worst employment rates of all disability groups, second only to people with learning disabilities”.
When considering the wider disability employment landscape, that figure rises, with just 5 out of 10 disabled people in work.
Disabled people are more likely to work part-time on zero-hours contracts, and in “lower-skilled” jobs, and are often underemployed relative to their abilities. The importance of a real Living Wage should be clear in this instance.
Due to factors outside of our control, many disabled people are placed at an economic disadvantage because of the need to manage our conditions. This is before even factoring in what is known as the Disability Price Tag, the hidden extra costs disabled households face.
Finding stability through real Living Wage employers
My personal situation before Passion4Social was much as described above. I was underemployed and struggling to find sustainable work in the career I had trained for.
Many people believe that employing disabled people or paying the real Living Wage is enough, but to be inclusive requires conscious effort. It can seem imperative to find someone who ‘fits in’ during the hiring process. However, most likely you will be cutting yourself off to diverse ways of thinking, new ideas and talent.
I have had interview adjustments denied in the past, which was a red flag that the organisation wasn’t somewhere I wanted to work. Culture is something that is fostered and needs action to be supportive. Offering jobs that match employees’ skills, providing flexible working hours, and maintaining open channels of communication can go a long way in creating a supportive environment.
Fortunately, in my speckled job history, a few of my employers were real Living Wage accredited. Undoubtedly, I remember these with the greatest fondness; mostly because it signals that the company has a genuine interest in the well-being of its staff.
By paying a wage that actually allows people to live, you are investing in their longevity as an employee. In my experience, the culture of real Living Wage Employers tends to be more open, focused on fostering strong relationships, and supportive of career progression.
Fair pay, dignity and sustainable work
A real Living Wage has allowed me the opportunity to work part-time hours sustainably, without fear of poverty.
I was ashamed to admit that working part-time was all I felt I could manage, especially when I saw my peers juggling multiple jobs or making big strides in the careers we had jointly studied.
By slowly recognising my cognitive differences through diagnosis and peer support, I have come to acknowledge that a cookie-cutter 40-hour working week isn’t going to fit everyone. It doesn’t seem to work for neurodivergent individuals, who, as a population, have higher rates of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and burnout caused by the stresses of navigating a world not built with us in mind.
As of last year, I made a concerted effort to reduce my hours back to part-time. This came after realising that although I was sustaining my workload, I was not thriving. I did not have the same energy or inspiration for creative ideas that I once had. It was also becoming harder for me to engage with activities outside of work. This was a lesson in recognising what my capacity was before it tipped over. Thankfully, I have employers who are understanding and willing to help me make the changes needed so I could continue working.
We all deserve fair pay for a day’s work, to live with dignity, and to be able to afford basic necessities.
Many autistic people want to work, but find themselves in situations where they feel unable to continue employment. This outcome works for no one.
There needs to be changes in working environments and shifts in workplace culture that value people for all our differences and the abilities that we bring.
I have been fortunate to find in Passion4Social an employer who not only listens to disabled people and understands the economic and structural barriers we face, but also takes steps to address them through our accessibility services and by paying the real Living Wage.