As we marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, we reflect on a global call to action by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In 2022, WHO launched the Global Report on health equity for persons with disabilities, highlighting the experiences of more than 1.3 billion people, constituting 16% of the global population. The new...
One of the many preconceptions about neurodivergent people we challenge is how they are resistant to change. If there is anything the last 18 months has allowed us to demonstrate is that we, at Xceptional, embrace transformation – a wide-eyed openness to change, which we also aim to inspire in our partners and participants in...
I happened upon a day working in a city office recently. While I did appreciate the change of scenery I was struck by how few people occupied the floor I was on and how much extra money I spent. A coffee here, take away lunch, parking and tolls. It adds up! I had also forgotten...
I love coffee. After years living in Melbourne I have an appreciation for the sights and aroma of cafes and used to love nothing more than pretending I was a digital nomad and working from a cafe. However, as we continue to navigate the pandemic and adjust to new work environments, I have come to...
International Women’s Day has long been a celebration of women’s achievements and a call for action to create meaningful change to gender inequality. But here is the thing, as women boldly cry out for greater equity in society there is vast inequality amongst its own gender when we start examining cross-sectionality. One such area is...
I have both a confession and an apology to make. Every primary school report card I ever had included the same sentence: ‘Aron is frequently distracted and often distracts others’. I’m afraid this attribute has followed me into adulthood and is most visible in unstructured meetings. An unstructured meeting is a primary school classroom for...
As businesses continue to prioritise diversity and inclusion within their workplace, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of disclosure of personal characteristics, such as sexuality and disability, in fostering a sense of belonging among employees. While most available data suggests the vast majority of employees with disabilities do not disclose, Forbes, only...
This is a recorded conversation with one of Xceptional’s tech partners Zoho Recruit offering practical advice on how to recruit and retain autistic professionals.
Aron Mercer explains that a one-size-fits-all approach is never the correct way to boost DEI initiatives and offers his insights on how organisations can provide relevant accessibility, gain literacy around inclusivity and create a platform of ‘disclosure without ridicule’ in workspaces. Listen to the podcast here: https://soundcloud.com/article-23/have-you-worked-with-someone-who-identifies-as-neurodivergent
A job interview can be a very poor predictor. Unless the role is being a regular guest on talk shows, the ability to give an effective interview is likely to have little or nothing to do with the ability to actually do the job on offer. Instead, the interview process effectively relies on hearsay from...
Xceptional acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.
