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Auditing for Neuroinclusion

A 90-Minute Walk-Through Leaders Can Actually Do



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Most “audits” die in spreadsheets. Neuroinclusion improves when leaders walk the work—observing how information, space, time and decisions actually function on an ordinary Tuesday. This guide gives you a concise, repeatable 90-minute audit you can run quarterly. It’s lawful, light-lift, and focused on removing disadvantage rather than collecting opinions.


What this audit is (and isn’t)

It’s a practical inspection of real workflows against three questions:

  1. Is the environment workable for focus?

  2. Are expectations unambiguous and accessible?

  3. Can people participate without disclosure or performance rituals?

You are not diagnosing people; you are diagnosing friction. Where friction is systemic, fix it universally; where needs are bespoke, route them through the reasonable-adjustments pathway (Equality Act 2010; ACAS).


Preparation (10 minutes)

Choose a live team and day. Pull three artefacts in advance: the latest meeting invite + recap, a recent “do this” request (email/Slack), and a current hiring or performance document. Tell the team you’re testing the system, not them. That sentence lowers masking.


Part 1: Environment pass (15 minutes)

Walk the space at peak noise, not dawn. Note sound levels, glare, visual motion, and the proximity of call areas to deep-work desks. Check whether quiet zones, headsets and alternative seating exist and are socially legitimate to use. If most people join calls from focus areas or chase empty rooms, the system is broadcasting “noise first”. Remote-heavy teams should check the digital equivalent: camera-optional norms, meeting buffers, and whether agendas arrive early enough to plan energy.


Decision point: If the environment is unpredictable, publish a simple etiquette (calls, chat, quiet hours) and adjust layout or booking rules before anything else; cognition can’t outrun acoustics.


Part 2: Communication pass (20 minutes)

Open the real artefacts. Does the meeting invite say what decision is due and what pre-work is needed? Does the recap capture decisions, owners, dates in the first screen? Does the “do this” request specify the goal, deliverable, audience, deadline, and “what good looks like”? Are documents screen-reader friendly with meaningful headings? UK English, plain language and GOV.UK-style clarity reduce extraneous load; glossy decks with buried actions increase it.


Decision point: If intent is hard to find, standardise one-page templates (recap, brief, decision note) and publish them as the default. That single move lowers working-memory load for every reader.


Part 3: Meetings pass (15 minutes)

Observe one meeting or review two recent recordings/notes. Look for signal–structure–silence: clear objective; time-boxed segments; more than one participation mode (voice, chat, shared doc); and a planned buffer at the end. If ideas come only from confident speakers, you’re measuring style, not insight. Provide questions in advance and accept written input; then read it into the room. This is Universal Design for Learning in practice.

Decision point: If participation is narrow and decisions fuzzy, introduce facilitator prompts and a written recap sent within the hour. Make five-minute buffers default.


Part 4: Hiring & performance pass (20 minutes)

Pick one live requisition or recent performance cycle. Are you using work samples with clear rubrics or relying on rapid-fire interviews and “fit”? Are interview themes sent in advance? For performance, is there a one-page success profile agreed upfront, and are reviews anchored to artefacts rather than impressions?


Decision point: If you’re filtering for polish, replace proxies with skills-first tasks; if reviews rely on memory, move to frequent, evidence-based check-ins with written outcomes.


Part 5: Adjustments pass (10 minutes)

Ask two frontline managers—privately—how they grant everyday support. If Greens (low-cost changes like quiet blocks, agenda in advance, camera-optional) require approval, you have gatekeeping drift. ACAS guidance supports proportionate, needs-led adjustments without insisting on diagnosis. Keep bespoke, materially costly items for Occupational Health; free the rest.


Decision point: Publish a one-page baseline support menu and a traffic-light model (Green/Amber/Red) so help is fast, predictable and visible.


Metrics that matter (ongoing, tiny)

Track trendlines you already collect: error/rework rates, cycle time, meeting length vs decisions made, and sick days. Add two pulse questions monthly: “Was the next step clear?” and “Could you control your environment enough to focus?” If those rise, friction is falling.


Reporting the audit (five lines)

Write one paragraph per pass: What we saw, why it matters, one change, owner, date. Then close the loop publicly when changes land. Visibility is culture.


Legal and ethical spine (UK)

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments to remove substantial disadvantage. ACAS and EHRC guidance emphasise constructive conversations, proportionate changes, and accessible information; medical proof is not a prerequisite for everyday supports. For specialist kit or coaching, explore Access to Work funding and keep health data private.


Why this works

Neuroinclusion improves when leaders make mundane promises reliable: quiet is quiet, invites say what’s needed, decisions are captured, and routes to help don’t require confession. You’ll see fewer clarifying emails, calmer days, and better throughput—not because people tried harder, but because the system stopped fighting their brains.







References (APA-7)

 
 
 

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