Richard Branson & Made By Dyslexia launch free workplace training with LinkedIn
The workplace training follows the Dyslexic Thinking campaign by Made By Dyslexia, Virgin Group, & LinkedIn to recognise Dyslexic Thinking as an official skill
USA, October 25, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — With the support of Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Group, on October 25th, LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network and global charity, Made By Dyslexia, are launching a new free-to-access LinkedIn Learning course ‘Empowering Dyslexic Thinking at Work’ to help every organisation across the world learn how to celebrate and support Dyslexic Thinking in the workplace.
The training focuses on the four steps to empower Dyslexic Thinking; Define dyslexia as a valuable thinking skill; Offer adjustments that enable dyslexics to thrive; Tailor recruitment processes for dyslexics; and Support ERG (Employee Resource Groups) and communities. The training only takes an hour and is available in 25 languages; by the end everyone will have the tools needed to empower Dyslexic Thinking skills within their workforce.
Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group Founder, “Now is the time to empower Dyslexic Thinking in business – or risk being left behind. Dyslexic Thinking skills of imagination, communication and problem solving have the power to change the world. Creating a culture where Dyslexics can thrive and do their best work is vital in moving businesses forward. This free training course with LinkedIn Learning will enable businesses to do exactly that.”
More than 1,500 organisations have promised to empower Dyslexic Thinking in the workplace by taking the course. A commitment to the training has been made by a number of Virgin companies across the world including Virgin Galactic, Virgin Hotels, Virgin Active, and Virgin Money. Global finance giant HSBC and the world’s largest recruitment company, Randstad Enterprise have also committed to the training, along with international creative agency FCB Global, and charity, Alzheimer’s Research UK.
In 2022, global charity, Made By Dyslexia, teamed up with LinkedIn and Virgin Group to add Dyslexic Thinking as a skill to the LinkedIn platform. Since then, nearly 23,000 people have added it to their LinkedIn profiles, with 52% of those not identifying as dyslexics saying it helped them to understand their dyslexic colleagues more. While 49% of dyslexics who added the skill said it had helped them to start a conversation with their workplace, or network about the benefits of Dyslexic Thinking.
However, new research by LinkedIn and Made By Dyslexia revealed that 87% of dyslexics think their workplace should improve its understanding of dyslexia and only 28% of professionals have asked a dyslexic colleague how their dyslexia impacts them at work.
Businesses are increasingly looking for ways to unlock their workforce’s potential and bridge the skills gap, and recent data from LinkedIn shows Dyslexic Thinking could be the answer. The data shows that the skills needed for jobs are estimated to change by at least 65% by 2030, accelerated by rapid developments in AI, while a recent survey from the platform shows nine out of 10 UK business leaders believe soft skills are more critical than ever in the age of AI.
The soft skills that technology can’t replicate, such as communication, leadership and analytical thinking are the exact skills that dyslexics excel at. However, nearly two thirds (62%) of professionals say they need to learn more about working with dyslexics.
Kate Griggs, Dyslexic Thinking Expert & Founder of Made By Dyslexia, adds, “Future workplaces will depend on Dyslexic Thinking skills. Dyslexic brains think differently, they have challenges, but also an important and unstoppable pattern of strengths, making them the perfect co-pilot for AI and technology-focussed workplaces of the future. Dyslexics have the skills that will fill the gap and be an asset to any business. It’s time to change and shift mindsets today to empower Dyslexic Thinkers and their skills.”
Ngaire Moyes, UK Country Manager and VP Comms International at LinkedIn, said: “Many businesses don’t realise that they are inadvertently putting barriers up for dyslexics, both in the hiring process and in the workplace. By better understanding the value of Dyslexic Thinking, businesses can adapt their ways of working, and empower dyslexic professionals to achieve their full potential. In the last year alone, tens of thousands of LinkedIn members have added Dyslexic Thinking as a skill to their profile. It is great to see people embracing the skills that come with dyslexia – such as leadership, communication and research – and recognising the power of thinking differently, along with the value this can bring to businesses.”
The training can be accessed by visiting https://www.linkedin.com/learning/empowering-dyslexic-thinking-at-work and further resources on dyslexia in the workplace can be found at www.madebydyslexia.org/workplace
Lauren Hunt-Morgan
Made By Dyslexia
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