AIA NZ has released its Neurodiversity Toolkit to other workplaces and sectors for the first time to support them in taking practical, meaningful steps to better support neurodivergent employees.
The insurer says the toolkit, which has been used internally at AIA NZ since May 2024, is designed to build greater understanding of the many ways people think, learn and process information. It is being released to mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
AIA NZ says that the toolkit has been described as ‘market-leading in New Zealand’ by the New Zealand Disability Employers’ Network and after receiving multiple requests from other employers, AIA NZ has now made the resource freely available.
Brynlea Hunter-Morpeth, AIA NZ Chief People Officer, says the company knows many neurodivergent people don’t feel safe disclosing at work or asking for support.
“This toolkit was created to help change that. It gives leaders and teams practical guidance that makes inclusion part of everyday working life, because everyone deserves to thrive.”
AIA NZ developed the Neurodiversity Toolkit in collaboration with its employee-led Accessibility Network and external partners NZDEN, Autism NZ, ADHD NZ, and Dyslexia Consulting.
…the toolkit fills a gap many employers are grappling with…
NZDEN Chief Executive Phil Turner says the toolkit fills a gap many employers are grappling with.
“A lot of organisations want to do the right thing but don’t know where to start. This toolkit stands out because it’s practical, accessible and grounded in lived experience, helping employers move from intention to action.”
AIA NZ says that since its internal release, the toolkit has supported a noticeable cultural shift at the company, with employees more openly discussing lived experience and leaders reporting greater confidence in supporting diverse needs.
“Neurodiversity is simply part of the spectrum of human experience,” says Hunter-Morpeth. “With around one in five people identifying as neurodivergent, designing workplaces that work for different minds isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential for wellbeing, performance and innovation.”
Click here to download the toolkit.
