"Some situations need more time than others, but after a year or two of seeing a plan settle down, it is incredible to see the peace that a client can move into and enjoy.”
Workplace benefit
Providing pastoral support is also vital in the workplace, in supporting colleagues, according to Laurie Edmans financial inclusion ambassador and co-founder of GAIN, the Group for Autism Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity.
He explains: “From my experience over many years, I believe I have applied, or tried to, principles akin to those I understand as pastoral.”
Edmans believes there are many benefits of a pastoral approach in the workplace, where GAIN is aiming to make positive changes for Neuro-diverse people.
"Looking at it from the particular perspective of improving the employment prospects of neurodivergent people, a ‘whole person’, pastoral approach is important at all times, not only - although perhaps particularly - when there is a crisis or a difficult challenge.”
GAIN was set up to address the skills gap existent in the industry, with the insight that many neurodivergent people had the abilities and skills to provide a solution to area of recruitment problem.
Like McCrum, Edmans believes that pastoral support is built on understanding and acceptance.
He says: “understanding someone well enables that person’s skills, strengths - and any weaknesses - to be recognised.
"Improving the match between a person and their role leads to greater efficiency – this is good for the business - and with greater job satisfaction - good for the individual.”
He believes this helps create a “virtuous circle of achievement for both parties”.
Well-matched
In the workplace especially, Edmans feels pastoral support “avoids the stress which arises when there is not a clear comprehension of how someone’s abilities and attributes match their job".
For example, many neurodivergent people, feel the need to ‘mask’ their differences and don’t ask for adjustments - often small, like avoiding noisy environments.
Therefore, moving a person somewhere they feel more comfortable like a quieter part of the office, can improve the individual’s ability to do their job well.
“There is a strong body of evidence which sets out the negative effects of such stress. The deleterious effect on both productivity and attendance is manifestly clear", Edmans adds.
Ultimately would employers rather have (a) well matched employees happy and productive in their roles, or (b) stressed and inefficient employees ‘masking’ their true nature?
A pastoral approach should lead to these:
- Listening and understanding
- Looking at the whole person – seeing their circumstances
- Personal support given confidentially, engendering mutual trust
- Honesty - enabling even difficult areas or shortcomings (on both sides) to be discussed openly and constructively.
These thoughts are supported by many in the financial advice and wealth management industry, who believe that creating a safe space for a client or staff member to articulate concerns and questions, and having a multiplicity of channels to do so, is important.
