With exam season kicking off this month, it can be an extremely overwhelming and pressured time for students. Dee France, Thrive’s Wellbeing Lead, shares her advice on handling exam stress and anxiety  It is a perfectly normal experience to feel worried and stressed when faced with impending exams or any type of performance situation.  A healthy and ordinary amount of stress can even be good for you, giving you the motivation to push through and keep you focused. However, when worry, self-doubt, fear of failure and the pressure to perform well become too intense, they can interfere negatively with exam preparation and performance.  As feelings of stress push past optimal levels, it can have a devastating effect on our concentration, and our ability to learn, remember and demonstrate what we know.  Causes of exam anxiety  To effectively manage anxiety, it is important to understand why you are feeling this way. There are many variables that may contribute to and relate to these feelings:  Past experience with exams;  Poor preparation, inexperience undergoing exams and unfamiliarity with exam and study techniques;  Poor self-care, such as bad sleep habits, unhealthy eating, lack of exercise and limited relaxation time; Intrusive and unhelpful thinking patterns such as saying to yourself, “I can’t do this” or “I’m going to fail”;  Strong sense of failure; or  Extreme pressure to achieve placed on you by yourself or others. Tips for handling exam anxiety  How you spend your time leading up to your exams can have a huge knock-on effect on your anxiety and stress levels.  Routine  Essential to managing anxiety and stress when faced with exams is creating a study routine early in the year as opposed to haphazardly cramming a year’s worth of learning into a few days.  Design a study schedule and map out how you will spend your days.  Schedule your study time in short, succinct time blocks with a 10-minute break for every hour.  It is important to have a hard stop each evening to allow some time to unwind, and block out a day each week that is revision free. By carving out a comprehensive and realistic schedule, you will focus better, feel in control and be less likely to procrastinate.  Being prepared will help you feel more relaxed and confident and goes a long way to easing stress levels and keeping your nerves in check. Mind and body  When we are busy, other parts of our life can be easily neglected, and we can forget to take care of ourselves.  When it comes to managing anxiety and stress, nourishing your mind and body should not be underestimated.  It is important not to push yourself too hard or overlook your needs.  Regular exercise, eating well and sleeping properly are some of the most effective stress relievers at our disposal and are essential for being at our best physically, mentally and emotionally.  Incorporating fundamental self-care practices into your study routine can ease the pressure of trying to balance your time with other vital activities. Relax  To relieve symptoms of anxiety and stress, practise deep breathing or other relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation or yoga to help calm the body, alter the body’s response to anxiety and release tension.  In general, relaxation techniques are about refocusing your attention and increasing awareness in the body. It is a good idea to engage in these activities when you are relaxed and practise regularly to reap the benefits.  Ask for help  If you are overwhelmed by upcoming exams, you might find it helpful to share how you are feeling.  At Thrive, we witness a spike in students contacting our services at this time of year regarding exam stress and anxiety, which is one of the most common concerns students are dealing with.  Thrive is the Institute’s dedicated well-being hub, which is freely accessible to all students.  The hub provides a wide range of services tailored to our students' well-being, such as wellness coaching and professional counselling. All services are delivered in complete confidence and are available at any stage of your journey with the Institute.  For more advice or information, check out Thrive’s dedicated wellbeing hub.  Alternatively, you can contact the Wellbeing team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or phone: (+353) 86 0243294

The term emotional intelligence is something we hear a lot of these days and has become a buzzword of sorts in the wellness space. However, it is a critical skill and its importance on our wellbeing, work performance and interpersonal relationships shouldn't be underestimated. Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to identify and regulate one's emotions and understand the emotions of others. Here, we look at emotional intelligence, its impacts, and how to develop and improve it. Characteristics of emotional intelligence Essentially, emotional intelligence is being aware of our emotions, how they drive behaviour and impact ourselves and others (negatively and positively). Some experts even believe that it is more important in determining life success than IQ. There are certain traits and key signs associated with emotional intelligence. Some include: An ability to identify and describe how you and other people are feeling Self-confidence and acceptance Being able to accept and let go of mistakes and move on quickly Acceptance and embracing of change Feelings of empathy and concern for others Being sensitive and astute to others’ feelings and emotions Being able to manage emotions in difficult situations or within conflict The 5 elements of emotional intelligence According to psychologist Daniel Goleman, who popularised the concept, there are five components to emotional intelligence. Self-awareness Self-awareness is considered the core foundation of emotional intelligence. Strong self-awareness is recognising and understanding your emotions, knowing why you are feeling a certain way and acknowledging their impact on you and others. It is also about knowing your strengths and weaknesses, what your values are and having a strong moral compass. Self-awareness is a key skill in managing our wellbeing too, it helps with decision-making and helps you instinctively make the right choices for you. Conversely, it is suggested those with lower EI exhibit uncontrolled and misunderstood emotions which can heighten their susceptibility to a host of mental health concerns such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Self-regulation Once you have an awareness over your emotions, the next step is being able to manage and regulate your emotions – particularly the negative ones. This is not to be misconstrued as bottling up or hiding your true feelings. Self-regulation is about expressing yourself appropriately. It is one’s ability not to act impulsively or hastily based on emotions, steady self-regulation allows us to reduce how intense our emotions and reactions are. Motivation The next element is the ability to motivate, not only yourself but others too. Motivation is the drive to improve ourselves, set standards and expectations for ourselves and our desire to achieve. This type of motivation goes beyond external rewards though, it is based on a desire to fulfill inner needs and goals. In a work setting, those who are highly motivated tend to be action-oriented, always looking for ways to do things betters, are very committed, and like to take the initiative. Empathy Being empathetic is another key foundation of good emotional intelligence. An important interpersonal skill, empathy is having an understanding of others’ thoughts, feelings and emotions and respecting their point of view. Empathy for others can help foster stronger relationships and is especially vital in the workplace as it is integral to understanding workplace dynamics, influences and how different situations can be interpreted. It can also guide the interactions we have with different people we encounter daily. Social Skills The final element in the emotional intelligence concept is social skills, which is the ability to properly manage others’ emotions, and the ability to connect, interact, influence and work with a range of people effectively. Having strong social skills allows people to build strong and meaningful relationships. In work settings, people can benefit from effective social skills as it allows us to develop strong rapport and trust. In emotional intelligence, social skills include active listening, verbal communication skill, non-verbal communication skills, leadership and persuasiveness. Take a look at our Communicating with impact webinar to learn more about building these key communication skills. Developing our emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence infiltrates all aspects of our lives and is essential for understanding ourselves as well as how successful we are in navigating our social world. Research has found being emotionally intelligent is associated with professional success, financial security, fulfilling and meaningful relationships, increased life satisfaction as well as better overall physical and mental health. While some tend to be more naturally adept, the good news is that these skills can be learned, developed, and strengthen over time. Here are some ways you can strengthen your emotional intelligence. Know yourself – Practice and develop your own self-awareness by becoming more in tune with your emotions and your emotional reactions and responses. Knowing what and how you are feeling can help you identify and process your emotions and strengthen your ability to communicate them in a healthy way. To strengthen your awareness, make a note of when you are experiencing strong feelings, what made you feel that way, and if there were any adverse reactions to those feelings. Communicate and listen – Strong communication skills are essential for developing emotional intelligence and crucial for building strong relationships. Work on communicating openly and be willing to share your own feelings. People communicate verbally and non-verbally, so it is helpful to actively listen and observe reactions.  Active listening involves listening with all senses and paying full attention to the speaker. To develop this skill try nodding along, asking questions or repeating points they have made to show you are listening and understand what the speaker is saying. Empathy – Be mindful of how others may be feeling. While you may not feel that way or have a differing stance in a situation, being empathic means you can imagine yourself in someone else’s position and can acknowledge how and why they may be feeling a certain way. To build empathy, take the other person’s feelings into consideration in a way that is respectful and comforting to the other person. The Thrive Wellbeing Hub provides free practical and emotional support to members, students and family members. We offer a confidential space for you to talk, whether you need a listening ear, wellbeing advice or professional counselling, we are here for you. You can contact the thrive wellbeing team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294

Burnout is a term we hear a lot of it when dealing with workplace stress and is a pressing issue for employees and students alike. Prolonged or severe workplace stress can lead to burnout. Here we discuss what burnout is and how we can deal with it to regain balance and begin to feel hopeful again. What is burnout? Burnout is a relatively new concept with the term first coined in 1974 by psychologist, Herbert Freudenberger. It is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy.” In 2019, burnout was recognised by the WHO as an ‘occupational phenomenon’. Feelings of burnout typically occur when you are overwhelmed at work and feel as if you can no longer keep up with the demands of the job. A 2022 large-scale study by Workhuman and Gallup found that employees in Ireland are suffering from burnout and stress more often than our European counterparts with 3 in 10 employees in Ireland reporting being burnt out very often or always. The same research found employees in Ireland are the most likely to report being stressed with 6.5 in 10 saying they experienced stress ‘a lot’ the previous day. We spend most of our waking life at work, so if we dislike it, dread going, and are extremely dissatisfied with what we are doing, it can place a serious toll on our lives. However, it is more than just the ‘Sunday Scaries’. Burnout is a gradual process and if left unaddressed can lead to many far-reaching and serious consequences. Therefore, it’s important to deal with burnout at an early stage. The burnout stages As mentioned previously, burnout isn’t a sudden onset, it develops gradually over time with symptoms and signs increasing in intensity. Research has identified that these 5 stages (outlined below) are commonly observed.   The Honeymoon Stage- this usually occurs at the start of a new job or project where productivity, optimism, energy and job satisfaction are high. Onset of Stress – like all honeymoon periods, these feelings begin to dwindle and wane. This stage is where we consciously become aware of work stressors. Chronic Stress – this stage is where we notice a marked difference in stress levels and intensity on a more frequent basis. Burnout – this is where we begin to reach our capacity limit and can longer function like we normally would. Work and its issues begin to consume you and you tend to experience serious self-doubt and symptoms become persistent. Habitual Burnout – If left untreated, burnout can become embedded into our daily lives and we experience chronic mental and physical exhaustion and adverse behavioural changes. Symptoms of Burnout These are the signs to look-out for if you think you are reaching burnout. Symptoms of burnout are wide-ranging affecting us physically, emotionally and behaviourally. Getting sick more often - Burnout can cause long-term changes to your body, weakening immunity that makes you increasingly more vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu. Frequent headaches, muscle pain, or gastrointestinal issues – caused by prolonged stress and being in fight or flight mode constantly. Pattern and habit changes – such as sleep issues or loss of appetite. Feeling tired and drained all the time – regardless of how much rest you get. Concentration issue due to overload. Low mood – loss of motivation, having an increasingly cynical/negative outlook, feeling detachment and withdrawing from others. Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated. Procrastinating on tasks and duties and retreating from responsibility. Skipping work, arriving late and leaving early. Coping Strategies Early intervention is key for preventing burnout and reaching the latter stages of burnout. Burnout is a risk factor for other serious diseases such as depression, heart attacks, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, and reduced life expectancy. The good news is we can bounce back from burnout. But what can you do to avoid reaching total burnout? Take the time off work you need to recharge and assess your situation. Speak with your manager or HR department about your workload, how and what you are struggling with – do you have a lot on your plate work-wise? Could some tasks be delegated or put on pause? Know your boundaries and limitations- poor and blurred boundaries are the main reasons people reach burnout. Often, we can say yes to too many work requests that we may not necessarily be able to take on. It requires strength but don’t be afraid to say no to certain work projects or tasks. It is important to set clear work boundaries, take regular breaks and set a work schedule to protect your health. Look after yourself- move your body, try stress management techniques, make sure you sleep and rest enough, and feed your body with nutritious foods. Check out our article, foods to manage stress. Be compassionate and patient with yourself – recovering from burnout is not a linear process. Talk to a professional to discover coping strategies that will personally work for you. How we can help The Thrive Wellbeing Hub provides free emotional supports to members, students and family members. We offer a confidential space for you to talk, whether you need a listening ear, wellbeing advice or professional counselling, we are here for you. You can contact the thrive wellbeing team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294

A truly diverse and inclusive workplace can boost business by promoting innovation and enhancing reputation, says Sandra Healy, founder and CEO of Inclusio Employers who treat diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) as a “tick box” exercise are missing a valuable opportunity to improve, not only their organisational culture, but also their ability to attract and retain talent and improve business performance and profitability. So says Sandra Healy, founder and CEO of Inclusio, the Irish tech start-up behind a first-of-its-kind platform offering a scientific, data-led approach to measuring DE&I in the workplace. Founded in 2016, Inclusio is now on the path to global growth amid plans to expand overseas and increase its Dublin headcount from 35 to 120 by 2025. The global expansion will be financed by the company’s Enterprise Ireland and VC backed €6.2 million investment. In addition to her role at the helm of Inclusio, Healy is a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council for An Garda Síochána and a former member of the Expert Advisory Group for Ireland’s Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality. An organisational psychologist, her interest in promoting and supporting DE&I, and her inspiration for Inclusio, came about as a result of her experience working for two decades in global telecoms. “One of the values I hold dearest is fairness and I could see through my work that not everyone is treated fairly or equally at work,” Healy explains.  “That’s a problem for the individual who is not treated equitably, but it is also a problem for the organisation and, beyond that, for society as a whole.” Better outcomes  Ultimately, Healy believes that true DE&I can deliver better outcomes across the board.  “For organisations, the benefits of hiring a diverse workforce include access to a greater range of skillsets, experiences, and perspectives that reflect the reality of the society around us,” she says. “This provides a better understanding of their customers, and their customers’ needs—which improves commercial performance and boosts the bottom line.” Other benefits include greater creativity and innovation, improved talent attraction, engagement and retention, and a better reputation in the marketplace. “By intentionally creating a diverse workforce and a socially responsible organisation that takes DE&I seriously, you are opening the door to new markets, customers, business partners, and employees,” says Healy. “There are so many benefits—and you don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of organisations providing advice and support to help employers get their approach to DE&I right, creating a better environment within the company and supporting a positive culture.” Inclusive hiring Creating an equitable hiring process is often the first step to building an inclusive work environment. There can be barriers to equitable hiring, however, sometimes including deeply held beliefs and behaviours.  “These barriers may be rooted in stereotypes, prejudice, or unconscious or implicit bias, which may lead to discriminatory beliefs and actions,” explains Healy.  “Only by identifying and understanding them, can we begin to dismantle beliefs that lead to discriminatory actions and attitudes.” The DCU Centre of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion, founded by Healy, lists some the main barriers to equitable hiring as: 1. Stereotypes A stereotype is an oversimplified or exaggerated belief or sentiment about a group; a broad generalisation that doesn’t allow for individual differences. Stereotypes can be positive or negative and can apply to any group on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, disability, religion, gender, and other categories. 2. Prejudice Prejudice is a predetermined opinion or attitude about a group and its members. Prejudices are often negative and accompanied by a belief in an “in group” and an “out group”, the latter being the target of the prejudice. 3. Unconscious or implicit bias This is a form of prejudice or belief we are largely unaware of, which is held about members of a group. It can also be described as the positions we hold, filters we form, or conclusions we reach by means outside our active thought. Hence, unconscious or implicit biases often seem automatic. Unlike stereotypes and prejudices, these biases may not even enter our awareness, but they can drive discriminatory actions. 4. Discrimination This behaviour involves, or results in, people being treated unfairly, unequally or differently, because of their identity or the group or groups they belong to. Discrimination often starts through stereotypes, prejudices, and bias. Discriminatory behaviour can range from subtle actions to hate crimes.  Conscious steps All of these concepts work together to perpetuate inequity, so it is crucial that employers take deliberate, conscious, and considered steps to establish hiring practices that are as inclusive as possible. “As a first step, I would advise employers to evaluate and challenge the language you use in your job ads. Ask yourself, ‘what cohort am I appealing to, and who is missing?’” says Healy. She advises employers to design and develop interview processes that are inclusive, non-judgmental and respectful, creating equitable opportunity for all candidates. “All your approaches should be multidimensional—working to address biases and discrimination in all aspects of the hiring process,” she says. “Then, moving beyond the hiring process, you have to intentionally embed DE&I into the culture of your organisation and stress its importance through inclusive leadership and best practice.” As Healy sees it, culture lives “collectively” in the behaviours and lived experiences of each and every individual within an organisation.   “If you want to have a culture that is truly supportive of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—and consistently so—you have to educate your people managers,” she says. “It should really be the case that, no matter what part of your organisation an individual works in, or who they report to, their experience is consistent with that of everyone else. Your DE&I policies and practices must be ‘lived’. “Your people managers are the custodians of that lived experience, and the culture of your organisation. They must be crystal clear about your DE&I policy and practice,” says Healy. “They must know how to have good conversations to make sure people are supported and get what they need. Ultimately, you want to focus on what every member of your workforce can do, not what they can’t do, and how they can contribute to, and enhance, your organisation.”  So, how can employers gauge whether or not they are on the right track when it comes to DE&I? “That’s one thing employers really struggle with—how do you measure culture?—and that’s where Inclusio comes in,” says Healy. “We’re bringing a ‘scientific evidenced’ approach to employers, which allows them to listen to the collective voice of their people and to measure, track and act on DE&I,” she says. About Inclusio Healy spun the idea for Inclusio into Dublin City University (DCU) in 2016 where she established and led its Centre of Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Research. “Diversity and Inclusion is a core focus for many organisations now and the DCU Centre of Excellence was established to give them access to the very latest developments in academic research, insights and tools to drive change across organisations,” Healy explains. “I started working on Inclusio from 2016 with my two co-founders Deborah Murphy and Arthur Lubambo and support from Enterprise Ireland’s Commercialisation Fund, we spun out of DCU in 2020.” Inclusio has been developed by experts in behavioural data science, psychology, artificial intelligence, equality, diversity and inclusion. The platform gives employers real data-driven insights that will help drive DE&I improvements within their workforce and deliver measurable improvements in their culture. Healy has ambitious plans to make Inclusio Ireland’s first female-founded tech unicorn, and a global DE&I enabler that will help employers to “take the right action on DE&I and ensure that it’s not just a tick box exercise”. Participants in the company’s €6.2 million investment round, closed in 2022, include lead investor Elkstone, alongside Atlantic Bridge, Oyster Capital, Wakeup Capital, Enterprise Ireland, and a group of private backers, such as Brian Caulfield and John Hearne.  Inclusio’s clients include RSA Insurance Ireland, 123.ie, Intact FBD insurance, Linesight, Kilsaran, the Public Appointments Service, and Teagasc. “We already use global benchmarking, and we are now starting to develop sector benchmarking, initially with the insurance sector. Our customers use our data for Board and regulator reporting, Gender Pay Gap and environmental, social, and governance reporting,” Healy explains.  “That will allow employers to answer the question, ‘how am I doing compared to competitors in my own industry?’ as well as the global benchmark. “There is nothing else like Inclusio in the world. Our software is helping organisations to pinpoint and focus DE&I actions in a more strategic way, linked to business KPIs.” “That will allow employers to answer the question, ‘how am I doing compared to competitors in my own industry?’ as well as the global benchmark. “There is nothing else like Inclusio in the world. Our software is helping organisations to pinpoint and focus DE&I actions in a more strategic way.”

John Francis Dick tells Accountancy Ireland why it is so important to advocate for yourself and ask for what you need to succeed at work “Be the disruptor”. That’s the call to action from John Francis Dick, ACA, whose approach to his career has seen him seek out new opportunities at every turn. “My attitude has always been to just go for it, to take that step and to be the disruptor. You have to be willing to represent yourself in any new situation; to come in and say, ‘this is what I need, please provide it for me’.”  As John sees it, people in positions of influence—school teachers, college lecturers, and bosses and managers at work—have an enormous impact on the opportunities open to people with disabilities. “I want to get the message out there that it’s just so important to give people the time and space they need to perform at their best, to engage with them, and take the time to understand what they need to contribute in the best way they can.” John, who has cerebral palsy, grew up in south Belfast and, after completing his A Levels, went on to Queen’s University Belfast to study for a degree in land use and environmental management. “A lot of my school friends dropped out after their GCSEs. They didn’t go on to do A Levels, but I didn’t grow up seeing many people with disabilities around me, so I’ve never taken my education or career for granted,” he explains. “I was passionate about getting as much out of the educational experience as I could. Going to college was a big milestone for me. I hadn’t always been sure I’d get to do it because of my disability.” Be your own advocate It was at this time that John learned the value of speaking up, asking for what he needed, and becoming his own advocate. “It was the first time I was really on my own. I didn’t have my parents behind me and I was suddenly in a much bigger environment than I had been in at school. It was the first time I found myself having to fight for my needs and rights,” he explains. The experience taught John the importance of determination, and gave him the confidence to begin looking further afield to progress his career and education. He decided to apply for a one-year placement with Study USA, a British Council initiative, which allows third level students to spend a full academic year studying business in the US. His placement was with Monmouth, a private college in the midwestern state of Illinois. “That was really where my business education began,” he says.  “Up until that point, the only experience of accountancy I’d had was through my dad, but he just did a one-year course at Ulster University and then went into business.” John was “very open” to learning about accountancy and business, and potentially taking his studies in a new direction. “Really, I’d say my entire education and career to date has been driven by an openness to grasp opportunities, try new things and make the most of lots of different experiences,” he says. “I think this approach will take you in the right direction and, again, for people with disabilities, it comes back to that idea of being a disruptor. “It’s so important to reach out, to be seen and counted, and have access to the same experiences, opportunities and choices as people who do not have disabilities,” says John. “For the most part, people have been accepting of my difference, curious to know more about me and how they can help.  “The bigger challenge for me has been navigating the organisations and institutions that are not quite sure how best to support people with disabilities. “I feel that, in my own journey from school to college and on to work, I’ve really had to be my own trailblazer in terms of getting things done, but I’ve also seen a lot of change in those years.  “Even in terms of Chartered Accountants Ireland as an organisation, its approach to helping people with disabilities continues to improve and that’s encouraging. The Institute has agreed to my request to introduce disability awareness training for staff and I really welcome that.” Path to accountancy While he enjoyed studying for his degree in environmental management at Queen’s University, John was also aware that better career opportunities might lie elsewhere. “I remember, when I was at Monmouth, being encouraged to come up with business ideas. It was just a different way of learning and I think it really helps you when you go into the working world,” he says. “So, I came home and finished my degree, but I also took a part-time job as a book-keeper and started learning about debits and credits. My parents were a big support at that time, because they were both responsible for the accounts in their jobs.” In late 2011, the year after his graduation, John decided to apply for a training position with EY in Dublin. He was offered a six-month internship and went on to work with the firm for five-and-a-half years, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant and becoming an Audit Senior. “Joining EY was a really big step for me. It was my first full-time role and my first experience working in a Big Four environment. Starting with the six-month internship was really key for me because it meant I knew what to expect and how best to navigate my way around,” he says. Importance of managers During his years with EY and in subsequent roles in banking and industry, John has learned time and again the critical role managers can play in supporting career progression. “I remember once I had one manager who, I felt, wasn’t supporting me or interested in me as a person.  “I thought, ‘something has to change’. There were other managers I got on really well with, so I asked to switch teams. I took control of the situation. “The person I talked to about switching teams, who was also a Chartered Accountant, was an enormous help and support to me at that time. They are also someone I’ve returned to over the years to ask for advice and input.” Such support has been crucial in helping John to navigate his career path and make the right decisions.  “It just goes to show how important it is to speak up and advocate for yourself. Anyone can find themselves in a situation where their manager isn’t open to promoting them or supporting their needs and progression,” he says. “You might not have exactly what they’re looking for on the face of it, but if they’re not open to seeing your strengths, they won’t be able to see how a different approach could result in a better outcome for you and for your team.” The result of this approach to managing people is often a poor culture and a higher turnover of staff of all abilities, John says. “I wasn’t the only one on my team who was frustrated with how we were being managed, but I think I found it especially difficult. I had identified what I wasn’t able to do myself, but there was no room for genuine communication.” He continues: “These days, I am more confident about asking for that communication and understanding. I’ll give everything 110 percent. Living with a physical disability can present acute challenges, but I find solutions and I put them into practice.  “I am an advocate for the promotion of differing abilities in the workplace. I think it’s crucial that we respect and value each colleague’s abilities and I take pride in my work and in leaving things better than I found them and having a positive impact on the people around me.”

Maeve Dermody tells Accountancy Ireland about her experiences in the workplace as a person who is profoundly Deaf For Maeve Dermody, ACA, a truly inclusive workplace is one that supports open communication, diversity and allyship. Dermody, who qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2018 and now works for Revenue, has had varied experiences in the working world—some positive, and some negative.  Above all, she has learned the true value of open communication, a willingness to embrace difference, and the strengths and benefits it can bring to the working world.  “My biggest advice to employers would be to focus always on a person’s abilities, not their disabilities,” Dermody says. “I am Deaf, but I have strong communication skills. I am very good at writing reports and communicate very effectively this way. I am a team player and I always want to contribute, to discuss my work, and find out about other people’s work.” Dermody joined Revenue five years ago as an Executive Officer and was promoted to Administrative Officer in 2019. “I have been given a lot of space here to learn, develop and grow in my career,” she says. “Not all jobs are positive, and I think this has really shown me the enormous value of providing the right supports for people with disabilities and creating the right culture of communication.” The right support Dermody has the full support of her line manager at Revenue and is provided with an Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreter at all team meetings. “This means I’m able to converse, interact and engage. The conversation flows naturally because I can express myself. Without an ISL interpreter, it would be challenging in a group environment to engage effectively,” she says.  “I can lip read in one-to-one meetings, but, in a group setting, it is much more difficult because I am trying to keep track of everything around me.” This practical support also helps to foster a sense of inclusion and allows Dermody’s colleagues to benefit from the full scope of her skills and expertise as a Chartered Accountant.  “I haven’t always had a positive experience at work. A few years ago, I worked with a small firm in private practice, and I found it very challenging,” she says. “At team meetings with colleagues, there was no interpreter present, so I found it hard to understand the messages my colleagues were communicating.  “We would be sitting together around a table and people beside me would be chatting and looking at their notes, so I wasn’t able to lip read.  “I was the only Deaf person and felt I couldn’t make the role work for me, because of the lack of support in the environment. “With Revenue, my experience has been completely different and so—to all employers—I would say, ‘be an ally, listen and work together with the individual, because everyone has different needs’.  “My husband is Deaf too, but his level of hearing is different which means he can use the phone, whereas I can’t, but we have the same preference to have an ISL interpreter at meetings.  “At the same time, another person who has the same level of hearing as me might prefer to use captions. Different people have different preferences, needs and accommodations and that is why it is so important to talk, to ask questions, to listen and respond to the individual.”  Maeve’s story Dermody grew up on a farm in Mullinalaghta, Co. Longford, with four older brothers. “One of my brothers has a hearing loss and I am profoundly Deaf, so we have both had very different experiences. I went to a Deaf school and he went to a mainstream school. “I grew up seeing him progressing a few years ahead of me—going to college and getting a job. I thought, ‘I’m going to grow up and I’ll do the same because he’s been able to do it’.” At first, Dermody set her sights on becoming a primary school teacher. “I went to a Deaf school in Dublin and I knew that St Patrick’s College offered a teacher training course in Deaf education. That’s what I wanted to do,” she says. Dermody discovered, however, that she couldn’t apply for a place on the course because the Deaf school she had attended had not taught Irish as a subject at either primary or secondary level.  This meant she did not have Irish as a Leaving Certificate subject—a requirement for primary teaching in Ireland. “I didn’t have the option of doing my primary teacher training in Ireland. I could have gone over to the UK, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to study here and be close to family and friends,” she says. Instead, she decided on a different career path; one that would allow her to use her strength in maths and interest in business to become a post-primary teacher. College life Dermody embarked on a degree in accountancy and finance at Dublin City University (DCU) in 2008 followed, three years later, by a professional diploma in education and a master’s in education. She is a qualified secondary school teacher, specialising in accounting and business studies.  Dermody’s college experience was positive, but it was also a new and unfamiliar environment. “When you’re in a Deaf school, it’s a bit like being in a bubble. You know all the teachers and everyone uses sign language. We had very small classes of just two to six pupils,” she says. She was the only pupil in her class to do the Leaving Certificate. “I had always wanted to go on to third level, meet people and socialise,” she explains.  “College is very new and different though when you’re coming from a Deaf school. You can feel a bit lost, but I was determined to roll up my sleeves and integrate.” As well as forming close bonds with her collegemates at DCU, and forging lifelong friendships, Dermody made use of the supports offered to Deaf students, including ISL interpreters and note-takers for college lectures. “I started to teach and I enjoyed it, but found myself wanting more from my working life. I’ve always been a problem-solver, so I started thinking instead about pursuing a career in accountancy,” she says. Dermody’s next port-of-call was AHEAD, the independent non-profit organisation working to create inclusive environments in education and employment for people with disabilities. “AHEAD is a really good organisation and they provide a lot of support in the workplace, both to the person with a disability and to the employer,” she says. Through AHEAD’s Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme for graduates with disabilities, Dermody secured two paid work internships with ESB and the Civil Service. “I started applying for jobs when I completed my internships, but I wasn’t having much luck. I decided that I needed more qualifications under my belt, so I started studying to become a Chartered Accountant,” she says. “As an organisation, Chartered Accountants Ireland was every bit as supportive as DCU, organising ISL interpreters and anything else I needed. “It was only when I started applying for jobs, both after graduating from DCU and completing my CA training, that I started to feel different. I could see my peers, who had similar grades but no disability, getting jobs. I wasn’t getting those same opportunities.” Path to experience To gain the experience she needed, Dermody took a part-time paid position with Reach Deaf Services. “That was a good start for me, and I was able to apply for other jobs while I worked there.” Eventually, Dermody was offered a fixed-term accountancy position and, from there, she joined St. Joseph’s School for Deaf Boys in Dublin as an accounts administrator. “I also started working as an administrative accountant with Deaf Village Ireland and the Sign Language Interpreting Service. I was working three different jobs, all fixed-term, but I wanted more security.” That was when Dermody decided to apply for work with the Civil Service and was offered her first position with Revenue. Government supports Even though her experience of working in the public sector has been overwhelmingly positive, Dermody would like to see greater emphasis at Government level on the provision of practical work-related supports for people with disabilities in Ireland. “I think the Irish government should look to the UK model of providing supports for people with disabilities. The Access to Work scheme there provides people with a disability with funding at an individual level, to help support them in the workplace,” she says. “This means the employer doesn’t have to be concerned about the cost of providing this support. The person with a disability receives the funding and the employer then confirms that the funding has been used.” On the other side of the coin, Ireland is better than the UK in terms of access for people with disabilities in social spaces.  “I would also like to see Irish Sign Language (ISL) included in the school curriculum in Ireland. ISL is one of our three official languages, yet it is not taught in our schools,” says Dermody. “If Irish Sign Language were on the curriculum alongside Irish and English, it would help to give people a basic understanding of sign language. That would make it easier to converse with Deaf people, even just through simple, everyday expressions like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.”