IMPROVING MANAGERIAL APPROACHES AND HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGIES IN THE BANKING SECTOR REGARDING INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, SOCIAL EQUITY AND ORGANISATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

In today’s increasingly globalized and interconnected economy, inclusion is more than a value it is a necessity for financial organizations seeking to thrive in a competitive and evolving environment. Inclusion for financial organizations can refer first to the process of ensuring access to appropriate, affordable, and timely financial products and services for all individuals and businesses, regardless of their income level, location, gender, or social background. It is about breaking down barriers that have historically prevented large segments of the population from participating in the formal financial system. In the competitive and fast-evolving landscape of banking, employee inclusion and their loyalty have become also one of the most critical assets an organization can cultivate1. Retaining skilled talent, reducing turnover costs, and building a resilient internal culture are more important than ever. For workers with epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who have historically faced systemic barriers to employment and career progression, inclusive workplace practices represent a powerful and transformational commitment. When banks actively foster long-term inclusion, not just as a policy but as an embedded cultural value, they unlock a reciprocal relationship that promotes employee inclusion, loyalty, organizational stability, and broader social value2. Cultivating this loyalty goes beyond hiring it is about ensuring access, accommodation, opportunity, respect, and long-term growth3. From a business strategy perspective, the managerial literature is demonstrating that the inclusion of individuals with epilepsy and autism can enrich organizational diversity. Neurological diversity, often referred to as neurodiversity, brings fresh perspectives, unique problem-solving skills, and new ways of thinking that traditional hiring models often overlook. This article also summarizes the achieved results of the EpilepsyPOWER research project, focused on analysing the gaps in organisations regarding the dissemination and correct adoption of good practices for the inclusion of people with epilepsy, consciously or unconsciously, to support business processes. The contents, developed and validated with numerous organisations and experts, have been made available to propose new approaches to workplace design. Those who wish to specialise in human resources management or orientate their skills to prepare for certification as a disability manager can do so through special training modules. EpilepsyPOWER aimed to raise awareness, stimulate and strengthen the programmes offered by universities in Europe to improve curricula on the inclusion of fragile subjects and disseminate the good practices identified in the five countries involved (Italy, France, Ireland, Bulgaria and Germany) in corporate and university contexts. The three-year research project involved various professors, researchers, professionals, patients and identified several concrete solutions for workers inclusion in business contexts.