Inclusivity In The Digital Age

Joanne Lockwood is joined by technology and digital recruitment specialist Luke Morrisen to explore what inclusivity can look like in today’s digital working world, grounded in Luke’s personal journey and his experience placing people into tech and recruitment environments.

Luke describes struggling in traditional education, leaving home young, and later discovering that he learns differently. Becoming a parent, particularly to a neurodiverse son, prompts deeper self-understanding and a commitment to helping others move beyond limiting beliefs. He shares how structure and clear goals helped him thrive in recruitment, build confidence, and ultimately set up his own business.

A major thread of the conversation focuses on alcohol-centred workplace culture and how it can exclude people and undermine wellbeing. Joanne and Luke discuss sobriety, addictive tendencies, and how ADHD-style “all or nothing” patterns can amplify reliance on alcohol or caffeine. They reflect on the real-life consequences of alcohol on judgement, safety, and participation at work, and argue for workplaces to design social and expense policies that don’t default to drinking.

They also examine what it takes to build inclusive teams in tech: being honest about culture, avoiding tokenistic hiring, and ensuring people are supported once they join. The episode closes with practical reflections on culture change, understanding individual needs, and creating environments where more people can belong and perform at their best.