It’s quite likely that your organisation has more neurodivergent employees than you realise, perhaps as many as 20%. What’s more, they could be as much as 140% more productive than their neurotypical colleagues. This is what makes a neurodiversity friendly workplace culture so important.
This article has been written to support Neurodiversity Celebration Week 13th to 19th March. Organisations better placed to attract, retain and deliver the best experience for neurodivergent people also support the Cordell Health vision – to change the focus in the workplace from disability to ability.
By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of the strengths of neurodiverse employees and the challenges they face in the workplace. We will address what organisations can do to create a more supportive culture with practical steps to achieve this.
The value neurodiversity brings
Neurodiversity tends to cover a number of groups that typically includes people with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Tourette’s Syndrome. Studies have found that between 1 in 5 and 1 in 7 staff are estimated to be neurodivergent (Diversity at Work, Doyle, 2020).
A 2021 report by JPMorgan Chase found that neurodivergent employees in certain tech roles could be up to 140 per cent more productive than neurotypical colleagues. As neurodivergent people by definition think differently, engaging and including neurodivergent people will increase diversity of thought in your organisation leading to greater innovation and creativity within teams. And yet many obstacles prevent these talented people feeling like they belong.
What makes neurodivergent people feel excluded?
It often starts with recruitment and induction, where simple adjustments would improve the candidate experience and reduce heightened anxiety. Once recruited, the wrong perceptions can quickly make them feel uncomfortable. For example, inconsistency in performance can be perceived as an attitude or motivational issue when in fact, the physical workplace environment often doesn’t accommodate their needs. In addition, the way that neurodiverse people process information varies depending on their condition. Lack of understanding by line managers and colleagues may miss reasons why performance isn’t as good as it could be – and along with this an opportunity to help.
Perhaps it’s this lack of understanding that causes another inhibitor to inclusion – reluctance to discuss their issues with their employers. The DARE Report on Adjustments (2020) found that 87% of neurodivergent employees felt that adjustments would make a critical difference to their performance at work, yet 53% felt unable to ask, were refused adjustments, or adjustments requested were poorly implemented. Just 15% reported they were comfortable openly discussing adjustments within their employer. For this to change requires a shift in culture.
Steps towards a neurodiversity-friendly culture
- Recruitment and induction
The recruitment process can be an anxious time for many, but for a neurodivergent candidate it can be overwhelming. Employer brand messaging can help reassure neurodivergent candidates by using content produced for them. This could be as simple as a blog article about your neurodivergent friendly workplace and how your recruitment process is setup to accommodate their needs.
For recruitment itself, candidates may need additional time to navigate competency tests or written aspects of the process. Job adverts should be clear and precise and highlight the exact skills necessary for the job rather than listing generic phrases such as ‘excellent communication skills’.
Interviews often test social skills rather than an individual’s potential to do the job. Finding a way of assessing the person’s direct skills for that job such as testing numeracy skills or doing a job test, is likely to be more suited to assessing the abilities of neurodiverse candidates. Being a new starter can be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals, as it often involves social interaction and group activities. They are likely to prefer the lower stress of a one-to-one onboarding experience.
- Line managers and leadership
How aware are your managers and leadership of the skills and attributes of neurodivergent employees? Do they realise how they may think differently? If you’ve been surprised by some of the facts and stats in this article, so might they be. It’s quite likely that they are unaware of how they could better accommodate and respond to their needs.
Line managers have a crucial role in talking to individuals, getting to know them and understanding their strengths and challenges. This makes their awareness of the needs of neurodivergent team members all the more important. Understanding their communication styles, working patterns and preferences for social interaction helps to create a working environment in which that employee can perform at their best. Leaders that are seen to acknowledge the value of neurodivergent people – such as Sir Richard Branson who talks openly about his Dyslexia as a positive attribute – also help to create a more neurodiversity-friendly culture.
- The working environment
Every neurodiverse employee is different, and some adjustments will need to be specific to that person. Indeed, neurodiverse employees have a right to request ‘reasonable adjustments’ under UK employment and equality law. Any costs involved should be met by the employer.
A powerful way to demonstrate your workplace culture is neurodiverse friendly is to ask them what they need from your physical working environment. This will help calm anxieties as neurodivergent people often prefer clarity – in written communication, their working routines and structure of their time. That’s why working fixed hours instead of variable shifts can help.
‘Quiet zone’ workspaces with reduced sensory stimulation are also very beneficial. Requests to work from home may be based on their preference for a quiet environment best suited to their needs. Provision of noise-cancelling headphones can be an option, depending on the type of job. Sensory overload can sometimes be helped with micro-breaks at short notice. Removing any stigma associated with taking time out also demonstrates empathy to neurodivergent needs.
- Peer support and team culture
Your organisation might consider helping run a peer support group, perhaps using an online platform. Neurodiverse employees could use this group to share experiences and collaborate to challenge attitudes that undermine their ability to work effectively. These also create a sense of belonging, celebrating the jobs and successes that neurodiversity can bring.
Organisations can also provide resources and training to staff on neurodiverse inclusion, best practice examples of workplace inclusion and the use of inclusive language, practices and non-verbal inclusive actions.
Conclusion
There are significant benefits of employing a neurodiverse workforce. They bring increased productivity and their different ways of thinking aid creativity and innovation – all of which contributes to competitive advantage. Organisations need to do their part in creating a workplace culture that supports neurodivergent people, so they are able to work at their best and feel that they belong, just as much as any employee.
Further reading
Cordell Health: Neurodiversity: Maximising Potential and Identification of Strengths
Cordell Health Subscription Service: We have a number of guides available to subscribers covering the employment law aspects of neurodiversity and guides for line managers and employees. For more details about this service, please visit: https://cordel.247developments.com/subscription.php
Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash
