Neurodiversity refers to the concept that what is traditionally seen as developmental disorders, such as ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, are in fact normal variations of brain function, and that neurodiverse people often have certain strengths.
For example, people with ADHD may struggle with time management and organisation, but may excel in creativity and drive. Furthermore, the impulsivity associated with ADHD can serve as an advantage in situations where someone needs to speak up, where a neuro-typical person may choose to remain silent in line with social or societal norms.
Traditional education and its assessments are not geared up for neurodiverse students, who may be very passionate, creative, out-of-the-box thinkers – by definition, they cannot easily be placed into the strict categories or check-boxes the education system (and society itself) maintains. This can put some individuals at a disadvantage before they even enter the workforce.
Neurodiversity at Work
As a society, we default to focusing on loss and lack. As such, when it comes to conditions such as ADHD or Autism, we pay far more attention to the impairments, than to the enhanced skills that often accompany them, that can serve as a real benefit to Employers. For example, evidence has shown that:
- People with ADHD are often spontaneous and courageous, with a tendency for hyper-focusing on tasks;
- People with Autism often pay attention to complex details, and have specialised skills and excellent memories. These shine in the fields of mathematics, music composition and computer programming; and
- People with Dyslexia often process visual information to a higher standard, which is advantageous in engineering, computing and graphic design roles.
Challenges Facing Neurodiverse Workers
Neurodiversity isn’t classed as a disability at this present time, but many neurodiverse people need adjustments in the workplace, to be able to perform at their best. For some, this means that adjustments are not always available to them or even considered by their Employer.
As a result, some neurodiverse people spend extra time adjusting to their work environment, or taking steps to adjust their work environment to suit them. This ranges from blocking out distractions (i.e.: some may need to wear headphones to limit overstimulation from a busy or noisy environment), through to managing their image and the impressions they make on colleagues. Taking these additional measures can impede work performance and output and place a strain on their mental, emotional and physical health.
Additionally, some may have eccentricities that prove challenging within teams, such as needing their work area organised in a manner that may be difficult for colleagues to maintain or work with.
Despite this, the benefits and returns to be gained from the input of a neurodiverse person, can outweigh the adjustments needed. The challenge is often in getting the neurodiverse person on-board in the first place.
Recruitment, Selection and Support
Many HR processes are designed to be scalable and measurable, to cater for wide application across entire organisations. However, these processes typically overlook neurodiverse talent that doesn’t fit into the ‘standard’ – traditional notions of what makes someone a good Employee, such as solid communication skills, networking skills, confidence in presenting and public speaking, the ability to be a team player, emotional intelligence, etc. This type of criteria often screens out neurodiverse people before they have reached the starting line.
Organisations can benefit from looking beyond the typical definitions of a good all-round Employee, and focusing on the specific skills needed by the organisation, tailoring their recruitment to match those needs up with candidates who possess those skills.
Interviews
While neurodiverse people can possess skills that make them excel, many do not cope well with the traditional practice of interviewing. For example, some people with Autism don’t make good eye contact, and have a tendency to go off topic in conversation, or be a little too honest about their opinions of themselves and those interviewing them, the Company, etc. As a result, they may score less well than neurotypical candidates.
Yet, if placed in an assessment situation where they are required to demonstrate their skills, they may score very highly.
Recognising this, the Specialisterne Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation working to enable jobs for autistic and neurodivergent individuals, created “hangouts” – gatherings where neurodiverse job candidates could demonstrate their skills to managers in a casual and interactive manner. The result of the hangout being that candidates who proved themselves suitable for the role were selected for further assessment and training over a number of weeks.
While a significant departure from the traditional interview route, with potentially a lot more planning and effort involved, it presents an alternative method for ‘interviewing’ candidates and providing access and inclusivity that would not have otherwise been available to them.
Processes
As mentioned above, many organisations have standard processes that require Employees to strictly conform, and this can be difficult for neurodiverse people. For example, a process may involve Employees giving regular public presentations on their work. While a neurodiverse Employee may produce outstanding results in their work, presenting it in a forum-like manner may be challenging for them.
If the work is being completed successfully, Employers should look into allowing neurodiverse Employees to deviate from standard processes or established practices where no harm will come to the organisation or their colleagues.
Working Environments
Many neurodiverse individuals find that their performance is affected by light and sound. Adjustments such as different lighting installations and providing noise-cancelling headphones for workplace use can help, and are inexpensive in comparison to the returns Employers can enjoy from neurodiverse Employees working to their best, but it does require more thought, planning and execution on the part of managers.
Support Systems
To support neurodiverse Employees in the workplace, it is recommended that a support system be in place, covering both their work life, and their life outside of work. Individuals making up this support system may include their Manager, a coach, a mentor, a counsellor, and a workplace buddy. It is also a good idea to recruit the support of the Employee’s family wherever possible.
Challenges Facing Employers of Neurodiverse Individuals
Departing from traditional practices to create more inclusivity inevitably brings some challenges that Employers will need to be mindful of:
- Some neurodiverse individuals may not self-identify, for fear of judgement or rejection;
- To avoid discrimination, Universities do not classify students in neurodiversity terms, so an Employer recruiting graduates may not realise that they need to adjust accordingly;
- Adjustments made for neurodiverse Employees may rattle the cages of neurotypical Employees, leading to complaints (i.e.: a neurodiverse Employee is given a quiet, private office, while other Employees have to share a cramped workspace);
- Neurodiverse Employees may communicate in ways that unintentionally offend their neurotypical colleagues, and vice versa;
- Perfectionist tendencies that come with neurodiversity can be challenging for colleagues to work with; and
- Stress-inducing situations can arise for neurodiverse individuals that are outside of the Employer’s control, such as a power cut, technological failure or last minute cancellations of projects or events by clients.
Conclusion
In a post-2020 world, where many organisations have learned to thrive through innovation and challenging the status quo, there is a real call for out-of-the-box thinkers and people willing to challenge perspectives – talents that the neurodiverse community is recognised to provide in droves.
Giving up the traditional to move in a more inclusive direction does present challenges for Employers. However, many of these challenges can be resolved with careful planning, discussion and coaching in some cases. This is an additional workload for Managers and Supervisors, which they will need to be aware of and appropriately trained for.
However, offsetting this additional need against the benefits of having an exceptionally skilled neurodiverse Employee on board is a worthwhile pursuit.