Understanding the needs of neurodivergent workers

Approximately 15% to 20% of the population, or about 1 in 7 people, exhibit some form of neurodivergence. With their extraordinary mathematics, memory and creativity skills, these out-of-the-box big thinkers bring a lot to the table, and organizations are taking notice.

Harvard Business Review believes that hiring neurodivergent staff gives companies a competitive advantage. “Because neurodiverse people are wired differently from neurotypical people,” researchers Robert D. Austin and Gary P. Pisano write, “They may bring new perspectives to a company’s efforts to create or recognize value.”

To foster inclusive workplaces, HR departments must carefully consider the unique differences of their employees. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) stretches beyond gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith and physical abilities to include those whose brains process information differently.

The term “neurodivergent” describes people with medical disorders, learning disabilities and other cognitive conditions affecting their brains, such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome, dyspraxia and more. These individuals have different strengths and challenges than people with neurotypical brain functioning. Yet many employers have a one-size-fits-all approach to everyone’s learning and development.

Understanding the needs of neurodivergent workers is critical. So what are some solid solutions to help support them in the workplace?

Some special needs employees may feel uncomfortable speaking about their condition. While employees aren’t obligated to disclose their personal medical information, talent management can help support and embrace the way those with neurodivergence think, learn, communicate and interact in the workplace by asking, “What can we as a company do to support you in your role?” If an organization has 15 or more employees, it’s subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and must provide reasonable accommodations for divergent thinkers.

These meaningful 1:1 conversations allow employees to get the support they need, even if they are neurotypical or their type of neurodivergence doesn’t rise to the level of a disability.

Some supports are simple, such as providing a stick-on mirror for a computer monitor for better visibility, noise-canceling headphones for better focus or written detailed instructions for better comprehension. In addition, organizations can use the following:

• Subtitles for video conferences — Make it easier for everyone to follow the conversation by using auto-generated subtitles in video meetings

• Use AI tools — Check tone, generate summaries and simplify directions to help those who struggle with tone and executive function

• Use checklists — Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert in autism who is also autistic, suggests using “pilot’s checklists,” or a list of finalized tasks that ensure actions are thoroughly and correctly completed

• Make your job postings the “must haves,” not the “nice to haves” — People with autism are more likely to take things literally. If a job posting contains a lot of the nice-to-have skills rather than the essentials, people with autism are likely not to apply, and this can significantly reduce the talent pool

Advocating for neurodiverse awareness and allyship is critical to creating an inclusive culture.

Pamela Furr, founder and chief financial officer of Puzzle Box Academy and Kaleidoscope Interventions, shares suggestions for building an open and safe workplace:

• Provide support year-round with continuous conversations

• Ensure everyone has access to neurodiverse resources

• Accommodate for a spectrum of different needs since no two brains are alike

• Amplify the message of neurodiverse inclusion

Integrating these values long-term will be far more impactful than a once-a-year guest speaker, and it all begins with recognizing the importance of your special needs workers. Neurodiversity adds:

• Innovation and creativity

• Technical, design and creative strengths

• New ways to solve problems

• High levels of concentration

• Keen accuracy and ability to detect errors

• Strong recall of information and detailed factual knowledge

• Reliability and persistence

• Ability to excel at work that is routine or repetitive in nature

Ensuring neurodivergent employees have the confidence, support and resources to reach their full potential can help organizations close significant skills gaps, remain competitive with new ideas and innovations and cultivate a culture of inclusivity.

According to a recent poll by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), at least 10 percent of the population has dyslexia, is on the autistic spectrum, has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or has some other neurodivergent way of thinking that sets them apart from the neurotypical majority. Yet, according to the same poll, only one in 10 U.K. firms say neurodiversity is included in their organization's people management practices.

There's a massive pool of talent that many organizations are overlooking because as a recent CIPD report outlines, different neurodivergent groups have unique strengths. Autistic people, for example, often have a talent for problem-solving and analytical thinking. Dyslexics, meanwhile, are often highly inventive and creative—famous figures with this condition include Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and director Steven Spielberg, both of whom have made tremendous contributions in their fields. And, those with ADHD are often skilled at taking calculated risks and thinking innovatively, so it's no surprise that many entrepreneurs, such as JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman, fit this profile.

Organizations such as SAP, Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase are already reaping the benefits from neurodiversity initiatives. Here's how to make neurodiversity in the workplace a talent management priority.

There are a number of barriers that can trip up neurodivergent candidates during the recruitment phase, starting with the job description. Companies often aim to hire generalists—people who have many skills and are adaptable—but there is also room for people with narrower, deeper skills.

When putting together a job description, recruiters need to distinguish between the 'must-haves' and the 'nice-to-haves' for each role to attract more neurodiverse candidates. It's tempting to include phrases such as "excellent communication skills," for example, in every job description, but this could scare off talented applicants who are autistic or dyslexic. If it's not a core skill, then make that clear in the job description.

Interviews can also serve as a disadvantage to people that struggle with social interactions as a result of their disorders. Generally, interviews test a candidate's social competence rather than their ability to perform a particular role. A better way to test abilities may be to bring individuals in for a work trial or assessment.

HR teams also need to train interviewers in neurodiversity and inclusion to ensure that they can look beyond any social awkwardness and find ways to enable candidates show their skills.

Making small adjustments to someone's work environment can make a big impact. For example, allowing individuals with certain disorders to use a quiet area of the office to work or providing them with headphones can improve the productivity of people who find noise stressful or distracting.

It's also worth asking employees about the specific accommodations they might need to ensure they have the necessary tools to perform their best. Then, managers can follow up on whether or not employees are thriving with their accommodations and make changes as needed.

Managers can make or break neurodiversity efforts because they are the ones who put neurodiversity theory into practice. To help all individuals thrive under their leadership, managers need to think about each employee's strengths and challenges, including their preferred channel of communication, how they like their workspace and other preferences.

HR needs to give managers the neurodiversity training and tools they need to make them more aware of neurodivergent thinking styles and continue to assess managers to ensure that they have the skills needed to manage employees' individual needs. By focusing on managers' people skills, HR teams can ensure that they make the work environment positive for everyone, not just those with neurodivergent thinking styles.

Ultimately, we are all different. It's time for smart employers to recognize that sometimes it pays to adapt to employees' needs rather than expecting them to conform to an arbitrary standard.

Photo: Creative Commons