Creating an inclusive workplace for the neurodiverse

What is Neurodiversity?
There is no ‘standard’ for the human brain. The term neurodiversity refers to the infinite range of differences in individual human brain function and behavioural traits. Neurodiversity is the ‘diversity’ perspective that is applied to intellectual ability. It is the concept that neurological differences are to be recognised and respected as any other human variation is, such as gender, race or sexual orientation. These differences can include those labelled with dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyscalculia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Tourette’s syndrome, and others.

Business Case for Neurodiversity
The business case for diversity is widely accepted and diversity in terms of intellectual ability is no different. Employers are increasingly recognising neurodiversity as an asset and where organisations make accommodations for neurodiversity, they reap the rewards of higher productivity, more creativity and better retention rates.

The idea that neurodiverse candidates have specific strengths has been recognised by industry and many valuable traits have been identified in people with differing abilities. For example, companies specifically recruit autistic candidates for occupations that involve systemising tasks such as programming and engineering roles, design and data analysis.

Dyslexic people have been found to possess global visual-spatial abilities, having an ability to process blurred images and understand dispersed visual information more quickly and efficiently than participants without dyslexia. Such visual-spatial features can be advantageous in jobs requiring three-dimensional thinking such as astrophysics, molecular biology, genetics, engineering, and computer graphics.

Furthermore, researchers have observed that people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can sometimes display greater levels of novelty-seeking and creativity than others. However, there are still many barriers in terms of attracting, hiring and retaining neurodiverse individuals.

Where to start?
We are all individually different. Employers have a responsibility to universally design the workplace in a way that supports individual differences to ensure people are not ‘disabled’ by the world around them.

Creating an inclusive hiring process is a starting point in building a workplace that reflects the neurological make-up of our broader society. Inclusive employers recognise that all individuals have their own strengths, challenges and preferences.

Many of the issues or barriers facing neurodiverse candidates within the hiring process are situational and can be avoided. Hiring managers develop processes for neurotypical people rather than designing a process where all candidates have equitable access. Some neurodiverse candidates have described the hiring process environment as ‘disabling’.

Where organisations adopt more inclusive hiring practices they are ensuring all candidates have the opportunity to demonstrate their potential throughout the hiring journey. Adopting inclusive practices will assist organisations in creating a hiring ecosystem that is focused on unlocking hidden talents, not hidden disabilities.

Inclusive hiring is beneficial for all parties involved; it allows employers to attract and retain the widest range of candidates, and employees to feel valued for their skills and talents. This approach contributes to an overall culture of acceptance where employees feel valued as individuals.

Building an inclusive working environment
Getting through the hiring process is only the first step. While neurodiverse individuals have many strengths, they can also face challenges in the working environment. There are elements that may make a job and working environment more challenging for neurodiverse individuals and quite often, they do not know themselves what accommodations will work best for their particular context.

Neurodiverse people often prefer to keep this hidden in the workplace. This is according to research published in 2020 by the DCU Centre of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion in partnership with Indeed. For many, it can be challenging to self-identify as ‘differently abled’. It is important for employers and people managers to be informed on the types of accommodations available; environment, technology, team communication and management approach. Creating an inclusive, psychologically safe work environment, encourages people to self-identify and seek accommodations.

Self-Disclosure in the Workplace
The complex and personal nature of disclosure for employees and line managers poses challenges for both sides. Organisations and line managers fear having sensitive and critical conversations around self-disclosure while employees are unsure of the rationale for requesting sensitive data. They may also worry about whether there will be any consequences for them in disclosing, fearing stigma and possible discrimination, or being thought of as less capable than their colleagues.

Where organisations support all employees through their employment relationship and actively encourage an open and inclusive culture where accommodations are easily accessed and widely available, disclosure happens naturally and is embraced. Where individuals do disclose, research shows positive outcomes for those individuals; their team, their managers and consequently the organisation as a whole.

Conclusion
A workplace which effectively accommodates neurodiverse employees and demonstrates an appreciation for their differing abilities will reap the rewards of higher productivity, more creativity and longer tenure of younger employees. Key to a successful outcome in terms of supporting self-disclosure, is the line manager and their behaviour. They can be supported by all stakeholders in the organisation to ensure that the process runs smoothly and systematically. While the journey to implementation can be a challenge, where accommodations are made, it results in better outcomes for all involved.

About the DCU Centre of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion
Established in June 2018, The DCU Centre of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion is a central hub for research, advice and knowledge exchange on diversity and inclusion. The Centre creates a bridge between DCU’s talent, industry bodies and specialist groups, helping organisations build cultures of inclusion by providing access to the very latest in academic research, insights and tools on diversity and inclusion. It supports organisations in all aspects of their diversity and inclusion journeys.

In 2020, the Centre, in partnership with Indeed, published two reports relevant to this topic. They include:

• Self-Disclosure in the Workplace: This explores how employees can be encouraged to self-disclose in the workplace where they have disabilities or are differently ‘abled’. It also examines what organisations can do to foster an environment that supports self-disclosure.
• A Hiring Managers Toolkit for Neurodiversity: This provides a best practice approach to help organisations become more inclusive in their hiring practices for neurodiverse candidates.

Sandra Healy