Neurodiversity in the workplace

25 Jul

Introduction

Last month I had the honour of being asked to take part in a panel discussion at International Women in Travel CIC’s annual conference, IWTTF. I joined fellow panellists Lindsay Garvey Jones, Max Siegel, Tiffany Casson and Helen Moon as we shared insights into how businesses can support their neuro-divergent employees.

In this post we will explore what neuro-diversity is, the benefits it can bring to a company, what practical support should be provided, and how to have that conversation about support from both the individual and manager’s perspective.

What is neuro-diversity?

Neuro-diversity is a term coined in the late 1990’s by sociologist Judy Singer, and refers to the natural variations that occur in how our brains work, rather than disorders that need to be cured (there are no cures). Singer used the term to promote the understanding and acceptance of neurological differences.

It is estimated that 1 in 7 people in the UK have some form of neuro-diversity, which includes:

Autism
ADHD
OCD
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Dyscalculia
Tourettes
Schizophrenia
Bipolar
Epilepsy
And others

Historically neuro-diversity has been seen as deficits in cognitive or social capabilities based on how the brain develops as a child into adulthood (hence these are considered neuro-developmental conditions). The field of Psychiatry classifies neuro-divergent conditions in the DSM-5 (Diagnostics and Statistics Manual - the bible of psychiatry, which was last updated in 2013) as disorders. This adheres to the medical model of disability, which is a functional analysis of the human body as a machine. Anything not working as ‘normal’ is considered broken and must be fixed. However, disability campaigners from the 1960s onwards have argued for a social model of disability, which views disability as created by systemic barriers, derogatory attitudes and social exclusion - it’s within the context not the individual that disability arises.

There is nothing ‘wrong’ with disabled people, including neuro-divergent folk, and we don’t need curing (I’m autistic). Instead, restrictions on our abilities are caused by society through a lack of equitable social and structural support. So that begs the question how can we do better, and what role do companies have to support their neurodivergent employees?

Benefits of neuro-diversity in the workplace

First, let’s take a look at the benefits of employing people with neuro-diversity.

Having neuro-divergent employees on your team increases creativity and innovation. This is because we have different perspectives on issues, due to how our brains process information differently. We challenge groupthink, which is known to cause disastrous consequences, such as the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Psychological research shows that dyslexics may be more creative than their neuro-typical peers.

Next, there is evidence to support that neuro-diversity increases productivity. In one example, JP Morgan Chase hired 70 autistics between 2015 and 2018 through their Autism at Work programme, and found that they were 48% faster and 92% more productive. One of the characteristics of autism is hyper-focus, which is the ability to focus intensely on a single task without getting distracted, and the global financial services firm also found that autistic employees were more honest and loyal.

In addition, I believe that having neuro-diverse people on your team enables you to build better products and services to serve your customers. If 14% of the general population is neuro-divergent, how representative is your team of your customer base? Empathy is crucial in successful product managers.

Finally, employing neuro-diverse people increases employee engagement. A culture of inclusion and belonging that is based on respect of our individual differences is the right thing to do as it makes everybody feel valued.

The sad statistic is that many neuro-divergent people are not currently working. Just 29% of autistic adults are in any form of employment, compared to 50% of the disabled population, and 80% of non disabled population. There is work to do, and in May the UK Government launched the Buckland Review of autism employment, in partnership with Autistica and DWP, to positively change this.

So how can companies support their neuro-diverse employees?

Practical support at work for neuro-divergent people

You can see from the sample list of neuro-diverse conditions above that there is a huge variety in how our brains function, and that means there isn’t a one size fits all approach you can take to providing support.

Instead, the best starting point is to ask what people need. They may not be able to articulate exactly what would be beneficial so you may need to provide some options, and below I have included advice for both managers and neuro-divergent employees.

You can consider changes to the social environment. This may involve reviewing your processes, particularly around hiring and performance management (face to face 1:1s will not work for everybody). Look at your culture and what it values: if you are meeting-heavy that’s not going to work for folk that are sensitive to social situations. Another key area is how you communicate in your business. Many neuro-divergent people value clarity, directness and written over spoken communication.

You could also make changes to the physical environment. This includes allowing people to work remotely, or having quiet areas in the office where they can escape to if they are over stimulated. Allowing the use of headphones or sunglasses indoors can also be beneficial. If you do use hybrid working, some neuro-divergent people may prefer to have a ‘home desk’ in the office that they can use regularly, as change may upset them. You can also ensure they have the tools they need to do their job, including software like ChatGPT for improving the quality of their writing.

Advice for individuals disclosing their neuro-divergence

First, it is worth pointing out that you do not have to disclose your neuro-divergence to your employer - it is your choice to do so. You may feel unable or unsafe to do so depending on the company culture and relationship you have with your manager. It is up to you to weigh the pros and cons of disclosure and make a decision if you want to. If you do not disclose then you may not be entitled to extra support; however, if you do, you can expect that they must make reasonable accommodations to support you at work.

Before you have the conversation, write down what you want to say. This will help you be clear what your neuro-divergence is and how it presents (your manager may not be aware of your condition and how that can impact you), and where you need additional support.

When you have that discussion you may wish to take a chaperone with you. This can be someone you know well, such as a support worker, mental health nurse or a friend. They cannot ask for accommodations on your behalf, but they can be there to listen and support you through the process.

If you feel you are becoming overwhelmed during the conversation then feel confident in asking for a break. View disclosure and requests for accommodations as a series of conversations, as it is unlikely it can be solved in a single meeting.

Advice for managers receiving a disclosure

First, recognise that it will have taken an enormous amount of courage to disclose this to you. Listen openly without judgement, and believe them. Their disclosure may come as a surprise to you, particularly if they have been masking the entire time, but that does not mean it is untrue. Thank them for trusting you. Most neuro-divergent employees will be happy to answer questions about their condition, so approach the conversation with curiosity and openness.

After the conversation the most positive action you can take as a manager is to educate yourself. Read articles, watch videos, search websites, engage with others - particularly neuro-diversity advocates and organisations on social media. Learn as much as you can so you can be informed in future conversations. And recognise if it’s a late diagnosis that your team member may be on the same journey. That may involve unlearning a lot of internalised ableism, so be mindful of the way you speak to them, and use positive language at all times. Remember, it’s difference, not deficit.

You could ask your People team for advice, as companies should have a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy that you can refer to. Ask your team member what they need and do your best to accommodate it. If it’s not possible to fulfil the request, discuss alternatives. Be compassionate. Do not leave it all to the team member to find the solutions as you are responsible as their manager.

It’s also worth remembering that employers have legal obligations that you need to fulfil. Under UK health and safety law you have a duty of care which includes protecting the mental health, safety and wellbeing of your team. In addition, the Equality Act 2010 is in place to ensure that disabled people are not discriminated against, which includes a failure to make reasonable accommodations: neuro-diversity is considered a protective characteristic under this Act.

Conclusion

The importance of supporting neuro-divergent employees in the workplace cannot be overstated. The panel discussion at IWTTF shed light on the significance of embracing neuro-diversity and provided insights into how businesses can create a supportive environment. What was encouraging was how open the audience was to learning more and embracing neuro-divergent team members. We likely all know someone who is neuro-diverse.

My vision for the future is that we address the systemic barriers preventing more neuro-diverse people from entering the workforce. Steps are being made to address this at a governmental level, but we must also recognise the role we play as colleagues and managers.

How are you going to support neuro-diverse people in the workplace?