5 quick ways to boost dyslexia awareness at work this Dyslexia Awareness Month!

…It’s Dyslexia Awareness Month! ??

If you’ve not celebrated before, it’s a global event that happens throughout the month of October. There’s also Dyslexia Awareness Week and International Dyslexia Day and Go Red for Dyslexia kicking off in the earlier part of the month, if you want to focus your attentions— but most people in the global dyslexia community take the whole month of October to really concentrate on building awareness of the world’s most common neurodiversity, sharing stories of dyslexic excellence, and campaigning for more accessible and inclusive spaces for dyslexic folks the world over. We’re stronger together!

Even in 2024, when dyslexia awareness has come on in leaps and bounds, there are so many dyslexic individuals who face discrimination and a lack of understanding. And there’s no place that this is more true than in the world of work— meaning that as a generation of dyslexia champions, we’ve all got a role to play in making the workplace inclusive for all minds.

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What’s it really like, working with dyslexia?

It sometimes imparts great strengths ... but it can have its downsides too, especially when it comes to dealing with prejudice. And even though the world is on the whole becoming more inclusive, as recently as 2018 the Westminster AchieveAbility Commission (WAC) found that…

· 52% of neurodivergent people have experienced discrimination during job interview or selection processes

· There was ‘little to no awareness or understanding among managers and employers about neurodivergence’

·? Selection and progression depends on being neurotypical’

·? And that ‘disclosure [telling your managers about your dyslexia] can lead to discrimination, which in turn leads to a spiral of stress’.

These are serious findings, and they mean that there’s still a long way to go when it comes to breaking down barriers, beating stigmas, and raising the profile of dyslexia and neurodiversity in the workplace.

So what can we do, this Dyslexia Awareness Month, to give dyslexia awareness and inclusion a boost in our little corner of the working world?

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5 quick ways to boost dyslexia awareness at work!

· Work with HR to send an anonymous survey to recent hires to find out if they feel that their application, selection and onboarding were inclusive— paying special attention to the responses of those who identify themselves as neurodivergent.?

·? Engage in some neurodiversity training, to ensure that your whole team is on the same page about how to support and communicate with their neurodivergent teammates.

· Managers could send an email outlining your ‘open door’ policy about disclosing dyslexia, and other neurodiversities. Sometimes all it takes for people to come forward and ask for the help they need is to know that you’re not like employers they might have encountered in the past.

· Establish a neurodiversity or dyslexia action group within your workplace. When neurodivergent employees come together like this, it breaks down the stigma and creates a safe environment for them to advocate for their needs. It does require them being okay about disclosing semi-publicly, however, so advertise the idea and wait for folks to come to you.

· Get involved in Dyslexia Awareness Month! You could raise funds for your local dyslexia association, theme your team-building activities or liaise with dyslexic speakers to create an information session... or even Go Red for Dyslexia with SWD!

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But what’s your story?

We know that the stories of dyslexic colleagues rarely get told: there’s still a culture of silence about dyslexia in the workplace, even though some people find it’s their dyslexia that makes them special, able to do certain things, and excel for their team. That’s why this Dyslexia Awareness Month, we’re focusing on your experiences of work and how you feel like dyslexia impacts your day to day, from reading and writing to career progression.

Let us know in the comments below, and share your story with the world! ????