No brainer or all brainer?

On Employability Day 2020 (https://ersa.org.uk/empday) how important is it to ensure we consider all people in our employability plans or just some?

Neurodiversity is about everyone’s brains and how they differ. However, some people who have traits associated with some conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dyslexia, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and ADHD. The reality is that no-one fits into one

Many adults may have grown up struggling with socialising in school, reading, and writing or with playing team games or learning to ride a bike. Some will have been bullied. They may have been confused about the reasons for not always quite fitting in. For some not getting the joke or the 'banter' may have resulted in thinking they had fewer capabilities. This often has resulted in lower self-esteem.

There is extensive evidence that certain groups, in particular females, may have been missed or misdiagnosed. For some, they may have ended up being diagnosed with anxiety and depression because of not having some of their needs considered as a whole. 

Much of the early research relating to neurodivergent conditions had in fact focused much more on males and so the vision of neurodiversity was tilted in that direction. We are only recognising this now as many more females are coming forward and being diagnosed and then starting to make sense of their childhood and for some adulthood as well.

Today we know that the ‘conditions’ and ‘disorders’ that have been categorised are in effect much more multi-dimensional and they all overlap or co-occur. This means the reality is and that most people have strengths and challenges and a ‘spiky profile’. It is these dips and peaks, the spikiness, that causes some people some challenges. The way one person communicates may differ from another and cause the clashes and confusion we sometimes see. No-one right and no-one wrong- just different. We all often have different preferences and styles of communication.

Awareness among educators and employers remain relatively low in relationship to neurodiversity. Where training has been given it has often tended to be in silos. A more recent move on the parts of some employers to embracing complexity and taking a more person-centered approach is one that is welcomed.

 There remain some challenges relating to the understanding of neurodiversity in relation to attracting, hiring and retaining talent in the workplace and the need to ensure anticipatory adjustments are in place to ensure inclusion takes place at all stages from education and into employment is essential to ensure that Neurodiversity isn’t another ‘this years’ campaign’.

If we consider that 1 in 6 people are neurodivergent and there remains a 30% disability employment gap – perhaps upskilling every employer big and small would have the greatest impact.

You already have people IN your workforce now. Understanding each other will produce increased productivity and improved well being. A no brainer? Or actually an all brainer??

Do-IT Solutions is proud to be sponsoring the Supply Chain Partner award with #ERSA.

We are a tech-for-good company with a passion about people and neurodiversity delivering robust web-based tools to help support people into employment and training to help your staff to have better, more informed conversations.