Culture Counts: Talking Neurodiversity

In conversation with?Josie Dobrin and Simba Martins of?Creative Access

Neurodiversity has become a key issue businesses need to consider both when recruiting and retaining staff. To find out more about what the term actually means and how neurodiverse staff can best be supported in the workplace, we caught up with the inspiring team at?Creative Access .

Please can you briefly explain the term ‘neurodiversity’

Neurodiversity refers to the variation in humans regarding sociability, learning, attention, mood, and other mental functions (neurocognitive ability).

Neurodiversity posits that we are all motivated and inspired by different stimuli and encourages us to break away from definitions of ‘normalcy’. This requires challenging our assumptions about what’s ‘typical’, what’s necessary and what’s desirable for a person to live well. For some individuals, the variation between strengths and weaknesses is more pronounced; this can bring unique talent but can also be disabling.

Why is it important to acknowledge neurodiversity in the workplace?

It's important as it helps create more enabling environments for a variety of minds to thrive. It is now well established that neurodiverse individuals have talents and abilities that the working world needs. With that must come accommodations that allow them to show these in the workplace. The typical expectation of recruitment processes, managing, and working styles needs flexibility to encourage and retain an inclusive team.?????????????

How easy is it to get a diagnosis and how important is it to have one?

It all depends on what you're seeking a diagnosis for. As an adult, not all assessments are available through the NHS. However, you can contact your GP and, if they feel they need to refer you for a physical or mental health condition, you have the legal right to choose the service you'd like to go to (Right to Choose). If you're in education or work, you can also ask these institutions to refer you.

The majority of diagnosed neurodivergence is covered by the Equality Act 2010. This means that education institutions and the workplace have a duty to take it into account and make reasonable adjustments to accommodate people's difficulties.

How might a neurodiverse person experience the workplace in a different way?

There are some symptoms, commonly shared amongst neurodiverse individuals, that can help describe their potential difficulties in the workplace, but these always vary. That's why it’s important to observe and talk to people.

Executive dysfunction: behaviours and traits related to attention, memory, flexible thinking, and organisation/time management. These may result in impulsivity, problems prioritising, disorganisation, poor time management and difficulty focusing.

Sensory overload: a sense of overwhelm or overstimulation that does not feel manageable in the moment. This can be triggered by a variety of situations, sounds or sights. Each person may be affected by something different, e.g. loud noises or music, crowded spaces, environmental changes such as temperature and light, unexpected or unwanted physical contact, tactile triggers (scratchy or uncomfortable clothing, etc.) and intense smells.

Those with ADHD and Autism may have a hard time sharing, taking turns, listening, and picking up on social cues. Those with Dyslexia or Dyscalculia may misspell or mispronounce terms. They may not feel confident or have low self-esteem, and may worry about how they express themselves.

What are the strengths of a neurodivergent team?

Neurodivergent individuals can be creative, visual and critical thinkers. A different group will offer different abilities. Some are enthusiastic, spontaneous and empathetic. Another group could be quieter, prefer routine, attention to detail and being highly focused. Because of barriers they may have faced in the wider world, neurodivergent people tend to be great problem solvers and think outside the box, rather than taking a typical approach to tasks.

How can an employer actively embrace neurodiversity when recruiting and retaining staff?

The first step is to challenge the usual recruitment expectations that could inadvertently ‘screen out’ neurodiverse people. Typical competencies such as solid communication skills, and the ability to network may not come naturally to some neurodivergent individuals. For this reason, they may not interview in the expected way, despite having the necessary skills. All staff should feel valued. Employers should try to be proactive with research and nurturing a safe environment and be open to discussing working styles and then providing reasonable adjustments.

The step that unfortunately some companies are yet to take is simply awareness: what is neurodivergence, what can it look like, what are the lived experiences of neurodivergent people? Some neurodivergent people may have lived a large span of their life misunderstood and misconceived. Until recently, these conditions were seen as deficits and disorders rather than differences. They may not fit in or meet the expectations of their work; they may feel pressure or not feel as competent. Typical work and education environments may have made them feel quite insecure about their abilities. Neurodiversity as a movement seeks to champion strengths of neurodivergent individuals whilst understanding certain characteristics do disable them and that they require compassion and support in those areas.

Covid has led to more flexible working patterns, including hybrid working. How can this affect neurodiverse employees?

Some neurodivergent individuals struggle with changes to their routine, so amends to working patterns can be anxiety-inducing. Working from home has served some neurodivergent people well. They may have found they work better in a more isolated environment - but this is not always the case. Giving time to prepare or providing notice of changes will help people adapt more easily to new working patterns. Adjusting the environment to suit their needs is also key. This includes providing them with the equipment they need, giving verbal and written instructions to help them process instructions and adjusting the space to make them feel more comfortable by ensuring the lighting is suitable and minimising any smells or distractions.

What steps can everyone take to ensure neurodiverse colleagues feel valued, respected, and welcomed?

Find ways to spread awareness in the workplace through different things such as training, including an access policy in the Staff Handbook, celebrating neurodiversity in the calendar (e.g, Neurodiversity Awareness Week in March each year), and providing support or mentoring from members of senior management. This has the additional benefit of ensuring they're across the challenges of their wider team and leads more effectively to a company culture that values different working style and temperaments.

Simba - as someone who is neurodiverse, what are your hopes for the future?

For the future, I hope that more business leaders will speak openly about neurodiversity. It’s interesting to note that 15% of CEOs are dyslexic. They could draw on their own experiences of navigating the world of work and share those with others. I hope the topic will be introduced into the policy and culture of?companies and that neurodiverse individuals will experience less 'othering'. It would be great if more minds and temperaments are understood and welcomed in the workplace, strengths are championed and difficulties not frowned upon or dismissed.

if you want to know more about Embracing Neurodiversity workshops for your team, please get in touch here .