How To Help Neurodiverse Employees With Their Mental Health

I was somewhat surprised to read some recent research that found a huge 70% of neurodiverse employees struggle with their mental health, which is sadly a very large number. In light of Mental Health Awareness week this week (15th May), I thought I would discuss how organisations can better support their employees in terms of mindframes, environments and behaviours that can help a neurodiverse person truly thrive.

Neurodiverse talent can be an incredible asset to a company, bringing fresh perspectives, ‘outside the box’ thinking, and novel solutions to problems.

Brain differences can sometimes fall within what science suggests is “normal”, or if more pronounced, can sometimes result in a clinical diagnosis that labels the individual with a disorder such as ADHD or Autism.

This often means that the individual’s brain falls outside the majority in some aspects of their thinking and behaviour.

Each and every brain is different. This means that everyone can benefit from a bespoke approach. It also clearly means there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to neurodiversity and well-being in the workplace.

I offer keynotes and masterclasses on neurodiversity and optimising brains for peak performance. Find out more here: www.synapticpotential.com

What’s Needed For Good Wellbeing?

So, it’s important to remember that your neurodiverse employees may present differently. There is a huge spectrum of differences from person to person. Some of the most creative brains are neurodiverse and can act as a ‘superpower’ in your organisation.

In terms of good mental health, we all have individual needs. Start by speaking to the individuals involved about what adjustments may be helpful. You can also look at the following three areas to provide a roadmap to support their ability to contribute:?

Environment: At Synaptic Potential, we work with organisations to optimise their environment in order for their brain to thrive. When we are in a space where our brain can work effectively, we can thrive. This could be as simple as giving someone a quiet space, noise-cancelling earphones, fiddlers, or the ability to sit on the floor, stand or stretch when they need to. Having to work in an environment that restricts us can deplete us mentally. This could contribute to mental health problems. If you offer flexibility in how your people exist in a physical environment they are more likely to be able to use their coping strategies in that space.?

Mindframes: Consider a ‘whole brain’ approach to your organisation, rather than separating out the neurodiverse and the neurotypical employees. How might these different brains work together in a cohesive way? When neurodiverse employees feel that their brain is valued, and they do bring certain strengths to the team, their mental health is likely to improve as a result. Everyone needs to know how they belong. They are included and they fit in. It needs to be overt that the ways they are different are okay.?

Behaviours: Over half of neurodiverse employees in the study were burned out at work. This could be due to workload issues, or simply the mental challenge of trying to keep up with their colleagues, masking and suffering low self-esteem as a result. Encourage speaking up in your organisation - for those with low confidence, it can be as simple as an informal ballot or voting system for adjustments. Allow the option for work flexibility and breaks wherever possible. Use any outdoor space or even indoor ways to connect to nature which can be good for people’s mental wellbeing. Reducing stress levels throughout the day is something everyone should be practising doing - and remember every neurotypical and neurodiverse person will have favoured ways of doing this. Embrace it and normalise it.?

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To date, only two in five UK companies (38%) have incorporated inclusion and diversity priorities such as neurodiversity accommodations in their employee benefits strategy, according to WTW’s 2022 Wellbeing Diagnostic research.?

We are still on the journey of learning the strengths and weaknesses of our brains, and so above all else, we can champion compassion and mutual support where possible.

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