Neurodiverse people can thrive in STEM, but there’s more work to be done

Diversity has become a hot topic in the business, but neurodiversity is still not discussed as much as gender or social and economic diversity, and yet it's equally important, especially when it comes to science and technology.

A close friend and one of the neurodivergent contributors to this week’s newsletter, Tracy Whiting Iqbal from Talent IQ , told me:?

“We now know that neurodivergent candidates can bring unique skills and perspectives that would otherwise be missing from team dynamics. A truly inclusive team includes individuals from all nine of the protected characteristics included in the Equality Act (2010) and neurodiversity is often one that is overlooked.”

Another person with a great perspective on this issue is my guest on a recent FutureTech podcast Naomi Johnson , a head of diversity and inclusion and strategy for a major global firm. Naomi is neurodivergent herself, and she has become one of the UK's top advocates for neurodiversity in business.?

After a career that began many years ago working on servers, then compliance and other areas of technology, Naomi recently moved into disability inclusion.?

"I'm lucky, I'm hyperlexic, the opposite of dyslexic, so I pick up information really quickly. My neurodivergent strengths mean moving into a new career is something I thrive on, as opposed to finding massively challenging. It's new and exciting, which the ADHD likes."

She has had many different roles in the tech space, and although her autism and other neurodivergent conditions have not been a barrier to success, she was keen to balance the 'superpowers' narrative with the challenges she and people like her face every day. “The highs are higher, and the lows are lower,” she said.?

This mix of strengths and challenges applies to everyone, but more so with neurodivergent people, and I'm not sure the business world is doing enough to support the challenges, or if it sufficiently understands and values their strengths either.?

As someone who has been involved in science, technology, and engineering (STEM) for a long time, I have always felt that STEM is a place where neurodivergent people can thrive.

The business world is certainly more aware of this issue these days, and there are some great, high-profile examples of successful neurodiverse business leaders and innovators. Bill Gates has dyslexia and ADHD. Steve Jobs and Richard Branson were both dyslexic. Elon Musk grew up with Asperger's syndrome.

But I’m still not sure companies are embracing neurodivergent people in STEM roles as much as they should be.

Neurodiversity is a broad term that covers conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and Tourette's. It’s when someone’s brain works differently, so they experience different challenges but also they have different strengths. It’s estimated that 1 in 7 people in the UK is neurodivergent, but over two-thirds of neurodivergent workers experience barriers or discrimination, and two-thirds of employers say lack of disclosure is an issue that prevents them from offering support.

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Why we need brains that work differently

I’m not a neurology expert, but from what I have learned and my own experience working with neurodiverse people in business, neurodiversity can enable people to solve structured STEM problems more effectively, and more creatively than neurotypical people. It’s easy to see how extended focus, pattern matching, factual memory and extraordinary attention to detail can be of huge value to almost any business. One study has even found that autistic software consultants found 10% more bugs than their neurotypical counterparts.

A neurodiverse brain can also function well in an environment where teams are communicating in a clear, concise and direct way. I don’t want to fall into the trap of generalising – about neurodiverse people or STEM-related functions within companies - but that is often the kind of communication I have encountered in an engineering environment, for example.??

I recognise that neurodiversity covers many different conditions, but autism is something I feel is particularly relevant to STEM careers. I worked with an autistic person in my first job during college, and I remember him being able to calculate, given any birth date, the specific day of the week. That was my first experience of seeing how someone’s brain can work in wonderfully different ways. Since then I’ve come across many neurodiverse people. The best engineer I ever worked with is on the autistic spectrum, he has excelled in both startups and big tech and won awards for his work.?

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So what’s the problem???

Unemployment is still much higher among people with autism, and for those who are in work, it’s often a lower-skilled role than their talent merits. Companies as a whole need to better understand the value of neurodivergent people to their business, but there are several barriers to overcome. An engineering manager may understand how a neurodivergent mind works, see the potential of that person and understand what they may need. Others involved in the recruitment process may not.??

Neurodivergent people can find the casual, unstructured, conversational nature of the interview process more challenging, and may not come across to a neurotypical interviewer as well as they’d like. Unless an interviewer is educated about neurodiversity, they could easily misunderstand and overlook someone who might be the strongest candidate.??

The interview process shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all. Surprise questions, psychometric testing, paired programming, and other interview techniques may not be the best way to help a neurodivergent person showcase their ability. Companies should consider a more flexible approach to hiring, not just so they don’t discriminate, but so they don’t miss out on a superstar in the making.

Some of the big science and technology companies are leading the way here because they have people with experience in neurodiversity and people with sole responsibility for driving diversity and inclusion.

They have seen the quantifiable value of a diverse workforce and have adapted their hiring and support processes. Not every business can afford a dedicated neurodivergent specialist or function though, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to

I’m sure many neurodiverse people choose to hide their condition when applying, as they feel it will count against them. We should do all we can to ensure applicants feel comfortable including details of their condition on CVs.

Many companies promote DEI via content on their website and publish their policies. Some include DEI statements within their job specifications and encourage applications to divulge neurodivergent conditions. That approach won’t just help bring more neurodiverse people into the workforce either. Lots of young people now prefer to work for companies who live those values, and who have an inclusive workforce.

As well as supporting neurodiverse people in the workplace, we need to do more once they are here. As well as managers, people at every level should be given a better understanding of these issues, so that neurodiverse people are properly embedded into a team.?

In the past, engineering could often be quite an isolated role, but in the last decade, it has become a real team game. Now, engineers and technologists are expected to have good communication skills and the ability to work together. That may not be a natural fit for neurodiverse people, and educating people at all levels in a business can help maximise that person’s impact. Whether that’s using unambiguous language or avoiding sarcasm, small changes in awareness can produce amazing relationships and high-performing teams.

Tracy Whiting Iqbal further explains:?

“As a business owner and Director who is proud to be ‘delightfully dyslexic’,? I champion companies embracing neurodiversity. I have witnessed the consequences of a lack of diversity awareness on an organisation's people, culture and growth. A lack of education and process development can impact every stage of the employee cycle from attraction to engagement, retention, and development.? In some cases, it has prevented organisations from achieving their corporate objectives.

Educating and training your teams on ways to develop inclusive hiring practices, which include accidental discrimination, inclusive interviewing processes and providing the appropriate infrastructure will no doubt ensure your business thrives long term.”

Science and technology are now critical to so many of our businesses, and the landscape of jobs is changing to reflect that. There will be more and more jobs that are well suited to people with autism, ADHD or dyslexia, provided we understand their value and give them the right support.??

DEI is all about levelling the playing field, and I’d love to see neurodiverse people having access to the same opportunities in the current technological revolution.

As Naomi told me:?

"It's not just about hiring, it's the full journey. Have they got equity in their lifecycle in the business? Are their peers educated as well as their leaders, and is it kept up to date? The world of neurodiversity moves very quickly. We need to make sure we are not expecting people to fit into the box that says 'this is what work looks like'".?

I want to finish by giving a mention to the STEM Ambassador programme because the education and voluntary sectors have a big role to play in this too. The STEM Ambassador community helps young people learn about careers and connects them with experts in those industries. There are over 28,000 ambassadors in the UK specialising in subjects such as climate, space, computer science and quantum physics. I’ve no doubt their work to break down barriers into STEM jobs will help more neurodiverse young people become the next Einstein, Musk or Jobs.???

Are you a neurodiverse person or working to improve diversity in your business? Tell us what you think in the comments below.