6 Ways to Support Neurodiversity in Your Workplace
In recent years, neurodiversity advocates have made significant progress in renaming Autism Awareness month to Autism Acceptance month, celebrated annually in April. While this may seem like a slight difference, this change represents a massive shift of trying to “fix” individuals and instead focuses on creating changes in society to support and include people who are neurodiverse.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is a complex term that was first used in the 1990s by Judy Singer, a sociologist with Autism, in reference to the way in which all human brains function differently. While there are many definitions, neurodiversity is most commonly used as an umbrella term describing the collective experiences of people with neurocognitive differences such as Autism, ADD, ADHD, learning disabilities, and in some cases mental health disabilities.
Advocates have built on the concept of neurodiversity, using it to further raise awareness of and limit the impact of barriers faced by people who are neurodiverse. The Autism Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), a grassroots advocacy organization started by people with Autism, describes the neurodiversity movement as advocating that, “people with brain-based disabilities (like autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, or mental health disabilities) should be accepted and included in society just like neurotypical people (people without brain-based disabilities).”
“People with brain-based disabilities (like autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, or mental health disabilities) should be accepted and included in society just like neurotypical people (people without brain-based disabilities).”
Why consider neurodiversity at work?
An estimated 15-20% of the US population are considered neurodiverse. While this represents a significant portion of the population, stigma, negative attitudes, and misunderstanding of neurodiversity has prevented many people who are neurodivergent from accessing employment. In fact, unemployment rates have been cited as high as 30-40% for people who are neurodiverse. This highlights the systemic exclusion of neurodiversity in employment and is a result of inaccessible and exclusive workplace practices.
When organizations fail to include people who are neurodiverse, they may also be missing out on the many benefits of supporting neurodiversity at work. Research has shown that:
Neurodiverse teams are more productive and effective.
People who are neurodiverse often have in-demand skills.
Neurodiverse teams can drive innovation and creativity.
Supporting neurodiversity increases overall employee morale.
How can organizations support neurodiversity in the workplace?
Below are six strategies that companies can do to capture the above benefits and make workplaces more inclusive of neurodiversity:
Raise awareness to foster acceptance. A first step in many DEI efforts, such as supporting neurodiversity, is recognizing the unique experiences of particular identity groups. Organizations and individuals within companies can raise awareness about neurodiversity and identify opportunities to better include people who are neurodiverse. This may look like acknowledging and celebrating Autism Acceptance Month and sharing relevant resources about neurodiversity across the organization.
Build a neurodiverse talent pipeline. Another key strategy is actively seeking out neurodiverse talent. As we know many traditional recruitment pipelines may not attract nor include people who are neurodiverse, companies can take a step further to diversify their recruitment strategies and build a targeted approach encouraging people who are neurodiverse. Some ways that organizations may go about this include partnering with a community organization connected to the neurodiverse community and joining a community of practice or B2B initiatives, like Disability:IN.
Know about workplace accommodations and establish a regular accommodations process. Workplace accommodations are changes to workplace environments so that people, often people with disabilities but not always, can complete the essential aspects of their jobs. Accommodations are a cornerstone of many disability inclusion initiatives and have been shown to have a significant, positive impact on workplaces when they are provided to employees.
While accommodations are most often considered with physical and sensory disabilities (such as having captioning for video calls, etc.) there are also specific accommodations that may be beneficial for people who are neurodiverse. By becoming familiar with workplace accommodations and engaging in conversations about what accommodations may be relevant for neurodiverse employees, organizations can help minimize the impact of barriers and foster a truly inclusive workplace. Check out resources like, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), to learn more about accommodations and ones that may be most useful for people who are neurodiverse.
“By becoming familiar with workplace accommodations and engaging in conversations about what accommodations may be relevant for neurodiverse employees, organizations can help minimize the impact of barriers and foster a truly inclusive workplace.”
4. Reconsider your interviewing and hiring practices. A common concern found in research and voiced by the neurodiversity community is how interviews and other hiring practices are often exclusive to neurodiverse candidates. As many hiring practices are reliant on assessing social skills within a short, limited amount of time it can be difficult for some neurodiverse people to navigate these situations. Companies like EY have looked to changing how they engage with talent, to be more mindful and inclusive of neurodiverse talent.
Some ways that companies can modify their interview practices to me more inclusive of neurodiverse candidates:
Consider a skills assessment to focus on whether or not candidates have the needed skills to align with job requirements
Train interviewers and hiring managers on potential biases towards neurodiverse candidates and how they can prevent these biases
Create interview scorecards or rubrics that focus on skills for the position rather than simply the social aspects of interviewing
Ask candidates if they might require an accommodation before participating in an interview, while being mindful of the potential barriers to disclosure*
*Due to the persistent discrimination faced by many people with disabilities and the neurodiverse community, it is important to have this option available, explaining how information will be use and kept confidential.
While companies may consider these practices to better support people who are neurodiverse, many of these strategies are actually best practices in reducing bias in all forms and can help organizations ensure they are finding the best person for the job overall.
5. Have working styles conversations. Once a part of the organization, there may be a need for continued conversations about working styles that are unique to the experiences of people who are neurodiverse. This is especially important for people who may be working on different teams or with different people as part of their job. Making working style conversations a part of a company’s regular practices can help teams better understand each other and build an awareness of how to best work with their neurodiverse teammates, even if they have not disclosed their neurodiversity status. It is important to note that when developing the practice of discussing working styles, to consider neurodiversity cross-sectionally (i.e. that everyone and anyone may be neurodiverse in your workplace, including managers and leaders).
6. Develop a neurodiversity and/or disability-based employee resource group (ERG). Employee resource groups are a well-known aspect of many DEI efforts, and refer to groups or networks of employees who have a shared identity or are part of a specific community. However, disability and neurodiversity have often been left out of many of these identity-based conversations. Establishing an ERG that is focused on disability and/or neurodiverse experiences and identities can help create a space for people share experiences, help de-stigmatize disability and neurodiversity, and develop opportunities to continue making workplaces more inclusive. To learn more about how to establish ERGs, check out Seen@Work’s course “All about ERGs, Building & Support Employee Resource Groups.”
Other Resources
The above strategies are just a few ways that organizations can become more inclusive of neurodiversity. Check out these other resources if you’re interested in learning more:
