4 Strategies to Support Neurodivergent Employees
We believe HR is essential to people-centered workplace shifts, that HR should be well resourced, and given an opportunity to exhibit its value in reference to time, budget, and good vibes. That's why we're here. This blog post was inspired by the content in our Supporting Neurodivergent Employees guide written by Marina Misculin.
Estimates show that neurodivergent people make up 15 to 20% of the population with the highest estimates hovering around 40% - a huge part of the population! However, there are a staggering number of neurodivergent people who are underemployed or unemployed.
50-75% of autistic adults in the US
Adults with ADHD are 30% more likely to have employment issues and 60% more likely to be fired
Dyslexic adults face unemployment three times the average rate
Clearly, our current employment systems need to improve in order to create spaces that support neurodivergent individuals.
What is neurodivergence?
What does neurodivergent mean? Neurodivergent is an umbrella term that describes individuals who have non-typical cognitive variation. Individuals who are neurodivergent have brains that process information or they behave in ways that differ from perceived or actual “norms”.
What falls under the umbrella of neurodivergent? Neurodivergent includes people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, Synesthesia, OCD, and anxiety to name a few.
What if someone is not diagnosed with any of the above? Should I still provide support? Always lead with understanding the individual regardless of whether they have a diagnosis. Due to lack of access to diagnosis and treatment in many parts of the world, even if they are not medically diagnosed with any of the above conditions, they may still deeply connect and present with characteristics of the condition. In other words, the diagnosis does not change their needs. In addition, be mindful to not ask an employee to disclose medical diagnosis unless absolutely required by law.
Strategies to Support Neurodivergent Employees
It’s likely that you have already interacted with someone at your organization who is neurodivergent, whether they’ve disclosed that to you or not. If you haven’t, it is almost certain that you will at some point in your career. In order to create a workplace that feels supportive for neurodivergent employees, it’s important to think about the ways in which we interact with colleagues in various different workplace spaces.
Do not use these strategies as a one-size-fits-all. Neurodivergent people present symptoms in a vast spectrum and one person’s needs might not be the same as another’s.
Remember, there is no easy one-size-fits-all solution to support neurodivergent employees. You may need to try different strategies before employees feel comfortable, supported, and included in your organization’s culture. These tips are just a few strategies you can use to support your employees. For additional strategies, read our Supporting Neurodivergent Employees guide written by Marina Misculin, Ed.M., L&D Program Manager.
