Looking for ways to boost your organisational productivity? Building a neuroinclusive workplace could be your launching pad to success.
Neuroinclusion is the practice of accommodating and valuing the diverse experiences of neurodiverse people, such as those with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, as well as dyslexia, dyspraxia and Tourette syndrome. In Australia, about one in eight people are neurodivergent.
Research shows that neurodiverse workers can bring high-value skills to the workplace, such as high-level information processing, creative thinking, increased productivity and innovation. The problem? More than 34% of neurodiverse people are unemployed. Among those who are in the workforce, up to 20% report having experienced harassment or discrimination at work. Attracting and retaining neurodiverse talent requires a strategic approach that supports employees at every stage of their development.
Creating neuroinclusive environments
A fast-track way to retain neurodiverse talent is to create work environments that support people to thrive. Neuroinclusive workplaces recognise and accommodate the ways in which neurodiverse people experience the world and make adjustments to the physical, professional and social expectations and practices that shape contemporary workplaces.
If you don’t already have a neuroinclusion strategy, the time to start is now. Here are five simple ways to begin embedding neuroinclusivity in your workplace.
1. Speak up, speak out
Regular conversations about diversity, including neurodiversity, can educate all staff about their roles in creating an inclusive work environment. They can also help neurodiverse employees to feel more comfortable asking for workplace adjustments, and they’re a great way to highlight the vast benefits that neurodiversity can bring to your team.
2. Support the person, not just the condition
No two neurodivergent people are the same. While it’s important to understand how, say, autism traits shape how someone likes to work, it’s equally important not to make assumptions about someone based on the nature of their diagnosis. Instead, consider the individual: how can you support them in doing their job well? Neurodiverse people are the experts in their own experiences, so let them guide conversations about their workplace needs.
3. Adjust, adjust, adjust
According to Neuro Advantage, there are three key areas in which organisations should consider workplace adjustments for neurodiverse employees: the environment, processes and practices, and communications. Whether it’s making physical adjustments to the work environment, offering flexible arrangements that support staff to optimise their output, or communicating someone’s needs to others in your workplace, there are lots of simple, low-cost ways to support neurodiverse staff.
4. Listen to feedback
You might think your organisation is doing a great job on neuroinclusivity, but unless you’re neurodiverse yourself, you might be asking the wrong person. Be prepared to listen if neurodiverse staff members tell you your organisation is missing the mark, and let them lead conversations about what should happen next. But take note: it’s important to let employees disclose their neurodiversity on their own terms — there’s no requirement for any individual to share their story or become the organisational sounding board.
5. Upskill your teams
It’s not on neurodiverse employees to adapt to neurotypical environments. Instead, everyone should be working together to create a space in which all employees can thrive. This is where neurodiverse inclusivity training is key. All employees, whether neurotypical or neurodiverse, can benefit from training that helps them support different types of neurodiversity in the workplace.
Training should also extend beyond employees and into your leadership teams — according to the Australian Psychological Society, ‘leaders play an important role in working with neurodivergent employees to support their social integration, negotiate any required accommodations, and help them navigate workplace systems’ — but they can only do that well if they’ve got the right skills in place.
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The above steps are likely to benefit everyone in a workplace, not just people with neurodiverse traits. As the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development puts it, all organisations are neurodiverse by definition because every single employee has a unique brain and a unique way of thinking. Shaping work environments, practices and processes to support individual needs is, therefore, good for everyone.
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