This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024. We are looking into neurodiversity in the workplace, its advantages to your team, the struggles they may face and how you can make it a safe space for those who need it most.
Neurodiversity includes a range of behavioural and functional traits that stem from the brain. This can change how people perceive certain things and particular situations. What kind of neurodiversity conditions are there? Here is a list of the many different conditions with brief descriptions.
ADHD is a condition that affects a person’s behaviour. This can include restlessness, struggling to stay focused, impulsiveness and effect time management. Learn more here.
This can affect a person’s communication skills, struggle with their emotions, feel overwhelmed and anxious by noises or lights, as well as being uncomfortable with unfamiliar situations. It is a spectrum so each person can have different levels of severities. Learn more here.
DLD, previously known as SLI (Specific Language Impairment) means you have significant difficulty understanding or using spoken language. This can make them struggle to find words, express themselves as well as understanding what has been said. Learn more here.
Dyscalculia is a learning disorder with numbers. This is more severe than struggling with maths equations. They can have difficulty in measuring quantities, converting, breaking down problems and using money. Learn more here.
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty around words. They can struggle with reading, writing and spelling. There are various signs, including, reading and writing very slowly, struggling to carry out a sequence of directions, confusion with order of letters and writing them the wrong way. Learn more here.
Dyspraxia, also known as developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) is a disorder that affects movement and co-ordination. This can affect how you function in social situations, the ability to write, type or draw, as well as balance and movement. Learn more here.
Tourette’s Syndrome is a condition that causes sounds or movements that are involuntary. This can affect everyday life and can be more intense with stress, sensory overload and confrontation. Learn more here.
All these conditions impact neurodivergent individuals differently so solutions that work for some don’t work for all. The best way to understand and provide the necessary support to your workforce is to have a serious and empathetic conversation discussing the barriers and struggles they face and come to an agreement on how the workplace can do best to alleviate them. Sometimes a conversation can be hard for them so make sure they are comfortable to have this conversation and if there is a staff member, they are more comfortable with, it might be best for them to lead the conversation.
Creating a diverse team is essential for every company. Recruiting people from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences brings a range of viewpoints to the table, allowing the development of innovative solutions and services. There are many benefits to hiring people who are neurodivergent, here are a few examples to consider:
While there are many advantages to being neurodivergent, it also comes with its own set of difficulties. Working in an environment that causes distress and lack of function can ultimately decrease the workflow and disrupt the focus for your neurodivergent employee. This could lead to poor task management and missing deadlines for assigned projects. The best thing you can do to support people is by understanding how to help them. Take a look at the ways that you can support individuals and their needs.
Office environment – phone calls / people talking / distractions
Allowing headphones / noise cancelling earphones for people to concentrate and a sensory safe place if they are overstimulated to regulate.
Bright overhead lights
Use lamps when possible and have a calmer space when overstimulated if you can.
Long meetings
Put in several breaks for people to get up and move. Sitting and focusing for a long time can be overwhelming and tiring. Also allow fidget toys so they can move during the meeting.
Written instructions – may not be easy for everyone
Try verbal and written instructions in as much detail as possible. Ask them what works for them so you know how they best work.
Last minute meeting or changes
Where possible give warning! Last minute changes can cause stress, give them warning to prepare.
Negative Feedback
This can damage their self-esteem A LOT! Give positive feedback with areas in which they can improve
Team not knowing how to help
Providing training to your team so they understand how to make it a more neurodivergent friendly space.
Find further support and guidance here:
At Creative Alliance it is extremely important to us that we provide the best training for our apprentices. We understand how much work is involved with a full-time job and apprenticeship work, that is why we work with Do-It Profiler. They are an established web-based modular screening and assessment system, widely used in education and employment settings. This system helps us understand how we can help each individual personally, based on their strengths and struggles and support them to excel in their new position! https://doitprofiler.com/
Are you looking to increase the diversity in your company? Get in touch with our recruitment team and learn how an apprentice can have the impact you are looking for!