How To Lead and Support Disabled & Neurodivergent Remote Workers Effectively: Webinar Overview
Hosted by Dr. Deborah Leveroy with guests Dr Christine Grant and Bronwyn Thompson, this webinar explores the topic of supporting and managing remote workers that may have a neurodiversity or disability.
Join Deborah and the guest speakers to learn more about:
- How and why remote working can support disabled and neurodivergent individuals
- Common challenges surrounding remote working
- Strategies to promote effective communications
- Managerial skills to promote inclusion and ensure sustainable performance
- A newly developed Line Manager Toolkit to help guide inclusive and supportive remote-working practices
Watch Our Webinar: How To Lead and Support Disabled & Neurodivergent Remote Workers Effectively
How To Lead and Support Disabled & Neurodivergent Remote Workers Effectively: Key Takeaways and Insights
1. Remote Working is a Powerful Tool
Remote Working facilitates a variety of benefits such as:
- Reduction of sensory overload
- Improvements to employee energy management
- Reduction of commuting fatigue
These benefits can allow for individuals to work to the best of their ability rather than simply coping.
2. Challenges Exist – Look towards Management, not Remote Working
Challenges often arise from how remote work is managed, rather than remote working itself. These challenges can appear as such:
- Feelings of isolation
- Reduced recognition
- Issues of overworking or lack of structure
- Needs of employees are less visible to managers
These challenges are can remedied through proactive management practices.
3. Conversations Enable Effective Support
Meaningful conversations between manager and employee helps encourage disclosure, builds trust and helps ensure that employee support evolves as required.
Conversations may involve:
- prioritising listening, rather than immediate problem solving
- A focus of practical needs rather than a diagnosis
- Normalisation of discussing what helps an employee work well
4. Managerial Competencies Make or Break the Remote Working Experience
Research identifies multiple competencies demonstrated by managers with thriving remote teams:
- High levels of active listening and empathy
- Consistent communication with the team
- Strengths-based thinking i.e. job crafting or leveraging individual strengths
5. It’s Not Just about Individual Adjustments
Employees excel and thrive when organisations:
- Focus on building inclusive environments
- Ensure employees have a voice
- Support line managers in developing skills for inclusive leasdership
- Provide access to assistive technology, coaching and more
It isn’t just about individual adjustments, it’s about accommodating all staff members and enabling them to thrive.
Meet the Speaker
Dr Deborah Leveroy, Head of Research & Consultancy works strategically with corporate clients to enable neuroinclusion in the workplace through our consultancy and audit services. Deborah also works with academic research partners on impact-driven research projects, developing NB’s research and innovation agenda.
She has a Ph.D. in dyslexia, performance training, and inclusion from the University of Kent. Her practice-based research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals, books, and toolkits (including Routledge, and the British Dyslexia Association).
Deborah is also an Honorary Research Fellow in the Centre for Healthcare and Communities at Coventry University.
