How to Make Your Company More Neurodiverse Aware

If a company wants to bolster innovation, creativity, and productivity, it must understand and embrace neurodiversity in business. While a lot of people feel they understand neurodiversity, there are various neurotypes that they may have never heard of before. For this reason, it’s essential that companies become more neurodiverse aware and recognise and accommodate various types of neurodiversity. Not only does this approach benefit employees, but it also enriches the overall organisational culture and performance. Discover more about making your company more neurodiverse aware below.

Neurodiversity Awareness Training

Types of neurodivergence (different neurotypes)

Neurotypical is a term used to describe a person whose brain – including their way of thinking and processing information – works in a way that is in line with a majority of the population.

Neurodivergent is a term used to describe a person whose brain – including their way of thinking and processing information – works in a different way to the majority of the population.

Neurodivergence refers to the natural variation in the human brain and encompasses a number of cognitive differences. Each has its unique strengths and challenges, which is why it’s important for companies to understand a wide array of neurotypes. Some of the most common types of neurotypes include the following:

• Autism – Autism is a lifelong developmental disability and neurodifference that affects how people communicate and experience the world. Autistic traits present differently in each person. There is often a difference in how autism presents in men and women. Typically, autism may affect how someone communicates and interacts socially, how they experience the world through their senses as well as their behaviours and interests.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) –is a neurodifference characterised by differences in attention, activity levels and impulsivity. There are three sub-types of ADHD – inattentive, hyper-active impulsive and combined. There is often a difference in how ADHD presents in men and women.
• Dyslexia – Dyslexia is a neurodifference that affects the way someone processes information, particularly in reading, writing and spelling. A dyslexic person may have difficulty with breaking down sounds in words, remembering verbal instructions as well as processing and responding to visual and auditory information.
• Dyspraxia – Dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), is a specific learning difference that impacts someone’s movement, their spatial awareness, their balance and their co-ordination. It can also affect how someone learns new skills, how they process emotions as well as their time management and organisational skills.
• Dysgraphia – Dysgraphia is a neurodifference that means someone may have difficulty with writing skills. It can affect spelling as well as handwriting and expression.
• Dyscalculia – Dyscalcuila is a neurodifference that means someone has difficulty processing and understanding numbers. This can make maths very challenging and can lead to some people experiencing ‘maths anxiety’ when confronted with number problems.

It’s important to note that those listed above are just a handful of neurodifferences and that neurodiversity encompasses a broad spectrum of experiences and abilities, meaning it presents differently in each individual.

When thinking about neurodiversity, cooccurrence is a term that describes when someone may have more than one neurotype. For example, someone may be autistic and have dyslexia. Lots of neurotypes can commonly cooccur.

Supporting neurodiversity in the workplace in the UK

In the UK, employers are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments to support neurodivergent employees under the Equality Act 2010. Despite this, it’s advisable to go beyond legal obligations if an employer wants to create an inclusive environment in which neurodiversity is valued and supported. The following may be implemented to support neurodiversity in the workplace:

• Raise awareness – Educate employees about neurodiversity and how it can manifest in the workplace via training sessions, workshops, or informational materials.
• Flexible working arrangements – Remote work, flexible hours, and job sharing are just some of the flexible working arrangements that can be implemented to accommodate the diverse needs of neurodivergent employees. As a result, employees are able to work in environments and schedules that suit their strengths and preferences.
• Clear communication – Written instructions, visual aids, regular feedback, and other modes of clear and concise information should be provided. You should avoid the use of ambiguous language and not rely solely on verbal communication.
• Sensory considerations – Reducing distractions, noise-cancelling headphones, adjustable lighting, and designated quiet spaces all work to create a sensory-friendly workplace.
• Neurodiversity champions – Appoint neurodiversity champions or allies within the company to advocate for inclusive policies, offer support to neurodivergent colleagues, and facilitate open conversations about neurodiversity. An Employee Network is a great place to start!
• Employee Assistance Programmes – Offer access to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) or mental health resources to provide support and guidance for neurodivergent employees navigating workplace challenges.
• Training and development – Provide opportunities for professional development and training tailored to the strengths and interests of neurodivergent employees. Offer mentorship programmes, skills workshops, or strategy coaching to help individuals reach their full potential.

Examples of reasonable adjustments in the workplace

In order to help neurodivergent employees perform their jobs effectively, companies need to make reasonable adjustments. Some of the most common reasonable adjustments include the following:

1. Flexible working hours – Allow neurodivergent employees to adjust their work schedules to accommodate their peak productivity times.
2. Quiet workspaces – Provide designated quiet areas or noise-cancelling headphones for employees who are sensitive to auditory stimuli or require a quiet environment to focus.
3. Visual aids and tools – Use flowcharts, diagrams, colour-coded instructions, and other visual aids to assist dyslexic or ADHD employees in processing information more effectively.
4. Job carving – Modify job roles or responsibilities to match the strengths and interests of neurodivergent employees, allowing them to excel in their areas of expertise.
5. Assistive technology – Text-to-speech software, spell-checkers, ergonomic keyboards, and other assistive technology tools can support exmployees with neurodifferences. Our Assistive Technology Partners include, CareScribe, TechEdology, OrCam, TextHelp, Ayoa, Glean, Matchware and YourDolphin.
6. Structured feedback – Offer regular and structured feedback sessions that focus on specific areas for improvement and provide clear guidance for neurodivergent employees to enhance their performance.
7. Social support networks – Peer support groups, mentoring programmes, and buddy systems can all be helpful to neurodivergent employees in connecting with colleagues.

Neurodiversity Awareness Training at neurobox

At neurobox, we’re dedicated to helping managers and teams become more aware of the needs of their employees and colleagues with neurodifferences. Discover more about our Neurodiversity Awareness Training here.