Over the past few months, I’ve had multiple conversations related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). One subsection of diversity that found its way into most, if not all, conversations is neurodiversity. These conversations, coupled with the increasing number of articles on why neurodiversity, specifically autism, is fast becoming a qualification rather than a disadvantage, made for a compelling reason to push for progress in this space; not at the cost of, but in conjunction with, other initiatives. Yet, the truth is that much like all other aspects of diversity, no matter how strong the business case, where the friction is high and is ‘not how things are done,’ progress is an uphill climb.
One striking statistic that has particularly resonated with me is that 76% of neurodivergent workers do not disclose a condition at work. Even more concerning is the fact that a large percentage aren’t even aware of their own neurodivergence. As one participant in a recent discussion poignantly shared, “It was easier for me to come out as a member of the LGBTQ community than admit to my organization that I was dyslexic. I was the CEO, and I would have been very quickly put into a box.”
The paradox is that while many organizations feel that the education system isn’t catching up fast enough with industry needs, schools and colleges are far ahead when it comes to adapting to neurodivergent students. Ironically, the workplace is absolutely not prepared for the incoming workforce that is increasingly divergent from the workforce of today. Thus, the natural question is: where do we begin to build a truly inclusive environment that celebrates neurodiversity?
The answer lies in a three-pronged approach: understanding, infrastructure, and culture.
Understanding
Let’s begin with the most obvious, and one where organizations have made some progress. A common misnomer is that education equates to understanding. For anyone on the receiving end of discrimination, it is clear that the two are very different aspects. You could educate someone about neurodiversity for eighty hours, and they may yet balk in surprise when someone walks in with a four-foot tall blue teddy bear into a meeting room. The solution to understanding is not training as a standalone, but infusing it with deeper two-way conversations to answer questions and exchange experiences. One way to do this is by arranging a series of one-on-one conversations between senior leaders and neurodivergent individuals from within or outside the organization. We could also bring in parents of neurodivergent children into the conversation as they share their experiences and their vision of the workplace that would enhance their children’s potential.
Another way to deepen understanding is by sharing failure stories and creating neurodiversity ambassadors to advocate for their neurodivergent colleagues. We all have experiences of situations where snap judgement got the better of us. Sharing these experiences where individuals and organizations have made mistakes in interacting with neurodivergent individuals helps us understand their experience better. Whichever technique you adopt, know that developing a deep understanding outside of just education gives leaders confidence, brings creative solutions to the forefront and imbibes a willingness to experiment.
Infrastructure
The second pillar is harder than the first and thus often faces far more friction. However, it is time to translate talk into action or ‘put your money where your mouth is’ as the saying goes. Accommodations are expensive but always a good idea. It’s a rising tide that lifts all boats, i.e., improves productivity for all. Ramps, elevators, and subtitles were all created for differently-abled individuals but are now used by every single person out there. My neurodivergent colleague recently got access to a bunch of tech tools to enhance her productivity, and I can guarantee that those tools would be something I’d use too. However, there are two important things to consider under this pillar:
- Don’t make them beg for it: Many organizations offer accommodations but not before they make you jump through hoops. That needs to change. To start with, do not ask for a doctor’s diagnosis before saying ‘yes’ to the accommodation. I know this sounds outrageous but would you rather pay for the accommodation or have that employee be productive? The question to ask while providing accommodations is not ‘if’ you should but ‘how’. Often a doctor’s consultation will cost more than the accommodation being asked for.
- Normalize accessibility tools: The second radical yet not so radical essential is opening access to these accommodation tools. If you have a speech to text software, Grammarly or Read&Write, consider opening access to all individuals vs only those who ask for it. Expand your general inventory to include noise-cancelling headphones, a variety of Stim toys, short for stimulation toys such as spinners, tangles, and putty for everyone but also allow individuals to bring their own (maybe the teddy bear). This will prevent accommodations being a proxy for neurodivergence and believe me, everyone will be happier.
Culture
Lastly, culture. This is without doubt the hardest bit and the one that often slows progress. It is the hardest piece because it involves re-examining all existing practices, even those that work really well for ‘most,’ and changing them. Take, for example, hiring practices. It could mean throwing out the writing assignment at the start of the process to help you evaluate individuals for the quality of their thinking rather than the quality of their writing. Or it could mean re-evaluating meeting practices to convert more conversations to asynchronous.
Recently, I had a leader reach out to me with a very basic question. They asked if the new hire orientation was available with subtitle so that they could process the information as they are unable to process speech at the same rate as text. I was left baffled as our new hire orientation are all in-person sessions and built for consumption by the average individual. We did not design the sessions for our outliers and as we ran around trying to figure how to ensure we delivered the orientation differently, it made me realize just how much of an overhaul is required to ensure we embrace inclusion in its true sense and are not tempted to let processes stay the way they are today because they are ‘mostly good’.
The mantra is to start with little experiments everywhere until they gather momentum and snowball into an easy revolution; for when you design for the average individual, you are leaving a large employee and candidate base behind. Oh, and the only way to ensure things get done is to hold someone accountable. If you can, employ a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) and set a very high bar.
The path to embracing neurodiversity is not an easy one, but the rewards are immense. And when we get it right, the impact can be transformative – not just for the individuals we support, but for the organization as a whole.
So, the next time you see someone bring their four-foot blue teddy bear into a meeting, know that your smartest teammate may have just entered the room. And no, I am not referring to the bear in the room!
The HR Business Partner Story 