“Have you ever considered being tested for dyslexia?”
By Ann Marie Newton for QHQ
December 2022
That’s how it started; me discovering I have an ADHD brain at the age of 46. This conversation happened during an academic tutorial whilst I was studying for a MA Innovation Management degree at UAL’s Central Saint Martins in London. It turned out that after going through several screening appointments with the university’s disability department that I did not have a dyslexic brain, but I do have an ADHD one. I believe I would not have ever discovered my ADHD brain had I not gone back to university to study. Which leads me to the questions: Why is it that neurodiversity is not seen in workplace settings, and how might we change that?
First, let’s understand a little more about dyslexia, ADHD and the umbrella term neurodivergent. Dr Nancy Doyle of Birkbeck University helps explain the evolution of the term neurodiverse in a 2020 paper she authored:
“The term ‘Neurodiversity’ was originally developed by stakeholders influenced by the social model of disability. It was based on ‘Biodiversity’, a term primarily devised for political ends: to advocate for conservation of all species, since a high level of biodiversity is considered desirable and necessary for a thriving ecosystem.” Dr Doyle continues to draw comparison between the advantages of diversity in ecology terms and the advantages of a high level of diversity in neurology (our brains).
Commonly the umbrella terms neurodivergent and neurodiversity includes people with ADHD, dyslexia & DCD (also called dyspraxia) brains. A neurodiverse brain is identified as being different to a neurotypical one through a series of tests relating to IQ, the outcome is either flat or spiky, with a spiky result equating to neurodiversity (Fig 1). Other conditions can fall under the umbrella such as Tourette syndrome, anxiety, and depression, however, not all are considered a health condition. Additionally, some such as mental health conditions can be seen as temporary.
Fig 1. Dr Nancy Doyle illustration of a ‘spiky profile’ showing example scores.
According to business consultancy Deloitte 10-20% of the global population are neurodivergent. However, I wonder if there are in fact more people in the workforce who are neurodivergent. Although it’s more likely for a child to be recognised as neurodivergent in school, it isn’t for adults in a workplace setting. Even at 10-20% rates there is a significant amount of people in work today who are neurodivergent and who for the most part are not seen.
So why is this important? “Organizations that make an effort to recruit, retain and nurture neurodivergent workers can gain a competitive edge from increased diversity in skills, ways of thinking and approaches to problem solving.” Claim authors in a 2022 Deloitte article. This rings true for my own experience, having once been denied a transfer as I was considered too valuable in my department due to my ability to think differently. The term neurodiversity was inspired by the term biodiversity. Linking strength in eco-systems with diversity applies to humans in a workplace eco-system. Having people who think differently, process problems differently, and approach work in different ways leads to innovation, freshness and avoids stagnation in an organisation.
How can employers nurture neurodiversity in the workplace? To start with by talking about neurodiversity at work, in a considered, respectful way. This could be as simple as sharing this article, bringing the topic up in a team chat for those who are comfortable talking about it, or a 1:1 conversation. What’s important is giving people a prompt and a safe space to talk about neurodiversity, whether they are diagnosed or not. That prompt might be a catalyst that leads someone to find out more about their own brain, which in turn can lead to better understanding of how to navigate life.
Everyone’s brain is unique, and it’s good to remember that neuro differences do show up in different ways in individuals diagnosed with the same brain type. There are some traits that are common, but do not apply to all. This can be useful to be aware of prior to diagnosis. For example, these are some of the ways my ADHD brain shows up:
• Creative thinking
• Passion for interesting topics
• Innovation
• Struggle to read long texts
• Need time to absorb information & think of responses
• Time management
• Difficulty completing a project if I’m not very engaged with it
• Audio & visual sensitivity
For other neurodivergent brain types there are traits such as spelling, difficulties picking up non-verbal clues in social settings, challenges recalling information, heightened spatial awareness, and entrepreneurial spirit. This list is by no means extensive but hopefully gives a flavour of some things to be aware of.
Think about the environment. As Dr Nancy Doyle says, “the individual is not disabled but the environment is disabling”. Once we recognise that all brains are different, and that is not a bad thing, we can move to systems that can accommodate differences rather than trying to treat everyone the same. This includes the built environment. Consider for example places for people to work where lighting can be dimmed. Have noise cancelling headphones available. Have places for quiet work with a door where someone won’t be disturbed. I imagine that some of these accommodations would appeal to those with neurotypical brains too. In my experience our capacity for work varies on any given day in any given week at different times of the day, and for different tasks. So why not accommodate that with more flexible work environments?
Employers can extend diversity, equity and inclusion policies to explicitly include neurodiversity if it doesn’t do so already and express that accommodations can be made for anyone with a neurodiverse brain. Along with those already mentioned this can include things like: being flexible about start times so people can avoid the noisy rush hour commute, having software available that can translate text to speech, being open to different formats for presentations.
Overall, consideration for neurodivergent people is about recognising people’s differences rather than trying to standardise so much. This impacts workplaces from initial recruitment, through to development, retention, company culture and performance. In an article for Harvard Business Review business professors Robert Austin and Gary Pisano discuss a metaphor used by the company SAP: that people are like puzzle pieces, irregularly shaped. Whereas historically companies have asked people to remove their irregularities it’s time now for a different philosophy one that calls for companies to find the right fit for each puzzle piece in their organisation. This requires more and varied ways of working, but the payoff is innovation, and I propose happier people too.
So, whether it’s reviewing your recruitment process, having a team chat, or launching a project to change your workplace environment: how will you start talking about neurodiversity in your workplace? Or do you have experiences of being neurodivergent at work? We’d love to hear your comments on this topic!
#neurodiversity #neurodiverse