Imagine the brilliance of a mind that can see patterns others miss, the dedication that fuels relentless focus, the empathy that provides a unique perspective in shaping patient care. Now, consider these strengths facing tough barriers – sensory overload in a busy ward, struggling with communication styles that feel misunderstood, or feeling out of place in a work environment that doesn’t quite fit.
Neurodivergent colleagues – those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions – bring these very strengths to the NHS and our commitment in return is clear:
- to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all our neurodivergent staff members. To ensure our workforce is supported and valued, we aim to:
- Appreciate the unique skills, strengths, and perspectives each individual brings to the organization.
- Create accommodating and comfortable environments for individual needs whenever possible.
- Foster an environment that promotes staff well-being.
- Remove barriers to full participation for our neurodivergent staff.
This is a step towards unlocking their full potential, fostering a truly inclusive environment where everyone thrives. Ensuring neurodivergent colleagues feel supported at work not only promotes fairness it strengthens the incredible team we are.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is the term that explains the natural variation in everyone’s brain including thinking processes, information processing, and learning approaches.
This definition highlights that each individual has their own neurodiversity – as all our brains are different. However, statistics suggest that over 15% of people in the UK, or roughly 1 in 7 individuals, are neurodivergent.
Dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, attention deficit disorders (ADHD), tourette syndrome, are some examples of the most widely recognised neurodivergent conditions.
Understanding neurodivergent colleagues or employee
Most neurodivergent conditions are experienced within a spectrum – meaning that the experience of each will differ between individuals and a person can also identify with more than one neurodivergent condition. However, can commonly include differences in cognitive functions including attention, executive function (task planning), sensory processing, learning, sociability, and mood. The impact and presentation of any or all of these traits can vary over time and can be impacted by multiple factors.
Neurodivergent conditions tend to be invisible, which can create barriers for individuals in accessing the support and accommodations that would help them thrive in the workplace and the wider society. As each individual’s experience varies, so too will the accommodations that may best meet their needs. Some examples of accommodations include providing clear communication strategies, offering sensory-friendly spaces, and providing the structure of activities ahead of time.
It is important to use inclusive language when discussing neurodiversity, and individuals’ personal choices on how they identify should always be respected. However, identity-first language is generally preferred among neurodivergent communities, such as saying ‘autistic people’ rather than ‘people with autism’.
Examples of Challenges Experienced by Neurodivergent Colleagues
- Difficulties with social and communication skills, such as articulating ideas, making or maintaining eye contact, and engaging in social norms like office small talk.
- Sensory overload triggered by factors such as overhead fluorescent lighting, competing noises, or uncomfortable temperatures.
- Difficulty retaining information from large blocks of text.
- Challenges with spelling, grammar, or mathematics.
- Increased risk of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, often exacerbated by a lack of understanding, resistance to accommodations, and feelings of being unsupported or stigmatised in the workplace.
Examples of Strengths of Neurodivergent Colleagues
- Creative and innovative thinking that enables them to recognize unique solutions across a wide variety of situations.
- Specialised, detailed knowledge and skills within their areas of interest.
- High levels of empathy and emotional intelligence.
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to recognise patterns.
- Clear and direct communication style.
Terminology and Key Terms
Definitions relating to neurodiversity can be contentious and lack uniformity, they are also undergoing continual evolution as our understanding of the subject widens.
The following organisations have created glossary’s of key terminology which individuals may find helpful:
Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre: Neurodiversity Glossary of Terms
MindMate: Neurodiversity Glossary
How can managers support neurodivergent team members?
1. Embrace Open Communication and Individualised Support:
- Initiate open conversations with neurodivergent staff in a private setting, focusing on their needs and preferences. The workplace adjustment passport can be helpful for these discussions.
- Instead of assuming challenges or needs, ask how you can best support them.
- Remember, neurodiversity is a spectrum. Each person’s needs will be unique, so tailor your approach accordingly.
- The needs of neurodivergent individuals can change or fluctuate over time and can be impacted by other ongoing life events – regularly checking with neurodivergent staff is essential to ensure that adjustments are still suitable.
2. Prioritise Clear Communication and Flexibility:
- Provide clear and concise instructions, both written and verbal, with opportunities for clarification.
- Consider offering additional formats for information, like bullet points, flowcharts, or audio recordings.
- Be open to flexible work arrangements, like noise-canceling headphones or adjusted deadlines, to help them excel.
3. Celebrate Strengths and Foster an Inclusive Environment:
- Recognise and celebrate the unique strengths neurodivergent colleagues bring to the team.
- Educate the team about neurodiversity and encourage open communication to build a more inclusive and understanding work environment.
- Create an environment where they feel safe to disclose their support needs and reassured that privacy will always be respected.
It may be helpful to use the Reasonable Adjustments for staff with disabilities or long term Conditions Guidance when having discussions with neurodivergent staff and to highlight the accompanying Workplace Adjustment Passport to team members.
Another important consideration to make when engaging with neurodivergent staff is the importance and validity of self-diagnoses. Many individuals, are not diagnosed or are misdiagnosed with other conditions throughout their childhood and early adulthood. This means that as an adult when they begin to suspect that they are neurodivergent either do not have access to medical support or diagnosis or chose not to pursue this.
Good Recruitment Practice for Neurodivergent Staff
Recruiting neurodivergent staff may involve adapting practices, and providing reasonable adjustments. Some examples of good recruitment practices are:
- Reviewing job adverts and person specifications to ensure that they use clear, concise language and emphasise the essential criteria.
- Offering applicants the opportunity to disclose that they are neurodivergent or have disabilities that may require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.
- Provide candidates with clear, information about how to reach the interview location, ideally with visual cues. Share details about what they can expect during the interview, including who they will meet, the interview’s duration, and its format. Ensure the interview takes place in a quiet, distraction-free space.
- If requested and where appropriate – such as competency based interviews – provide questions in advance to give candidates time to process them. If this is requested, questions should be provided to all candidates – not just the person requesting them – with as much notice as possible. During the interview, ask the questions in the same sequence they were provided. This does not preclude managers from asking follow-up questions for clarification.
- Be mindful of the potential bias of ‘first impressions’ and refrain from negatively judging body language or limited social interaction.
- Provide clear guidance on what they can expect following the interview including timescales to be notified of the outcome.