Neurodiverse workers can be of tremendous benefit to employers if given adequate support
Environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg is one of the most recognisable faces in the world of activism, having managed to mobilise and inspire millions of people. Even if you do not share Thunberg’s point of view you will have heard of her and be aware of her influence.
You will likely also be aware of how aggressive and sometimes spiteful her critics can be. Stop and think about that for a moment: here is a solitary individual, not yet old enough to legally buy alcohol in the United States, standing no taller than 5 feet 4 inches in height, yet her passion and influence have so thoroughly unsettled parts of the status quo that people seek to undermine her with bumper stickers and garish parodies. She is proof of the often-hard-to-believe assertion that one person really can make a difference.
Clearly, there is nothing ‘disabled’ about Greta Thunberg. Yet, she lives with a condition that would afford her protection under the UK Equality Act: Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. It is a condition that she refers to as her “superpower.”
‘Not the norm’
Within the context of DEI, conditions like Asperger’s fall under the ‘big tent’ category of neurodiversity, alongside things like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, dyslexia and other neurological and developmental conditions.
“Neurodiversity, to me, simply means that your brain – the way you function – is not the norm,” explains Talking Talent Executive Coach, KK Harris.
After years of suspecting there was something different in the way she interacted with the world, KK was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago – something that she says provided a sense of relief.
“It’s a blessing when you get a diagnosis,” she says. “Because I’m able to understand, ‘This is my brain.’ I could get very frustrated (before), angry, but now I know not to be so mean to myself. This is me. This is how my brain works.”
ADHD can present itself differently within different people, making it somewhat tricky to diagnose, and sometimes difficult for others to understand. For KK, the most obvious extension of ADHD is her energy.
“I’m always fidgeting, always moving around. I need to be doing things,” she says, gently tapping a blusher brush to her cheek. “Like, I’m talking to you now – I’m listening, you have my full attention – but I’m doing this, too.”
Less visibly, KK says ADHD inspires her to be curious, to want to learn, “but sometimes it can all be too much, everything is going too fast. It’s like being on drugs but not being on drugs, and it can be tiring just not being able to turn it off sometimes.”
Broadly speaking, individuals with ADHD can often find themselves in situations where they get overwhelmed as a result of their enthusiasm, diving headfirst into a subject or project without a strong sense of how deep the water may be. This might result in their seeming to be disorganised and forgetful.
“Things that are out of sight are definitely out of mind,” explains KK. “If it’s not written down for me, it’s gone. Unless it has real importance or value.”
Which speaks to a second common truth about individuals with ADHD: they can often be quite driven by passion or emotions. The positive side of this is that they will attack a project they are interested in with the full of themselves; the less positive side is that they may struggle to stay motivated when projects strike them as uninteresting or unfulfilling. Additionally, because they’ll put so much of themselves into things they sometimes find negative feedback hard to take.
“I still find that I don’t handle feedback very well,” KK admits. “I will ruminate on it for days. Weeks. Months!”
Nonetheless, like Greta Thunberg, KK sees her condition as a superpower.
“It enables me to have the capacity to learn a lot. And that’s pretty darn dope. I have an advantage: I can be of value because of my neurodiversity,” explains KK. “I’m more than just a coach… I can do YouTube stuff, I know how to light a room, I can wall climb… I don’t feel limited. Anything is achievable. You can’t tell me I can’t.”
Embracing your neurodiversity
Neurodiverse individuals will likely have spent many years feeling or, worse, being told that there is something wrong with them. As a result, many neurodiverse individuals will shy away from diagnosis, trying instead to hide their condition and struggling as a result – both emotionally and in terms of career.
To this end, managers and employers need to be alert to the reality that neurodiversity is far more prevalent than they may realise.
“People might be struggling right under your nose,” explains KK.
If you suspect that you may be neurodiverse KK says it’s worth putting in the effort to pursue a proper diagnosis. This goes far beyond simply taking a clickbait quiz online. Diagnosis comes from a qualified clinician, eg, a psychiatrist, and is usually a multi-step process. In the United Kingdom it is possible to receive diagnosis through the NHS but KK warns that it can be quite a long and therefore frustrating process.
Nonetheless, she says it’s worth doing – if for no other reason than peace of mind.
“Don’t let other people’s experiences stop you from exploring your own experience,” KK says. “Do it for you. Do it for clarity; it’s just who you are.”
Beyond the comfort of simply knowing more about themselves, people with diagnosed neurodiversity conditions will find that there are a number of options available to help them cope. This can range from medication to therapies and techniques. And having a better sense of how you work will help you to work better – providing insight on what sort of environment you need in order to really thrive at your job.
“Consider the advantages that you bring and don’t be afraid to share that,” KK says.
Working with neurodiverse employees
One of the most important things employers can do to help neurodiverse workers is to acknowledge that neurodiversity is real. As indicated above, many neurodiverse individuals will have gone through a long and difficult emotional journey before arriving at the point where they are able/willing to discuss neurodiversity with an employer.
The last thing that person needs is to have their condition dismissed as illegitimate. Managers need to be trained to understand the truths of neurodiversity and given guidance on how to support their teams.
It is important to create an environment where workers feel that there is an acceptance of neurodiversity from the top down. Then they can feel comfortable sharing their experiences (or perhaps even beginning their own journeys towards diagnosis and treatment) and working with managers to develop the workplace conditions in which they will be able to be most effective.
A person with autism may find it difficult to work in a culture of hot desking, for example. A person with ADHD may benefit from a flexible working schedule that allows them to break up their day. And so on.
Neurodiverse individuals can be a huge benefit to the workforce, often providing unique perspectives and new ways of addressing problems. When provided an environment in which they can flourish, the skills and talents that they bring can not only put an organisation ahead of its competition but also improve overall workplace mood, ethic and productivity.
Managers may need to be trained to think more dynamically, steering away from one-size-fits-all practices, but it’s worth it. There’s real value in having a superhero on the team.
Ready to put in the work to assemble your own super team? Coaching from Talking Talent can help your organisation identify, develop and implement a culture that will see you regularly saving the day. Get in touch.
