It's been amazing to see so many businesses and workplaces getting involved with Go Red for Dyslexia this week - you've done us proud. ❤️
It's pretty safe to say that world of work is becoming more and more accessible with every year that passes – especially for those of us who have dyslexia. Of late, there’s been a motion in hiring and HR towards appreciating the role that neurodivergent minds can play in the construction of smart, modern teams that are inclusive and accessible to all, and this is a genuinely wonderful thing.
But on the other hand, it does mean that more dyslexic people are entering the workplace than ever before. And this in turn means that as working professionals, we’re likely to encounter folks who have dyslexia more and more frequently from now on, so now more than ever, it’s on us to shape up and practice accessibility and inclusivity, as well as talk about it.
We need to know how to be fully inclusive in the work we do, what we ask of our co-workers, and the priorities we assign them – we need to make sure that we’re making sure a level playing field is at the heart of our working relationships, as well as a buzzphrase on a hiring site. So here's the Go red for Dyslexia guide to are five things that your colleagues with dyslexia are likely pretty tired of hearing... and how we can all do a little better.
Asking somebody with dyslexia or literacy differences to read and respond to an email you’ve just sent can put them on the spot – they might feel humiliated if they haven’t had time to work through it yet, and many people who have conditions like dyslexia or ADHD have very specific processes for checking their inboxes, signing off work, and prioritising tasks. Don’t throw them off because you’re sat there waiting for a reply – they’ll get to it.
Giving reading they’re unprepared for - especially on a time limit - isn’t a great way to treat somebody at work who has dyslexia. If they haven’t been expecting it, they might feel anxious at the prospect, or unprepared in that they don’t have quick access to their assistive tech devices to help them with decoding. Make sure that somebody is available to read, before asking them to – it’s very often not as simple as just picking up the paper and reading what’s on it.
Fatigue and burnout are two words that for some people with dyslexia feel synonymous with the 9-5 that most of us seem to work. Reading emails, interacting with people and even just being outside of their comfort zone can take a huge energy toll on neurodivergent workers, and it’s likely that by the late afternoon, some might be feeling the strain and aren’t able to give things 100%. 4.30pm isn't the right time to be introducing high-stakes conversations that require a lot of input and thought unless that're absolutely, unavoidably urgent - your colleages are likely tired and not feeling their best from reading and perhaps even masking all day, and might not be able to do their best work. Where possible, check when people are free to meet, and don’t pop meetings into the calendar with very little warning.
You can't assume that one person with dyslexia is going to be able to represent all people with dyslexia. Whilst a colleague with dyslexia may be able to pick you up on design features and structures that could prove problematic, some people’s dyslexia is very mild, and some have a more severe version. Some people experience speaking and listening symptoms, some don’t – some experience it in art and creation, too. Nobody can speak entirely for other people with dyslexia as it’s an incredibly diverse condition with a huge set of symptoms, so don’t expect an answer that goes too far beyond their personal experience.
Higher roles in a company structure often require more administration, more learning, and more demanding workloads – which may cause problems for someone with dyslexia. But the measures that are put in place via things like HR intervention, Workplace Needs Assessments and Access to Work programmes exist to help and support people in their role and make sure that they’re in a position to give the job their full expertise and attention. Don’t question how people are ‘cope’, or imply that there are hurdles between the individual and their new responsibilities – support is available, and it’s up to the individual as to whether they share the nature of that with you or not.
The workplace opening up for neurodivergent minds and finally appreciating the amazing things they can do is a great thing – we’re building teams that have much fuller experiences, and smashing the idea that things like cultural fit and working in the same way as your other teammates matter at all. But we do need to be aware of the fact that we also need to make sure the workflows we’re operating within are inclusive and accessible for all, not just our neurotypical teammates and co-workers.
For more information on how to Go Red at work, visit Go Red for Dyslexia – Get Involved!