Go Red for Dyslexia at Work! 5 Changes to Make to Support Employees Today

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month – and it’s also Go Red for Dyslexia, Succeed With Dyslexia’s month-long campaign where we raise awareness of dyslexia, celebrate dyslexic creativity and advocate for a more inclusive and accessible world. And although we’re witnessing significant positive change in the sector already, there’s still arguably nowhere where it’s more important to Go Red than in the workplace: even in 2022, large amounts people with dyslexia still struggle to find employment that supports them and nurtures their potential.

The working world is becoming a more welcoming and workable place for employees who are neurodivergent, but there’s still a way to go when it comes to supporting them in every aspect of their day-to-day. Many people with dyslexia find that their accessibility accommodations need to begin far before they’ve ever entered the office and they’re still in the recruitment stage, in addition to the ones who find that they need support with reading or organisational tasks as part of their wider role. There’s still a way to go. But although change on this kind of scale often takes time, there are a few things that you can do today as an employer to make people with dyslexia feel more included where you work…

1. ✅ Shake up your recruitment process and do away with text-heavy applications and tasks. Does every role need a three-page application form… or have HR got the bandwidth to offer an apply by message or telephone function? Many people with dyslexia struggle with forms and applications, as well as personal statements and cover letters – assess if you truly need these for the role you’re filling.
   
2. ✅ Check your application prejudices too. Some employers might find a CV that has spelling mistakes on it a major turn-off when it comes to offering a first-round interview, but in reality the author of it might just have dyslexia. Spelling and grammar aren’t a reliable indicator of attitudes to work or job-based capabilities, so take a closer look at how you react to CVs that seem ‘less polished’ than the others - in reality, the idea of a candidate having a 'polished resume' should reflect its content and their experience, not how it's presented.
   
3. ✅ Do you have any colleagues with dyslexia where you work who’d be happy to discuss their own experiences in coming to the company and their ongoing support? Although people experience dyslexia differently, asking them what worked and didn’t work can provide you with a fairly decent task list of what it is that you need to work on – use informed opinions to inform your own policy.
   
4. ✅ Make sure that support and guidance are easily accessible. Many people with dyslexia feel nervous bringing up a need for support as they think it might impact on their progression, or even their job security – so make the first move. Send a company-wide email asking people to get in touch if they believe they need accessibility arrangements making, or support offering in another capacity: breaking down the barriers first makes it easier for people to be open about their needs.
   
5. ✅ It’s okay not to know. Employers all over the world are working towards a more inclusive and accessible future… but for many of them, the territory can feel uncharted. That’s why workplace training is so vital in creating spaces where neurodivergent talent can flourish, as well as making sure that the roads into roles aren’t blocked and complicated.

For more information on how to Go Red at work, visit Go Red for Dyslexia – Get Involved!