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We’re fortunate enough to live in an age where businesses, large and small, are waking up to the benefits of creating a workforce that’s characterised by its diversity. Although we still have a way to go to complete inclusivity, it’s somewhat wholesome to realise that whilst the job search isn’t something that many of us enjoy, the playing field in many places is getting more level – and this means we’re likely to be seeing more neurodiverse people than ever before both entering the job market and climbing higher on the ladder.
Neurodiverse hiring is a movement that’s been led by a number of large businesses- Ernst & Young, GCHQ, Goldman Sachs, Dell, Google, JP Morgan and SAP, to name but a few- who have begun to realise the potential inherent in neurodiverse people and making a point to hire candidates who learn, think and feel differently. It’s rapidly gaining traction in the broader recruitment sector too, and hiring managers everywhere may be focusing on making hires that accurately reflect the diversity of the society we live in, as well as aligning neurodiverse skill sets with roles that they excel in. It’s great to see, and even better to think about where we could be in another decade as we move towards a more inclusive and accessible future together.
But one thing that it’s deceptively easy to miss in the neurodiverse hiring movement is… it doesn’t actually stop at the hire. Sure, the papers are signed, a start date is agreed, and they’ve signed up to whatever uncomfortably preachy fitness app you’ve given them free access to as part of their employee package – but what about when they’re in the role?
Neurodiverse people often need different kinds of workplace support than neurotypical employees, and some- especially those entering first-time roles or taking on new responsibilities for the first time- might need different pathways when it comes to establishing themselves in a new position. But this is one of those grey areas that actually not many businesses excel at, especially those who are smaller, less au fait with neurodiversity, or have only recently committed to accessible and inclusive hiring. So that’s why we’ve created a handy list of how to support your a neurodiverse employee in the workplace, because whilst we’re passionate about neurodiverse hiring, we’re equally as passionate about neurodiverse people sticking in their dream roles and having a positive and powerful working experience too.
The Application Process
Whilst there’s more of a focus on hiring people who learn and think differently these days, application processes haven’t really kept up with the thinking. Many application processes still rely on extended CVs, cover letters and personal statements, and these simply aren’t accessible for people with dyslexia, literacy differences and other conditions – and unless they’re applying for a job where writing is a key responsibility, it has to be questioned whether this is necessary for the role. Can you offer the opportunity to talk through a role on the phone, as opposed to submitting a traditional application – or even implement pre-made documents into your application process instead, such as a LinkedIn profile or portfolio webpage? And think about how many steps does your application need – a five-step application process is exhausting and draining for almost everybody; and whilst one practical test is appropriate, two or three is simply likely to have both neurodiverse and neurotypical people perform not as their best as it can take huge amounts of emotional, social and mental bandwidth.
When it comes to interviewing, a lot of this was driven online by the Covid-19 pandemic, but we’re slowly transitioning back to in-person hiring- and that’s not an environment that some neurodiverse people excel in. Somebody with ADHD might perform badly and not reflect their skills accurately in a busy office full of distractions and may prefer to interview via Zoom or MS Teams, for example – but another might struggle with maintaining eye contact and engagement on online calls, and would prefer to do the interview in person. A person with anxiety might prefer to do the interview with their camera off so that they feel less observed; or somebody might like to move around as they present their portfolio. What matters is being adaptable to a candidate’s needs, and not assuming that everybody will feel at home in the same interview environment. Let people know that you don't mind at all how they comport themselves during the interview - it's the skills you're interested in.
And although it goes without saying that it’s always up to a candidate whether or not they say if they’re neurodiverse, it never hurts to have information somewhere on your application procedure that you’re committed to neurodiversity-friendly hiring. Make it clear that you’re a safe space for people to be open about their conditions, and any other needs that they might have during the process.
The Offer
Making an offer is another almost invisible pitfall that some companies may fall into when hiring somebody neurodiverse. After a long interview process, making an offer should be quick and easy- but all this falls by the wayside when salary negotiation is on the table.
Many people with neurodiversities are nervous negotiators and won’t excel in scenarios where they have to read paperwork, do calculations and make complex financial arrangements with another person on the spot. Take this into email communication where you can, as it allows your candidate to think about their responses, instead of agreeing to terms that don’t necessarily suit them. Some may feel that because they’re neurodiverse, they’re more of a ‘liability’ or a ‘hassle’, and will pitch themselves at less than they’re worth. Doing this remotely and by email gives them time to think about things more, as well as do their research if they haven’t already, and the lack of face-to-face communication might make some people more confident to ask for what they need.
This is why it’s often better to quote a salary on the application, or at least a salary range – if you really do need to work a salary out based on the candidate you end up hiring, have them submit a salary expectation as part of the application process. And treat it as a fixed price, rather than a negotiation starting point if you possibly can.
Liaise and Listen
Having a conversation with a new employee before they start can streamline the process a lot when it comes to setting them up in their new role. Whether this is simply discussing with HR what they may be worried about, talking about an inventory for their first few days or discussing the adjustments they may need made to their workspace, it’s an important part of showing that you’re making a commitment from day one.
Points to cover:
- Physical accessibility arrangements – this can be anything from wheelchair accessibility to specialist keyboards, bathroom access, blue-light filters for screens, or even quieter workspace locations within the office for employees who may struggle with concentration or loss of focus.
- Software accessibility arrangements- from text-to-speech scanning devices to screen readers, colour-shift displays and even organisational and time management software, are there any pieces of kit that can make working easier?
- Home working arrangements – some neurodiverse people excel in person, and thrive off a community vibe- and some don’t, which is okay. Is there scope for home working when they’re working on difficult or involved tasks, or struggling with their mental health? Is there scope for permanent home working, once all in-role training and introductions have been done? Try to break away from the idea that some businesses have that home workers aren’t as productive or committed as their in-office counterparts – over the course of the pandemic, multiple surveys and sources of data have proven this not to be accurate at all.
- Mental health in the workplace – it’s a great idea for all employees to have conversations about where they need mental health support and what systems there are in place to support them, but these could be especially important for somebody starting a new role. Encourage open communication, make a public commitment to employee mental health with mindfulness training and mental health first aid, and make sure that there’s a ‘door is always open’ atmosphere between HR, support, managers and employees – as work becomes ever more isolating and digitised, this is important.
Review the Experience
Keep an open channel of communication when it comes to your new neurodiverse hire. There needs to be a feedback system between their management, themselves and perhaps even HR to make sure that they’re comfortable and able to address the tasks that are part of their role in a comfortable and confident way. Some things that may not have been apparent during your initial conversations may have been realised, and extra support needed, and some of the support systems that you put in place might not be working and actually seen surplus to their requirements. Schedule in regular reviews and one-to-ones too, to make sure that any changes can be made quickly and efficiently, and ideally without the employee having to reach out across public channels which they may find intimidating or embarrassing.
Some larger workplaces set up focus groups of neurodiverse employees too, to get company-wide feedback from people who learn and think differently to their peers. These groups might be able to offer another angle on a work idea, a project, or simply use their lived experience to predict what somebody else with a similar neurodiversity might find when encountering your product or service. These should leave it up to the employee as to if and how they get involved, however- nobody’s neurodiversity status should be made public without their consent.
Be Adaptable and Make a Commitment
Being adaptable is one of the main ways of ensuring that a neurodiverse hire becomes a neurodiverse employee long-term. Sometimes, somebody will be able to slot seamlessly into a role with very few alterations made to their working processes, sometimes there won’t be any. Some people will come alone with their solutions already worked out with tech that they know they can rely on and structures that work, and some people will just be starting out managing their work and workload, and they need the space and support to try new things to find a way of working that, well… works. What you can’t do is generalise: neurodiversities affect pretty much everybody differently, and what’s worked in the past for one employee with dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, autism or dyscalculia might not work for the next neurodiverse person to come into the workspace.
Commit to finding a solution that works, instead of just the best fit that you have on hand. If somebody needs a dedicated text-to-speech device, free apps might not do the job to the standard that people require. Many governments all over the world have funding systems to help businesses accommodate neurodiverse people, people with mental health problems, and people with physical disabilities – so it’s worth checking these out for your locality too as sometimes tech support can be vital. And make sure that you’re listening when people suggest what they can benefit from – we can assure you, in 99.99% of cases, somebody asking for the opportunity to work from home, undertake training or to use a different piece of software because the UX is easier to deal with isn’t just trying to make your life difficult, spend company cash or sneak off work half an hour early to watch Pointless.
Another thing that could be important, depending on the structuring of your organisation, is how things like promotions, job title changes, raises and bonuses are judged. Neurodiverse employees may not work to the same parameters as their neurotypical colleagues or do things differently, and they might feel that there isn’t a level playing field for rewards like these when it comes down to the end of the year. Somebody may struggle with their report-writing but close more cases than any other employee; somebody might produce detailed reports that can be used across the board but they take a little longer to do it. Somebody may come across as awkward or unfriendly on the phone, but have a killer instinct for spotting financial errors or streamlining wireframes. We’re all different, with different strengths and weaknesses, and can’t really be judged with any degree of homogeneity. It’s a complex issue, but it’s always better to reward effort than success if at all possible – and when it comes to job progression, really interrogate if you’re assessing somebody on a fair representation of their skills as opposed to how well they fit within a pre-established mould.
Neurodiverse people make up a huge portion of the population, and the shift in seeing more neurodiverse people find employment is a powerful change for the better- but it needs to go further, and we need to commit to seeing a hiring change become a change that result in long-term, secure employment too. Neurodiversities are lifelong conditions, and they need to be understood and supported at every level on the career ladder as people change and grow.
