NEURODIVERSITY
(CH&W). “As much as the industry works hard on inclusion and diversity, neurodiversity hasn't been given the same attention as, for example, gender or LGBT+. But at the moment, there is a lot more time and energy going into understanding neurodiversity.” The first step, then, is generating awareness to eradicate stigmas. Next, Armstrong argues, is supporting neurodiverse people in the workplace. “For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer employees, it's more of a challenge than for a large contractor with access to occupational health services and their big diversity and inclusion
neurodiverse people’ so they avoid hiring them rather than finding a way to support them.” There is no blanket approach to support neurodiverse people. Two employees with autism, for example, could need very different assistance in the workplace. And, as Armstrong adds, many with dyslexia or ADHD aren’t diagnosed so they don’t even know they have these conditions. Which poses interesting questions: Do people with neurodiversity seek a job in construction because they feel
it’s more suited to their skill sets? For example, a person with dyslexia might consider the industry as being more practical than theoretical. Does the industry need to think more about accommodating neurodiverse employees already working in construction or focus recruitment drives on attracting neurodiverse people to construction? Gay says: “A lot of us neurodiverse people have dipped out of education and ended up in construction because we’ve gone into practical tasks rather than the academic side of things – which is great. “My sense is that the construction industry has attracted a bigger proportion of people with neurodiversity. But because neurodiverse people can, in the right environments, provide a fantastic, productive and
agendas and recruitment drives,” says Armstrong. “A lot of people think, ‘I don't know what to do with
effective workforce, we should be actively recruiting them into construction.” Years ago as HR Director at an mechanical and electrical engineering firm, Gay says they recruited people who were on the autism spectrum into roles that required more structured ways of working such as CAD design. “They were more able to sit for eight to 10 hours constructing CAD drawings; somebody who is not neurodiverse might find that more challenging. “Many neurodiverse people
selves and how they behave and perform. This can have a knock-on effect on their mental health. So neurodiversity needs to be normalised in the workplace.” Armstrong’s advice to employers is to: Help employees access specialist support through occupational health services and the Access to Work Scheme, and equip workplaces with equipment and processes to make their jobs easier; and Upskill managers and supervisors to support neurodiverse team members by learning about common challenges faced and the unique skills – attention to detail, proficiency with numbers – that they bring to the workplace. “Regardless of whether you're a large company or small,” Armstrong says, “you can really hone in on those special talents that people can bring, which might even be the missing piece of the puzzle within an organisation. Focus on every person as an individual – that’s really the main thing.”
could have fantastic jobs in construction because we’re
really good at solving problems, juggling 10 different plates at once – great if you’re a project manager or working on complex tasks – and we are more likely to possess pragmatic skills. I watch some of our trades on site and admire how brilliantly skilled some individuals are at creatively solving really difficult on-site problems in 3D, despite having a lack of academic qualifications.”
Employers looking to support their neurodiverse employees can get in touch with Construction Health & Wellbeing Ltd at constructionhealth.co.uk
Read more on the FMB’s website about attracting and retaining neurodiverse talent: tinyurl.com/FMB-neurodiverse-talent
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Master Builder
www.fmb.org.uk
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