Empowering neurodiversity in the workplace
Creating a neurodiverse workplace The magic formula for creating a neurodiverse workforce comes down to building a culture of trust and this can only be achieved through open, honest and authentic conversations, and by proxy psychological safety. Here’s five ways to do this: 1. Awareness raising – from people with lived experience who have an understanding and experience of neurodiversity. 2. Gain the ‘buy-in’ of the HR and leadership team – change needs to happen from the top down, and HR can set the benchmark that everyone can aspire to achieve. Leaders set the vision and that vision must include neurodiversity in the workplace. 3. Build line management capabilities – people managers are the enablers and the beating heart of any organisation. They must have the right skillset, toolkit and mindset to lead neurodivergent people. 4. Revisit and refresh your Talent, Learning and Recruitment approach – ensure these areas are neuro-inclusive by involving neurodivergent people at every step of the process. 5. Scrutinise your existing HR policies and procedures - are they really neuro-inclusive? Neuro-inclusive recruitment To create more neuro-inclusive recruitment practices start by asking “what aren’t we doing?” Then sense check and test with neurodivergent candidates and your existing neurodivergent people.
Other neuro-inclusive recruitment practices include:
• Have at least one neurodivergent panel member sifting and on the interview panel. • Provide clear and unambiguous language in job descriptions. • Provide interview questions in advance to all candidates. • Get rid of old fashioned expectations of candidate behaviours, for example; eye contact, firm handshakes, no notes, no fidgeting, no playing with your pen. Normalise these behaviours and invite candidates to be themselves. • Do not use psychometric testing on neurodivergent candidates - it’s a sure fire way to weed out neurodivergent talent. The future is neurodiverse It is critical for employers to be neuro-inclusive because 25% of their workforce is likely to be neurodivergent, and attracting diversity of thought to any business is good for business. Leaders should not be afraid to make mistakes and get things wrong; instead, be afraid to have not tried at all, and be led by assumptions. Neurodivergent people are disruptive thinkers and entrepreneurial mindsets of this world. Who wouldn’t want to attract, develop and retain this type of talent in the workplace? The future is Neurodivergent thinking!
Award-winning coaching leader, Mike Bedford MCIPD is the Founder and CEO of Bee- Brilliant People Development in Leeds which helps organisations attract, develop and retain neurodivergent talent. As a proud neurodivergent, and one of the Top 80 Neurodivergent Leaders in the UK to follow (2023), Mike tells us about his passion – and magic formula – for creating a neuro- inclusive workforce. I come from a very neurodivergent family; ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) all flow through our veins, and in my experience the workplace hasn’t always been the most ‘neurodiversity- friendly’ of places.
Mike Bedford MCIPD, Founder and CEO of Bee-Brilliant People Development
Learn more about how to support neurodivergent employees in the CIPD Neurodiversity at Work guide here .
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REGIONAL INSIGHTS
Summer 2023
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