In the year 1998, Australian Sociologist Judy Singer introduced the world to the term neurodiversity. Her idea was to promote neuroinclusion of the neurodivergent individuals (NDs). Neurodiversity movement has for long been in vogue in the western countries like Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and US. However, there is very less awareness irrespective of the several organizations working for creating awareness. The sudden rise in the neuro-divergents being vocal is due to the research into what neurodiversity is and changes to diagnostic criteria in the last ten years. It is not that we have all of a sudden become aware on neurodiversity, rather it is now recognised and due to increased awareness that neurodivergent individuals are able to own their condition and understand who they are.
Read More: The Beauty of Neurodiversity: Celebrating Our Unique Minds
Social Media and Neurodiversity Movement
Social media without doubt has given voice to the neuro-divergents. Today, we can see many neuro-divergents are using social media like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for not just voicing their thoughts but also supporting other neuro-divergents. Our reason for querying this is not a deliberate attempt to feed into the rhetoric that the COVID-19 pandemic and TikTok has suddenly got everyone on a bandwagon. Neurodiversity and neuro-divergents have always been there, we were just unaware, or it was not recognised as a diagnostic criterion.
Without doubt our world has seen a sharp increase in the diagnosis rates and awareness of neurodiversity in the recent years. Up until recently, there has been a lack of understanding about neurodiversity, stereotypes about what ND looks like, as well as a lack of research and diagnostic criterion available for the medical world to rely upon. We are in a position where the world is having to rapidly respond to this awareness and there is an imperative need for neuro-inclusive societies and workplaces.
Read More: Parenting with Neurodiversity: Nurturing Diverse Minds
Neuro-inclusion in the Corporates
Corporates touting neurodiversity as their diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives cannot do without neuro-inclusion. They need to embrace neurodiversity to bring diverse thinkers on the board. Thus, implementing neurodiversity initiatives effectively and not limiting the initiatives on the papers. Irrespective of what is projected, many organizations do not have a functional DE&I team at work to implement their DE&I initiatives. The viewpoint narratives of neurodivergent minds are often missing from the picture. Often, narratives come from DE&I recruitment experts who proclaim the great job that they have been doing for their respective organisations.
If corporates want real change, then they need to empower the voices of neurodivergent minds by bringing them to the forefront. While interviewing several neurodivergent employees who were working at corporates, we found that they were being excluded at work from the processes and areas where they could contribute more and especially, those areas where their skills and interests matched. The voices of the neurodivergent employees were suppressed due to the toxic policies at work that made them more prone to the workplace discrimination.
We found that cognitive biases led to the social alienation and social exclusion of the neurodivergent employees at work. The reasons cited by the employers were often vague and manipulative. There was no synchronisation between what was preached and practised. We see this as a social injustice to the competitive advantage that neurodivergent employees could bring to their respective organizations through their unique ways of thinking. It is important that the voices of neurodivergent employees are not just heard but what they suggest is also implemented.
Read More: Workplace Policies and Their Impact on Employee Mental Health
What can Corporates do to Promote Neurodiversity at Work?
1. Proper Training and functional structures for sharing information
Neurodivergents whom we interviewed shared with us that the big businesses in the world often miss to work on explaining their processes and ways of working. Often, employers expect neurodivergent employees to be self-starters, make guesses and work out problems all by themselves. No professional mentoring is provided to the neurodivergent employees and rarely, anyone at work makes efforts to enquire them about the problems that they face. This poses a great threat to the survival of the neurodivergent employees at their workplaces.
Read More: TEACCH: Embracing Neurodiversity, Cultivating Independence
2. Give clear instructions to the Neurodivergent employees at work
It is important that the managers give clear instructions, in both verbal and written form to their neurodivergent employees. Anything specific pertaining to the project objectives, scope of work, deadlines, and results must be clearly and directly communicated to avoid any misunderstandings.
3. Make accommodations for comfort of the neurodivergent employees
Neurodivergent employees must be asked about their accommodations and they must be informed beforehand about the expected ways of working. It is important to make comfortable work arrangements for the neurodivergent employees, be it their sitting space, working chair and desk, light in the room or the position where the working desks are allocated to the neurodivergent employees. To ensure that the neurodivergent employees don’t feel overwhelmed with work, they must be provided with short breaks at work. It is also important to consider the work from home requests by the neurodivergent employees who have caring responsibilities of their children and elderly parents.
4. Encourage peer-group activities that engage neurodivergent employees
Peer-group activities that engage both the neurodivergent and neurotypical employees can enable them to build good rapport and understand each other better. Engaged neurodivergent employees are more productive and are good listeners, increased engagement makes them great at work and results in innovative solutions for problem solving.
5. Promote Psychological Safety
Corporates must ensure that a policy on psychological safety is implemented at work. Neurodivergent voices must not be stifled and any kind of micro-aggressors or bullying at work must not be permissible. The bitter workplace experiences of the neurodivergent employees must not be dismissed and any kind of micromanagement must be addressed proactively.
6. Encourage neurodivergent employees to give honest feedback
Neurodivergent employees can be both extroverts and introverts. Thus, it is important for corporates to understand the communication differences. Introvert neurodivergent employees might not be good at giving verbal feedback. So, it is important to promote feedback forms and written feedbacks that are actionable and confidential.
Read More: Why Introverts Are Better at Networking Than You Might Think
7. Curb Practices of Automated HR Systems for the Neurodivergent Employees
Automated HR systems are a big threat to the neurodivergent employees, especially when they have to report serious issues. Reporting problems through a monotonous text messaging system without any HR lead in person can be detrimental for the mental health of the neurodivergent employees. Lack of direct communication with project leads or HR managers can lead to social alienation and disengagement of the neurodivergent employees, further hampering their inclusion, engagement and productivity.
Conclusion
So far, many articles have been written on neuroinclusive workplaces, but it is important to incorporate viewpoint narratives and case studies of those who are neurodivergents. Companies must embrace neurodiversity not merely for their DE&I initiatives but for the fact that neurodivergent employees have immense talent that goes unnoticed. Social exclusion of neurodivergents in any way is not an option when we talk of embracing neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is not merely ticking the right box for DE&I initiatives.
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