I recently joined a neurodiverse community. Yes, you may have already suspected that I am. š
One topic that came up in our meeting yesterday was the challenge of interviewing for jobs when youāre a neurodiverse individual (e.g., people with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or dyspraxia). We also discussed how challenging the workplace can be when employers donāt design it for neurodiverse people (e.g., chaotic meetings and brainstorming sessions).
So, what do neurodiverse folks need to be more productive and successful at work? Well, it depends. Here are just a few examples:
Stronger policies to prevent discrimination (e.g., during hiring and promotion processes).
A vigilant approach to encourage social inclusion.
Minimizing or eliminating the need for masking.
Providing more flexible work schedules.
Creating sensory-friendly workspaces.
A zero-tolerance policy regarding bullying people who are different.
Providing more time to prepare for interviews and meetings.
Always providing agendas for upcoming meetings.
Offering ways to contribute without being put on the spot in meetings (e.g., encouraging input via email or messaging prior to a meeting).
Providing ways to contribute asynchronously (e.g., shared living documents).
Managing the chaos of meetings when people aggressively argue and interrupt each other (e.g., meeting management rules).
Creating recordings of meetings.
Taking better notes and capturing decisions in accessible documentation.
If youāre a manager or leader, are you doing everything you can to support the neurodivergent employees on your team? Are you aware of their strengths?
āOur autistic employees achieve, on average, 48% to 140% more work than their typical colleagues, depending on the roles. They are highly focused and less distracted by social interactions. Thereās talent here that nobodyās going after.ā
āĀ James Mahoney, executive director and head of Autism at Work at JPMorgan Chase
If you are a neurodivergent individual, are you suffering in your workplace, putting up with issues, and muscling through it at the cost of your emotional and physical health? It might be time to request some accommodations to make the workplace more equitable for you. If youāre comfortable disclosing your neurodivergence, talk with your manager or HR about the accommodations you desire.
Iām Larry Cornett, aĀ Freedom Coach who works with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more āInvincible You.ā I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.