Neurodiversity in the workplace! How do we challenge the status quo? Especially when education and employment only offer a ‘One size fits all’.

Great minds don’t think alike.

As a learning disability nurse previously of 20 years, I’m optimistic about the rapid growth of the neurodiversity movement and its impact on societal norms. Just envision how the LGBTQIA+ community would be without society’s evolution and acceptance of necessary changes.

Ever the typical rebel-associated ADHD’er, I have had a lifetime of being embroiled in challenging rules and regulations, especially where they seemed unjust.

Ever heard “there’s always one?” Ask my previous managers, and undoubtedly they will agree, “It was me,” I bet many of you who are reading this will also say, “That’s me”.

Seemingly always putting my head above a parapet. Involving myself in the underdog’s corner, championing what is believed to be unjustified treatment on their behalf, even to the detriment of myself and promotions. (When you start researching, you understand this is a typical neurodivergent trait.)

Another neurodivergent trait of mine has been to ask, “But why?”. It wasn’t something I was consciously aware I was doing. As I reflect on the extensive intricacies of neurodivergent me, I can see that some neurotypical brains see this as a threat. However, I couldn’t understand why this would anger them for the life of me.

Executive functioning and working memory challenges make it hard for me to recall specific details. While I may forget words, I always remember the emotions they evoke. Unjust situations and feeling misunderstood resonate deeply within me.

As most neurodivergent employees can relate, at one point, I believed perhaps there was something wrong with me. Everyone else could keep their head down and not end up in the 90% of their manager’s firing line.

Thankfully, I have also had my champions, the people doing for me as I have done for others. That has been the difference between my giving up and choosing the more challenging path, focusing on what is right over what is easy.

How often do you see that sheep mentality at work, a crowd following a toxic leader and picking up all the poisonous traits leading to a harmful culture? As our understanding grows, the newer generations don’t accept these behaviours and vote with their feet, leading to the media’s terms “The quiet quitting and “The great resignation.”

Questioning authority means understanding the decision-making process as to why we do what we do. I didn’t understand back then that I WAS different, didn’t behave in “expected” ways, and was seen as challenging authority, not observing the hierarchal process.

I tell you this: these are some of the nuances we all need to be aware of when making judgments or not leading from a place of inclusivity but from our ego.

When creating an inclusive workplace for neurodiverse employees, it is essential to understand what neurodiversity is and how it can affect people. Neurodiversity builds on the social model of disability in which disability arises from societal barriers, not from the person with a disability.

It’s ok for us all to wear the same uniform, but not that we are treated the same way when our brains function differently.

Adding a generic tick box requesting disclosure of a disability or offering an easy, reasonable adjustment doesn’t create sustainable cultural change.

If your workplace isn’t neuro-inclusive, you disadvantage your workplace and stifle creativity by not attracting diverse talent.

Spectrum Dynamics offers training and support to help managers understand how to manage neurodiverse employees and give strategies for everyone to work at their best. Note we use the term neurodiverse because you don’t need to be Neurodivergent to have a flair for creativity; neuro-inclusive accommodations benefit all of your employees and customers.

We would love to build on this work, and the money we profit from making your workplace inclusive for all diverse minds is intended to be put back into your community:

Our vision is to provide an impact at the earliest opportunity via early intervention services. To be a voice for children/parents/carers/teachers that “one size fits all” has negatively impacted for too long.

If you feel your inclusivity needs strengthening or you are an employee and would like a confidential discussion on how to approach better acceptance in your workplace, please get in touch with us today.

Thanks for taking the time to learn more about neurodiversity in the workplace.