A Neuro-inclusive Workplace: It Starts With HR

HR professionals play a crucial role in getting the right people into the right roles, motivating them to perform to the best of their abilities and providing a tailored career path through learning and development (L&D). This would also include addressing workplace bias and promoting inclusive environments which provide opportunities for all employees.

Research has shown that successful HR and Inclusive Diversity practices can lead to:

Enhanced employee performance and well-being
Improved employee engagement due to a trusted climate
A more desirable place to work
Increased retention

But we often see neurodiversity being left behind. According to The Power of Difference Report, 50% of respondents stated that they would be uncomfortable employing or line managing someone with a neurodifference, highlighting a lack of awareness or acceptance of neurodiversity in the workplace. However, there is a lack of established process in addressing these attitudes. According to the Neurodiversity at Work Report (CIPD), only 10% of HR Professionals state neurodiversity is included in their people management practices.

The lack of established support processes, coupled with the lack of acceptance, can lead to many neurodivergent employees feeling uncomfortable asking for support. The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey (2019-2020) found that 34% of employees have not asked for adjustments because they fear their manager would treat them differently.

Without established supported processes for neurodivergent employees, we are not enabling or empowering them to thrive. It is important to consider all areas of the employee’s lifecycle when developing neuro-inclusive practices:

Recruitment and hiring practices
Onboarding
Adjustments processes
Talent management
Ensuring all processes are communicated effectively across your organisation

Examples of Good Practice

We can see plenty of good practice examples of industry neuro-inclusivity, enabling neurodivergent employees to thrive in their workplace.

Understanding that traditional interview processes don’t allow neurodivergent candidates to demonstrate their abilities, Microsoft have created their neurodiversity hiring program to help tap into this potential. This programme targets recruitment, onboarding, and internal development of neurodivergent staff.

Auticon, an international IT Consultancy and social enterprise, provide long-term career and employment opportunities to autistic adults. They have recognised the strengths that autistic individuals can bring to industries, such as data analytics and software development, and look to empower them in the workplace through workplace adjustments, changes in communication, job coaching, and autism awareness training for organisations. Through this support, many neurodivergent staff at Auticon have felt that they have improved their skills and abilities, reached their potential, and improved their self-confidence and well-being.

Similarly, JP Morgan Chase have developed their own Autism at Work programme looking to tap into the strengths and talents of those with this neurodivergence. It was found that within the first 6 months, autistic employees working through the programme were 48% more productive than their other colleagues who had been in similar roles for up to 10 years.

How can Lexxic Help?

At Lexxic, we can support your organisation and HR practices to become more neuro-inclusive, enabling everyone to have an opportunity to succeed at your organisation and for you to benefit from the value of neurodiversity.

Neurodiversity (ND) Smart is our maturity model which takes organisations on a journey to become neurodiversity inclusive. It involves a review and audit of organisational processes and policies across the employee life cycle by the experts in neurodiversity to understand: