Introduction
Neurodivergent people are a huge part of the workforce, but they often feel frustrated and misunderstood because the companies they work for don't understand them. In this blog post we'll see how you can make your company more accessible to the neurodiverse by addressing some of our common needs at work.
Provide a more detailed description of the task
It's important to give a detailed description of a task. This will help us understand the task better, and we can then focus on what we are being asked to do, rather than how it is going to be done. We also don't need to worry about how long it might take or what might happen if we don't get it right the first time (a common anxiety for people with anxiety conditions).
For example:
- “Please file these forms in sequence A-Z and make sure each one has been signed by both parties."
- “Can you please type up the minutes from last month’s meeting?"
Do not get anxious about mistakes
Do not get anxious about mistakes. Mistakes are a natural part of life, and they're also a great way to learn and grow. We all make mistakes! Mistakes don't mean we're dumb or stupid; they just mean you tried something and it didn't work out. If a mistake happens, that doesn't mean your brain is broken or wrong—it just means there's one more thing you can try next time!
Be clear about what is acceptable, what is not and why
- Make sure that everyone understands the policies and reasons for them.
- Give examples of why the rules are important. For example, if we don’t follow a certain rule, then it could cause problems for other people or affect our reputation.
- Be clear about what is acceptable, what is not and why. This helps neurodivergent employees to know how they fit in with your team culture and gives us a chance to make informed decisions about our behaviour at work.
When you need to give negative feedback, be extremely clear about why it was not great. What was missing, what didn't work and why?
Avoid vague comments like “you were not great” or “you got this wrong.” Instead of being vague, give specific examples of what was missing or not done well and explain how you would like things done differently in the future.
When giving positive feedback use the same approach as with negative feedback - be clear about what exactly made a difference for you (and others).
Give steps on how to avoid that mistake in the future
- Give concrete examples of how to avoid making the same mistake in future. For example: “Don't say [insert word] again,” or “Make sure you don't say [insert phrase] when you're angry.”
- Be specific about what you want to achieve from this conversation: “I'd like to be able to talk about my frustrations without feeling like I'm being attacked for them. How can we do that?”
- Encourage neurodivergence at work by giving them room for mistakes and offering support if they make a mistake (and it's not really their fault).
Do tasks one at a time
Multitasking can overwhelm. I can do one task quickly and efficiently but if I have multiple tasks at a time, I don't know where to start.
The first step to making your neurodivergent co-worker feel happier at work is to be aware of what they need. If you're not sure how, check these out:
- Ask them what they need from you! They'll likely be happy to tell you their needs so that they can have a job where they feel comfortable and safe.
- If you don't know how to approach this person, try talking with others who understand and ask them for advice on how best to communicate.
Neurodiversity should not be seen as a problem but as a way of expanding our workforce diversity
Neurodiversity is a natural part of the human condition, not something to be fixed. Neurodivergent people have brain differences. This does not mean that every person with these conditions will have them: it just means that there are people born with different neurologies who need some accommodation in order to thrive at work and in their personal lives. The idea is simple: everyone has different brains and needs some form of consideration in order to function at their best.
Conclusion
We hope this blog has given you some useful tips to make neurodivergent people feel happy at work. We want to end on a positive note and highlight what we think is one of the most important aspects of neurodiversity: it shouldn’t be seen as a problem but as a way of expanding our workforce diversity. Diversity benefits everyone in society, so why not apply this principle to how we work?
