Neurodiversity Celebration Week: Why It Matters in the Workplace

If you’re like me, when you hear about “accessibility in the workplace”, your mind likely goes to wheelchair ramps and ergonomic keyboards. Fantastic things are readily available in most workplaces to accommodate those with physical disability. But what if, like me, you’re also neurodivergent?

Depending on where you are in terms of your diagnosis, you may not be aware of how your needs differ from others. You may have struggled to mask symptoms for so long that you’ve subconsciously taken on the burden of responsibility for how you function differently. Perhaps you have never even made a workplace aware of your neurodiversity. Has it ever felt safe for you to do so?

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, and it is time for us to start having these conversations and being visible—and for those differences to be celebrated.

The Challenges Neurodiverse People Face In The Workplace

Research shows that neurodivergent children receive 20,000 more negative messages and criticisms by age ten than their neurotypical counterparts. So, over ten years, that is five negative comments per day more than their peers. Some of you reading this will be shocked. Some, unfortunately, will not. With this in mind, it is no wonder that 99% of people with ADHD encounter a sensitivity to rejection at some point in their lives. When our behaviours aren’t understood, they can often be misconstrued as a negative trait, which is why it is important to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions regarding neurodiversity.

Around 15-20% of the world population exhibits some form of neurodivergence, which can include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, OCD, and various other conditions. There is no one way to accommodate a neurodiverse person, as neurodiversity is different in each individual.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported that 64% of employers still admit to having little or no understanding of neurodiverse conditions, which can often lead to a further pattern of neurodiverse people not being understood, accommodated, and welcomed into the workforce. It is then little wonder that only 22% of autistic adults are in any form of employment. This is not to discount that for some, their neurodiverse condition can often lead them to be unable to work for various reasons that are entirely valid.

Understanding The Nuances of Neurodiversity

It can be difficult navigating a world that functions differently from you and doesn’t understand you. Symptoms of emotional dysregulation, attention dysregulation, and sensory overload prevalent in those with ADHD and Autism, when not understood properly, can often be misconstrued as bad behaviour, which not only leads to those with ADHD and autism having trouble finding and sustaining a career, it can also lead to social ostracisation.

People with Dyslexia and dyspraxia may also have issues asking for assistance concerning the areas they struggle with. Many of us take our ability to read, write, and coordinate for granted. Research from the law firm Fox found that in 2021, there were 93 tribunals for employees who had allegedly been discriminated against for their neurodiverse condition; Dyslexia accounted for 40 of these tribunals. This indicates the need for more education surrounding these conditions and the current lack of support and accommodation in place.

OCD is often misunderstood as a “tidy perfectionist” personality quirk. Although it is true that for some people with contamination OCD, their thoughts are centred around germaphobia and health anxiety, this is one way that OCD can affect a person. OCD is a disorder characterised by intrusive thoughts and the compulsions that result as a way to regulate the person’s mind. Some people living with OCD have no compulsions at all, just intrusive thoughts. The common mischaracterisation of this disorder leads to a lack of understanding and, thus, a lack of social support both in and outside of the workplace. OCD affects 750,000 people in the UK, with 50% of all cases falling into the severe category.

Why The Tech Sector Needs Neurodivergent Minds

The challenges we face as neurodivergent people are difficult to ignore, but the value that we bring to the world around us is something that often can pass us by. Innovation is built on new perspectives, which you will never fully have if neurodivergent people are not included. It is not despite but because of our challenges that we are valuable.

People with ADHD and Autism are capable of hyper-empathy towards others, in part because of the sensitivity they have felt regarding rejection in their own lives. People with Dyslexia and dyspraxia are often adept at lateral thinking to work around their condition. Those with OCD practice problem-solving a lot. Neurodivergent people can make many fantastic achievements and have done so throughout time despite not being understood or recognised for the things they have overcome.

To those of you who have identified with anything I’ve covered so far in this blog, I write to let you know that you deserve to be visible in the workplace, heard, understood, and accommodated.

• You are worthy of taking time for yourself if you are overwhelmed.
• You are worthy of having meeting notes made for you when you have trouble regulating your attention.
• You are worthy of asking for working conditions that make you comfortable.
• You are worthy of being celebrated.

The SaaS and Compliance Sector: A Neurodiverse Workplace

The SaaS (Software as a Service) and compliance industries can be particularly well-suited for neurodiverse individuals for several reasons:

1. Emphasis on problem-solving: Many roles in SaaS and compliance require strong problem-solving skills, an area where neurodiverse individuals often excel. Unique perspectives and thinking outside the box are valuable assets in these industries.
2. Attention to detail: Compliance roles often require meticulous attention to detail, which can be a strength for some neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with conditions like OCD or autism.
3. Structured environments: The SaaS and compliance industries often have well-defined processes and procedures, which provide structure and predictability that some neurodiverse individuals may find comforting.
4. Flexibility and adaptability: Many SaaS companies offer flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options, which can benefit neurodiverse individuals struggling with sensory overload or social interactions in traditional office settings.
5. Opportunity for growth and development: The fast-paced nature of the SaaS industry means that there are often opportunities for learning and professional development, which can appeal to neurodiverse individuals who thrive on acquiring new knowledge and skills.

By recognising the unique strengths and perspectives that neurodiverse individuals bring, SaaS and compliance companies can create a more inclusive and innovative work environment that benefits everyone. There is space for you here.

Unlocking The Power of Neurodivergence In The Workplace

If you take away one thing from this blog, it’s that everyone needs to do more to support neurodivergent people in the workplace. Be open and understanding of everybody’s differences and ways of being. Have those conversations with your employees and understand their need to feel safe and valued at work.

You never know what people are struggling with and overcoming so they can come to work. People with neurodivergent conditions work so hard to mask themselves in an environment to make others comfortable; it’s about time we all do what we can so they don’t have to anymore.