With so many different aspects to consider when improving diversity and inclusion in your workplace, it can be easy to miss the more obvious ones. One of them is the roles themselves. If your business has had specific roles, responsibilities, and descriptions in place for years that have seemed proficient in attracting talent, you might not think it needs adapting. However, if you wish to make your workplace one of true inclusion, the roles themselves need to be considered first and foremost.
The roles you have in place at your workplace could be the exact reason you are not attracting, hiring, or retaining neurodivergent talent. It is essential to take the time to expand the roles and become flexible with the needs of our current employees.
Roles Can Be Tailored to Strengths and Talents
Neurodivergent individuals may have skills, strengths, talents, and trades that do not fit the cookie-cutter role description. However, these unique strengths can play a significant role in their success at the role down the road. So, it can be essential to not place too many restrictions or boxes around job descriptions if possible. Expanding roles can allow for a broader range of responsibilities, leading neurodivergent individuals to excel in the role. You want to be the advocate for everyone’s unique talents and perspectives, and creating broader opportunities can do that.
More Doors Will Open for Neurodivergent Individuals in the Workforce
At the end of the day, expanding the roles within your organization only proves to help those looking to get into the workforce. When job descriptions expand, roles become more flexible, and there is increased opportunity for neurodivergent individuals to have more doors open to them. Our society has made many impactful changes in the last years to become more inclusive to the neurodivergent community, but there is still work to be done, especially regarding the workforce as a whole. Expanding your job titles and roles can be exactly what needs to happen to keep us moving in the right direction.
Flexibility and Autonomy Can Be Better Prioritized
Neurodivergent individuals often look for workplaces that seem to have a flexible and adaptable mindset. With this open mindset, they can know that their accommodations, requests, and needs will be better heard, implemented, and protected. Expanding the roles in your workplace to include details about workplace flexibility, schedule changes, and accommodation implementation can attract many neurodivergent individuals.
Different Communication Styles Can Be Implemented
Expanding your roles to include hybrid or remote working opportunities or including information about the different ways communication is implemented into the roles can open the doors to attracting neurodivergent individuals. Every neurodivergent individual is different and will lean toward different communication styles. However, it is essential to advocate for those communication styles as they are extremely important to the success of neurodivergent employees. If a role was primarily face-to-face meetings, but in reality, there are many other ways to accomplish the same results, it is important to expand the role to include them.
Diversity and Inclusivity Is Above All Else
When you work to expand your roles, you are actively proving to the workforce that you are open, ready, and eager to create an inclusive work environment for everyone. Expanding roles will help neurodivergent individuals feel valued and respected, two things that they are continuously seeking when searching for jobs. It will also help increase morale and retention while fostering a sense of belonging among the current and future team members. Expanding your roles can show that you are putting diversity and inclusion above all else.
When you begin assessing your workplace to see where you can better accommodate and attract neurodivergent individuals, remember to examine the roles themselves. If you have questions or wish to learn more about fostering an inclusive workplace, contact me today!