Self-advocacy is a skill that many neurodivergent individuals have acquired over the years, but it is not a skill that many enjoy honing or utilizing. It is exhausting. It is minimizing. While beneficial, self-advocacy can take a toll on the individual.
Imagine having to explain every answer, action, and reaction because they do not follow the same norms established in the workplace, and because there is no support there to begin with. It is a lot for one person to handle. It can take away from their creativity, productivity, and overall excitement of their role.
Now imagine if that support, openness, and inclusivity were already in place. Neurodivergent professionals could get straight to work because they are trusted, provided the necessary tools, and supported from the jump. That can happen if employees ease the load.
Be Open to Environmental Adjustments
A significant and very common type of accommodation that many neurodivergent professionals may need is environmental adjustments. This could be as simple as needing to wear noise-cancelling headphones, being sat in a quieter area of the office, dimming certain lights, or adapting how meetings are held.
Having these adjustments and accommodations already in place and approved from the start can enable neurodivergent employees to begin working to their full potential on day one. Of course, all neurodivergent individuals are different, so it is essential to remain open to other environmental adjustments over time.
Have Different Communication Styles Already Worked Into Processes, Ready to Use
Communication styles vary person to person, especially for neurodivergent folk. While your organization might have been using strict in-person communication for years, this might be hard for some of your employees if they need time to process, cannot answer questions as quickly as their peers, or would prefer information in writing.
There are so many communication options out there, and with some process adaptations, these styles can be incorporated to ensure every employee receives, retains, and reacts to information in the same way. When your organization already has options for different communication styles in place for people to choose from, you are providing easy, inclusive options for neurodivergent employees.
Reassess Your Hiring and Onboarding Processes to Be Inclusive
Much of the hiring and onboarding process might fall on social performance rather than skills, attributes, and industry-specific strengths. This is, unfortunately, very common these days, but it can eliminate many potential employees solely because they may not meet the social expectations your organization has in place.
Rather than relying on someone to tell you that they may not provide eye contact or may need a moment to respond to questions, it is best to already have these options in place. Reassessing your hiring and onboarding process can ensure that you are not closing the door on amazing candidates just because they do not fit the social norms you may not have realized you had set.
Don’t Be Afraid of Continuous Education on Leaders’ Parts
Needs and advocacy strategies will change over time. The best way to stay ahead and ensure your organization is prepared is to continue education on your leaders’, managers’, and hire-ups’ parts. Neurodivergent education in the workplace is out there; I even provide talks and workshops for organizations to take advantage of.
To ease the load on neurodivergent employees having to self-advocate every time, you could get ahead of the game. You could implement inclusive processes, have strategies in place to ensure they do not have to mask, or know new terminology and phrasing before you hear it in the field. All of these things can help neurodivergent professionals feel supported and heard.
Bring That Education Into the Workplace and Throughout Teams
The education that leaders acquire should not end in their heads. If your goal is to build an inclusive, supportive workplace environment for everyone, you need to take the time to ensure everyone is on the same page. That means bringing that diversity and neurodivergent education to team leads, team members, and everyone under your wing.
When education about these topics is brought to the rest of the employees, support can be ensured at every level, unconscious biases can be stopped, and questions can be answered before they become issues. Education is the best way to support your neurodivergent employees.
Broaden Your Mentorship Support
Often, neurodivergent individuals are able to find a job and enjoy it as the hiring and onboarding processes are supportive, but there is no inclusive leadership ladder or mentorship program, causing them to either have to accept their role with no growth, mask in order to rise in their career, or look for a new job.
If you want to harness the skills and abilities of all your employees, you must have inclusive growth opportunities, not just the opportunities you’ve already had in place. This can start by broadening your mentorship support. Neurodivergent professionals may want a neurodivergent mentor as they can feel more supported and heard. Mentorship can be a great way to help support and grow your employees, but just ensure you are inclusive in your strategies.
Have an Open Mind and a Flexible Headspace
Overall, if you want to help take the load off your neurodivergent professionals’ shoulders, you must have an open mind and a flexible headspace. Everything you learn, every new process you implement, and every new accommodation you provide might help one person, but not help the next. Everyone is different, and time is going to change the things people need.
As a leader, you must stay adaptable to what your employees need and be there for them. With an open mind, you can hear what they have to say, and with a flexible headspace, you can help make it happen. Be their support, and you can help them avoid exhaustion and burnout.
If you have further questions or wish to make your workplace more inclusive, contact me.