Neurodiversity needs to be better understood in order to remove "persistent prejudices" from the workplace, a study has claimed.
More than 15 per cent of people in the UK are neurodivergent, according to a report, commissioned by the charity Neurodiversity in Business.
However, the report, Neurodiversity at Work 2023: Demand, Supply and a Gap Analysis, said there has been little discussion on mainstream channels on how to support neurodivergent colleagues at work.
According to one of the supporters of the report, this needs to change, because “supporting neurodivergent colleagues is the right thing to do, but also, neuro-inclusive cultures are known to have a distinct impact on a company's creativity and profitability.”
It is hoped that the report, created by Birkbeck University, London, will help employers and others, to "immerse (themselves) better in the lived experience of neurodivergent people, and take concrete steps towards building spaces and cultures where everyone can thrive".
The authors of the report explored how organisations identify and support neurodiversity, which includes conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, Aspergers, dyslexia and other emotional, thought-processing and cognitive response conditions, which are not typical to the majority of the population.
In the report, the authors examined the link between the way in which neurodivergent staff are treated, and staff turnover.
It found there was a direct link between the “intention to leave (an organisation), and wellbeing (of neurodiverse staff) because these two factors are good indicators of psychological safety and wellbeing, which in turn predict productivity and performance and therefore have a clear correlation to organisational performance."
The report also said: “The report states that feeling able to disclose disability was also a key marker of psychological safety and wellbeing."
Adjustments
While it is commonly understood and appreciated that making reasonable adjustments for those with disabilities and neurodiversity enables them to work better, function at a higher level and aides staff retention, the report acknowledged there were challenges to implementation of adjustments.
At the top of the list of challenges in the implementation of adjustments was lack of disclosure, reported by 69.3 per cent of participants.
The report stated: “There are persistent prejudices against neurodivergent people with a ‘hidden’ disability leading to unfair comparisons with those who are ‘more worthy’ of support.
“Some neurodivergent people may be more susceptible to ostracism due to the difficulties in social communication and interactions, as self-reported in our data.
"These reports from employers converge with the report from employees that employers lack knowledge, in particular around the technical aspects of providing formal adjustments and what these are likely to achieve.”
Dan Harris, founder and chief executive of Neurodiversity in Business, has personal experience of ADHD and neurodiversity both in his own life, and among his family.
