When it comes to disability and chronic health issues, diagnoses and labels can be complicated. There isn’t a "one size fits all". For some people, getting a clear answer in the form of a diagnosis can provide a sense of certainty, structure, and guidance in how to better understand one’s body and mind. For others, it can be restrictive, bind them into discriminatory systems, or even be prohibitive to access in the first place because of cost and time.
There isn’t even strict consensus on whether or not neurodivergence fits under the disability umbrella. Using the social model of disability - as opposed to the medical model which positions that a person with a disability has something ‘wrong’ or a ‘deficit’ that needs to be ‘fixed’ - it is defined based on the accessibility of the environment and society. The social model does not overlook the impairment, but instead “challenges the physical, attitudinal, communication and social environment to accommodate impairment as an expected incident of human diversity”.
With this approach, some neurodivergent people may not identify as disabled due to the nature of their neurodivergence i.e., their day to day is manageable and their environment doesn’t require accommodations. However, for other people, who may require significant accommodations, this may align more closely with the definition of disability. As a general rule, it’s best to defer to the individual when it comes to how they like to understand themselves, and be understood by others.
Cherie Clonan, an Autistic woman and the founding director and chief executive at The Digital Picnic (TDP), thinks of it like this - if you’ve met one neurodivergent person, you’ve met one neurodivergent person. Or more broadly, if you’ve met one human, you’ve met one human.
Origin story
My perspective and understanding of neurodivergence has shifted significantly in the last couple of years. My wife recently said if she had suggested I was neurodivergent a couple of years ago, I would not have been ready to reflect and accept that. These days, I’m getting used to applying the word autistic to myself, and also reflecting on the extent to which the modern workplace is successfully built to include and get the best out of neurodivergent employees.
In 1997, Australian author and sociologist Judy Singer defined the term neurodiversity based on the experiences of her family and online community groups. Singer has specifically spoken about the utility of creating an umbrella term that would help guide research going forward, but more importantly was connected to civil rights movements in the hope of creating a similar momentum to drive change. Building on this, here are some key terms to help you navigate this space:
Neurodiversity describes how the human brain and body can process things differently through natural variations, including via behaviours and thoughts.
Neurodivergence is applied to someone who processes differently to the ‘common’ or ‘typical’ cognitive function, and can cover a range of conditions including autism, ADHD, OCD, and dyslexia.
Neurotypical is used as a description of individuals whose brain processes information in the ‘standard’ way.
Neuroaffirming embraces, respects and validates the differences in how individual’s process and think
Neuroinclusive refers to an environment that acknowledges and supports the needs of neurodivergent people
Not user friendly
Workplaces reflect society’s structures and systems, and these have typically been designed by and for cisgender, white, straight, neurotypical men. What’s new? You can read me get frustrated about this when it comes to women’s sport and imagine a new world view here.
The acronym WEIRD - Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic - builds on this concept and was defined to improve understanding of psychological differences and how the most commonly studied group, which then forms the basis of universal assumptions about psychology, represents only a small portion of the diverse global population. For neurodivergent staff, or anyone that isn’t ‘WEIRD’, this can lead to poorly designed workplaces. It suggests to staff that they don’t ‘fit in’, there must be something wrong with them and exclude them altogether from employment.
Research has identified a number of concerning trends in Australia, including that over 50 per cent of unemployed autistic Australians reported difficulty finding jobs for 3 or more years, and that the unemployment rate for autistic people is 6 times that for people without a disability (31.6 per cent vs 5.3 per cent). What these statistics show is not that autistic people aren’t capable, but rather, that workplaces haven’t been designed to allow autistic people to contribute in ways that they can actually flourish.
Common barriers that neurodivergent staff face in a workplace include colleagues and managers unconscious biases and a lack of understanding about neurodivergence, ingrained archetypes of leadership, assumptions about career ambitions, lack of accessibility or flexibility, lack of suitable learning and development opportunities, and failure to acknowledge lived experience as a form of expertise. Further, there is also often an expectation or requirement that an individual discloses their neurodivergence - and in some cases consider it a disability - to access further workplace support. This is incredibly problematic and imposes unnecessary barriers to employment for neurodivergent individuals.
There are a number of gendered and intersectional factors that should also be considered in how we reflect on neurodiversity in the workplace, creating overlapping systems of discrimination which can create more complications for neurodivergent individuals. This can include under-, late, and mis-diagnosis due to gendered and racial expectations of how neurodivergence presents; challenges with social interactions and professional rapport; and difficulties with career progression. It is also common for neurodivergent people to have co-occurring mental health challenges, chronic health issues, and other disabilities, which can require greater support.
Neurodiversity educator and consultant Margaux Joffe has argued that: “In the workplace, privilege can impact whether neurodivergence is seen as a competitive advantage or a liability. Sometimes the difference between being seen as a ‘disruptor,’ or being ‘disruptive’ is the colour of your skin and your place in the org chart.” This is a powerful reminder of why an intersectional lens should always be applied to challenge the layers of discrimination that many people face.
Meanwhile, Dr Jennifer Spoor, the Vocational Engagement Research Director at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC) at La Trobe University, has also highlighted that neurodivergent women tend to also be very attuned to the norms and expectations of gender roles, which leads to greater use of ‘masking’ and ‘camouflaging’. This is when an individual adopts "neurotypical" behaviours that are incongruent with how they would typically engage to align with social norms, which can have a negative impact on health and wellbeing.
Given this state of affairs, having a leader that is actively working to create an environment for neurodivergent staff is at this stage, a rare gift. But this is exactly what The Digital Picnic's Cherie is setting out to do. Speaking to Cherie, she couldn’t recall ever having said no to a request from a neurodivergent staff member before, and those that have been implemented tend to be low cost and benefit the whole workplace. This has included providing individual light sources for each desk so people can customise the brightness in their workplace, establishing requirements for agendas and minute taking to help track actions, quiet sensory zones, encouraging employees to use fidget toys.
Cherie also had some tips for prospective employees on how to assess externally whether a workplace is authentically inclusive. For would-be employees, these include scanning a company’s visual communications for diverse representation and preparing questions for an interview to ask the employees about values and accommodations to test their responses. For would-be employers, she suggests that organizations state in their job advertisements that they encourage applicants to ask any questions they may have about culture or inclusivity. This is the measure of a truly authentic workplace - an organisation that is confident, open, and not going to rest on its laurels.
Time to walk the walk
What would a neuro affirming workplace look and feel like?
For Dr Spoor, it’s “inclusive, flexible, personalised, has open communication, and starts from a position that we’re all different”. This environment has the capacity to benefit everyone by considering each employee as a whole person with their own life course. It acknowledges that every person has ups and downs, and that sometimes more support may be required at work, and this can be a natural pattern, which evolves based on trust between employer and employee.
Cherie Conan is taking this from theory to practice with The Digital Picnic, role modeling from the top inspired by her Dad’s “stunning leadership” strong command navigating neurodivergence as a single parent. She describes her leadership style as defined by flexible and inclusive commitments such as “empathy over apathy”, “no accommodation is off the table”, and elevating the importance of lived experience to inform work. It is based on a system where demand is high for the things that matter like client digital marketing deadlines, but low on those that don't like working from home or flexibility with hours.
Dr TC Waisman, in an interview with The University of Calgary on the key to innovation in the workplace, said that embracing neurodiversity is essential. She says leaders need to understand the value of difference - it’s not a tick box exercise, it should be part of their fundamental approach to how they talk, work, and lead.
How to create a neuroinclusive workplace
This is still an area of immense growth as recognition grows of the importance in embracing neurodiversity in the workplace, so I would definitely recommend that you watch this space. In fact, keep an eye out for more research by Jennifer and OTARC! The focus of her future focus seeks to address gaps in understanding for neurodivergent workforce which includes enablers and limitations to career progression and leadership; unlocking greater inclusivity in small and medium businesses; and unpacking why more neurodivergent individuals are moving into self-employment and social enterprises.
There are a lot of good resources to help guide anyone in an organisation to work towards a more neuroinclusive workplace. As a starting point, I’ve collected a range of actions and tools as a guide with consideration for the broader workplace eco-system. I would also note the importance of including neurodivergent staff in the co-design of these actions and tools, as this will best ensure they are targeted to their needs.
What changes
Research has shown that organisations with neurodivergent workers can benefit from increased productivity, creativity and innovation; enhanced problem-solving, decision-making, higher levels of concentration, accuracy; and improvements to morale, collaboration, and culture.
“Neurodivergent employees help to highlight where gaps exist and where there’s room for improvement,” Jennifer says, “and they’re definitely going to let you know when something hasn’t worked!”
There’s also research about how inclusive cultures can support business outcomes, but what I prefer to read more is about how managers of neurodivergent employees become more broadly inclusive based on a greater appreciation of each person’s individual needs and how that can support improved outcomes. Also that making accommodations can improve an employee’s wellbeing and reduce burnout. These outcomes shouldn't be a surprise - every person is an individual and benefits when you treat them as such?! - but it’s always good to have evidence in the back pocket if resistance arises.
Human centered
Photo credit: hushoffice
Both Cherie and Dr Spoor emphasise that employers typically hire people because they believe they can do the job and achieve great things for the organisation. If an employer can build such trust in an employee to deliver the work, it stands to reason that such confidence remains regardless of the support or accommodations required.
What does this all mean? For me, everyone will benefit if an employee is treated as a whole person and with care. Cherie’s perspective as an inclusive leader with lived experience and Dr Spoors academic expertise give us a glimpse into what it could look like if more workplaces adopted a human centered approach, that authentically embraces and values diversity. A world where employers and employees can get the best out of each other.
Let me paint you a picture - after arriving in Australia for a new job in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hits, and you lose your job. You are effectively homeless and desperately applying for jobs, you’re interviewed by one organisation and it is confirmed you’re not suitable for the role, but the CEO understands that right now you need support and offers their empty office for you to live in to help you set up your new life. Fast forward a couple of years, you’ve started working with that organisation and been twice promoted, the CEO considers you to be one of the greatest content creators in the business, and your Mum has flown in from overseas to visit your now office and former temporary place of residence.
This is the true journey of Cherie and one of her now employees. I got goosebumps as she shared this with me.
Creating a workplace that embeds systemic inclusion and is centered on meeting the individual needs of each employee, is going to unlock a whole new world of possibilities. This applies generally when it comes to applying an intersectional lens, however, explicitly acknowledging neurodiversity will provide a welcome relief and sense of validation for neurodivergent individuals who are ready to be greeted in the way that best suits them.