Autism Awareness Week and Supporting the Neurodiverse Workforce
April 2024

According to The National Autistic Society only 24% of autistic people are in any form of employment and 50% of autistic people said support, understanding and acceptance would be the biggest thing that would help them into employment. But what do organisations need to be doing to support neurodivergent workers?
This Autism Acceptance Month, Bridgehouse has spoken with specialist organisations The National Autistic Society and Bee Unique to share 5 top tips on supporting neurodivergent employees. As a BCorp, Bridgehouse is dedicated to diversity, inclusion and employee wellbeing and works hard to be an equal opportunity employer. It is vital for organisations to maintain and promote an inclusive and supportive working environment for all.
Neurodivergence is more common than you may think, and often misunderstood. According to Forbes, 15-20% of the population are neurodiverse, with a range of differences in brain function and behaviour which include Autism, ADHD, and Dyslexia. In Forbes’s article about the strengths of neurodiversity in the workplace it detailed some of the many benefits that can come from supporting the neurodivergent workforce, such as creative thinking, attentiveness and focus.
Not only is becoming inclusive of neurodiversity a moral duty for organisations, it also allows companies to access a truly amazing and diverse portion of the workforce who, with a little support and understanding, can be highly valuable employees. According to a study on JP Morgan Chase’s Autism at Work Program, neurodivergent employees can be up to 140% more productive than neurotypical team members.
Here are some actions that organisations can take:
1. Educate
Understanding and education is crucial when it comes to supporting neurodiversity. Senior employees such as managers, supervisors and board members should be thoroughly trained in what neurodivergence is and how they should adapt their actions and practices to support their neurodivergent colleagues. By educating the work force on the reality of neurodiversity you will help to create a positive workplace culture that is equipped to embrace neurodivergent workers.
2. Signpost
Many employees who are neurodivergent may not feel comfortable discussing issues they are having at work, leading to isolation, poor mental health and risking losing them as employees all together. This may be due to a fear of stereotyping, anxiety or simply not knowing who they can approach. Organisations can mitigate this issue and open the conversation about neurodivergence by clearly signposting where employees can go for support, whether this be HR or a dedicated trained team member.
3. Be Sensory Aware
Neurodivergent people often display characteristics that make them wonderful employees, The National Autistic Societystates that autistic candidates often demonstrate above-average skills such as high levels of concentration, reliability, accuracy, close attention to detail, the ability to identify errors, technical ability, detailed factual knowledge, and an excellent memory. However, often adjustments need to be made to the working environment to unlock this potential. Small changes to the sensory environment can make a huge difference for an employee who experiences overstimulation, such as providing noise cancelling headphones, establishing quiet spaces, and providing adjustable lighting.
4. Adjust Communication
Workplaces can do a lot to support communication needs by providing alternative communication methods such as email or instant messaging for employees who struggle with face-to-face or phone conversations, using clear and direct communication, avoiding figurative language or ambiguous instructions and using written communication for reference. A neurodivergent person may struggle to understand social cues, can come across as disinterested or abrupt. It is important to understand that this is often not intentional and to be mindful of the social challenges this person is facing, taking extra time and patience to educate colleagues on the potential for misinterpretation.
5. Rethink Recruitment
Recruitment processes can be a huge hurdle for neurodivergent candidates. Candidates may struggle to demonstrate their skills and capabilities in a typical interview. Some adjustments recommended by The National Autistic Society include providing interview questions in advance, giving clear and visual directions to the interview location, providing a clear overview of the interview process, providing a quiet space for candidates to wait for their interview, avoiding general, hypothetical, and abstract questions, sticking to specific questions related to the role and their experience.
There are many additional ways that organisations can adjust working conditions and spread awareness to facilitate the smooth integration and wellbeing of neurodiverse team members.
Nadia Parsons spoke to us on behalf of Autism charity, Bee Unique, and said:
“Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways, there is no one right way of thinking. Your brain is unique to you and everyone is different. The Equalities Act 2010 provides a legal framework to effectively tackle disadvantage and discrimination. It is discrimination to treat a disabled person unfavourably because of something connected to their disability.
“Reasonable adjustments vary but may be very simple such as providing extra IT software or a quiet space to work in. It is important to remember that each neurodivergent employee will need different things in a workplace. It is not a one size fits all solution. Understand their specific needs and how to meet them, play to their strengths, focus on what they can do and encourage an inclusive culture.”
To find out more about supporting Autistic people at work you can access a plethora of resources from The National Autistic Society here. You can find out more about supporting all manners of neurodivergence on the Inclusive Employers website here. To find out more about Bee Unique and the work they do check out their website here.
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