Neurodiverse employees have neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and dyslexia, which can mean they struggle to fit the traditional job profiles many employers seek. However, these conditions can also mean that they have extraordinary skills and higher-than-average abilities in mathematics, memory and pattern recognition that could help to give you a competitive advantage in your industry.
Employees with neurological disorders will need the workplace to adapt to their needs to leverage their abilities, with items such as headphones to help prevent auditory overstimulation. It will also mean that companies must adjust their recruitment selection and career development strategies to reflect a more diverse range of talent.
Many larger companies have already started to change their HR processes to accommodate neurodiverse employees, for example, SAP, Microsoft and Dell Technologies. Although these programmes are still in their early stages, business leaders feel they are already paying off massively in terms of
- Boosting innovative capabilities
- Increasing employee engagement
- Improving quality
- Productivity gains
One of the most surprising outcomes of introducing more neurodiverse employees to companies is that managers feel it makes them better leaders for all of their employees. Getting to know your employees better so that you know how to manage them and are sensitive to their needs has got to be better for everyone involved, right?
How does neurodiversity present opportunities for businesses?
When we talk about diversity in the workplace, normally, we tend to talk about things such as background, culture, gender, and the advantages these can bring to the workplace. The benefits that neurodiverse employees can bring are similar but tend to be more direct in that they can bring a new perspective to a business’s efforts to create value.
Unfortunately, the neurodiverse population remains one of the most under-used talent pools in the UK (if not the world). A recent report by the Office for National Statistics showed that just 21.7% of autistic people are in employment, for example. When employed, however, many have had to settle for non-skilled jobs despite having the credentials to achieve more.
Many neurodiverse people have degrees in subjects such as anthropology, biostatistics, computer science, computational mathematics, economic statistics and electrical engineering – with some even gaining a Masters. When these people manage to get hired, they often turn out to be very capable and great at what they do.
Cyber security is one area that is already benefiting from the introduction of neurodiverse employees, as their superior pattern-detection abilities are being applied to tasks such as examining messy data sources for signs of attack or intrusion.
The case for hiring neurodiverse employees is further backed up by the skill shortage we face in the technology industry. For example, a recent study by the European Commission revealed that the European Union would face a shortage of 800,000 workers over the next two years. The biggest shortages seem to be in the areas of data analytics and IT services implementation, both of which seem to be a good match for the abilities of some neurodiverse people.
How can companies tap into neurodiverse talent?
- Team up with a government or non-profit organization to help you with the expertise that you lack, such as navigating employee regulations, arranging public funding for training and providing ongoing mentorship and support
- Use non-traditional, non-interview-based assessment and training processes to help neurodiverse employees demonstrate their abilities to managers more casually.
- Train other workers and managers to help them to know what to expect from new colleagues and how they can help to support them.
- Set up a support ecosystem to help neurodiverse employees in their work and personal lives.
- Tailor your methods for career management to set specific goals.
The main benefit of neurodiverse employees is that they make both companies and their senior leaders adopt a style of management that places each person in a context that will maximise their potential and contribute to the business. It will be hard work for managers and employees, but the payoff could be considerable – access to diverse perspectives that may help you compete more effectively.
