Neurodivergence and your Workforce
Around 15% of people in the workforce are neurodivergent which means that they will experience some difficulties with executive function, and or processing, dependent on condition, and level of severity. The most common conditions are Autism and ADHD.
There are a lot of anecdotes of what Autism and ADHD look like in the classroom but in the workplace, symptoms can be misinterpreted. Helping employers and work colleagues understand the challenges can be the difference between labelling somebody as disorganised and lazy to understanding that they may need some support in organising workload or better communication when it comes to allocating tasks.
Along with these conditions which are stressful in themselves comes a higher chance of Anxiety, Stress, and Depression. As mental health conditions rise, and employers become more aware of how to spot them and support employees with them, there comes a greater understanding around support and management of individuals. The key word here is individuals because a one size approach to support in the workplace does not fit, and never will fit, everybody. We need to think outside the box, raise awareness and have the important conversations that benefit everybody.
Neurodivergence can be a double-edged sword; the qualities that can be our superpower can also be, our Kryptonite. Better understanding means that simple accommodations and adjustments will have a dynamic effect on productivity and performance.
The saying “You don’t know what you don’t know” will be addressed in this workshop. After this session you will know exactly what you need to do to get the best out of your workforce.