You’re working hard to build a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategy, and you want to ensure that your organizational culture is inclusive of all your staff, including those you haven’t yet hired. Have you also considered neurodivergent people? Do you know if your company has the right tools in place? We’ve got three neuroinclusive tips for you.
Tip 1: More flexibility for more neuroinclusion
Imagine yourself in a work environment where there are children running around, extremely loud music, uncomfortable chairs and far too much light. You probably wouldn’t be very productive, would you? Most conventional offices can have a similar impact on neurodivergent people.
We talk about it briefly in our interview with Édith Bernier on the subject of grossophobia.: so-called traditional work environments, such as cubicles, are often designed the same way for everyone in order to create a sense of equality among employees‧es, yet it’s better to seek equity – that is, aim for staff to be treated fairly according to their needs. A traditional work environment may work very well for one person, but it can also be debilitating for another.
That’s why we recommend a more flexible work environment that’s not only good for neurodivergent people, it’s also good news for your entire workforce. Who doesn’t like more flexibility?
Here are two concrete examples:
Example 1
Some people perform better with a clear separation between work and personal life. It can therefore be a good idea to establish clear working hours during which you want to be able to reach the said person. When making this distinction, don’t forget to mention the response time you expect from your colleague.
Example 2
Take neon lights, a popular source of light in offices. For some people, neon lights can be a great source of distraction – a phenomenon more common in neurodivergent people, who are often sensitive to light. In this situation, the solution is rather simple: provide these people with an alternative light source. We could provide a desk lamp, or allow them to be in a neon-free space.
Ultimately, allowing accommodations allows every employee to have a work environment that works for them.
Employers, don’t forget these two think twice:
- It’s recommended that change requests be easy to make (i.e. no need to fill out eight forms with the administration to make your needs known).
- Know the possible options to offer your employees and make them known.
Tip 2: Communicate clearly and precisely
Communication is a key element in any organization. It makes performance objectives clear, and creates a sense of belonging among talent. We rarely communicate as well as we imagine. Whether via inclusive writing, or any other language adaptation, we recommend that a company’s communications be transparent, so that everyone can understand the message we’re trying to convey.
The aim here is to avoid ambiguity and leave as few details as possible for the reader to interpret. It’s not about infantilizing the other person, but rather about being as clear as possible and avoiding innuendo.
Here’s an example of communication that could be improved:
Hello everyone,
As for our next project, we’ll start as usual. As team members, don’t forget to send me your progress reports in reasonable time.
The example is deliberately a little exaggerated and vague.
Two points are unclear in this communication:
- Firstly, what does “as usual” mean? A person new to the organization may not know what the habit refers to. The same applies to a neurodivergent person.
- Secondly, the term “reasonable time” leaves a lot of room for interpretation. For neurodivergent people, temporal concept may vary from that of a neurotypical person. It would therefore be better to specify the timeframe, and briefly explain how the project will start.
Tip 3: Reduce prejudice against neurodivergent people through education
Neurodivergent people are often victims of prejudices that limit their presence in the workplace and their upward mobility. These prejudices are rooted in popular beliefs that it is important to deconstruct through training, workshops or informative articles.
Awareness-raising content can be an excellent learning tool. Here are two examples!
In this video, Falisha Karpati, PhD explains what cognitive diversity is.
As Louis T explains in this video, “we’re sometimes clumsy when we want to talk about atypical or neurodiverse people.” How do you properly name an autistic person?
Remember, not all neurodivergent people are alike! Even if two people belong to the same group, chances are they are very different in their accommodation needs. Fran Delhoume, DEI Analyst at URelles explains: “It’s often said that, when you’ve met an autistic person, you’ve met an autistic person.»
Working to make your business more neuroinclusive is a great opportunity for your organization. This means more accessible accommodation, flexibility and transparent communication.
