One in five neurodivergent employees have experienced harassment or discrimination at work, while only half feel it is safe to talk about neurodiversity in their organisation.
Research from the CIPD and neuroinclusion training provider Uptimize found that 31% of neurodivergent employees have not told their manager or HR about their neurodivergence, with 37% concerned about people making assumptions based on stereotypes.
A third (34%) felt there was too much “stigma” attached to neurodiversity – an umbrella term that can include those with ADHD, autism or dyslexia – and 29% were concerned that revealing their neurodivergence would have an impact on their career.
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Almost one in five (18%) who had not revealed their neurodiversity did not feel their organisation would be understanding or offer support. Of all the neurodivergent employees polled, only 37% felt their employer offered meaningful support.
Only 52% felt able to talk about neurodiversity in their organisation, and 54% felt they could talk about it with their team. This was despite 55% of organisations stating they had a neuroinclusive culture.
Most employers told the researchers that neuroinclusion was a focus for their business (60%), with 33% including it in their equality, diversity and inclusion strategy or action plan and 19% recognising it as part of their EDI work despite not being explicitly mentioned in their strategies. However, 32% of employers said neuroinclusion was not a priority for them.
The CIPD’s senior EDI policy adviser Dr Jill Miller said: “The design of workplaces and people management approaches haven’t traditionally considered neurodiversity, meaning many employees may not be able to perform at their best. Action is needed to create neuroinclusive organisations and fairer workplaces, with equality of opportunity for neurodivergent employees, free from harassment and discrimination.
“This means good people management, getting to know people as individuals and understanding their needs. Organisations should ensure managers have the training to manage people effectively, offer flexible working and provide clear access to reasonable adjustments. These practices can make a significant difference to neurodivergent people’s working experience, as well as benefitting employees more widely.
“Focusing on neurodiversity can have important business benefits, including widening the talent pool to recruit from, supporting employee wellbeing and improving employee performance and retention.”
The Neuroinclusion at work report – based on a survey of 1,003 employers and 1,047 workers, of whom 790 identified as neurodivergent – sets out seven guiding principles for neuroinclusivity at work:
- Understanding the position the organisation is currently at in its inclusion journey, and committing to a long-term action plan
- Focusing on creating open and supportive cultures where people feel comfortable talking about neurodiversity, and raising awareness among all staff
- Considering neurodiversity in all people management interactions and policies
- Listening to individual employees about what they need to perform at their best at work and ensuring clear access to reasonable adjustments such as quiet zones or headphones
- Embracing flexible working
- Paying attention to wellbeing
- Inviting participation from neurodivergent voices.
Uptimize chief executive Ed Thompson said: “Today, HR priorities are CEO priorities. Indeed, many CEOs’ top priority for 2024 is retaining and engaging talent.
“This report makes clear that no people, talent or EDI-related ambition or commitment can be achieved without neuroinclusion – the active effort to optimise workplaces and manage people and teams to be inclusive of different brains.
“When this occurs, as we see from our own clients, the results transform businesses and their workforces. At the same time, this will remove longstanding marginalisation and inequality relating to the talented but overlooked neurodivergent demographic at work.”
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