Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Reasonable adjustmentsLatest NewsRecruitment & retentionPre-employment screeningSelection interviews

Just 4% of dyslexic thinkers say hiring process identifies their skills

by Ashleigh Webber 15 Jun 2023
by Ashleigh Webber 15 Jun 2023 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

The majority of HR leaders (64%) consider their organisation’s recruitment process capable of identifying dyslexic thinking skills, but only 4% of dyslexic thinkers agree.

According to a survey of more than 900 HR leaders and 1,500 dyslexic employees, employers could be missing out on the power of dyslexic thinking.

The report from Randstad Enterprise and charity Made By Dyslexia found that 60% of HR leaders agree dyslexic thinking should be viewed as an asset, but only 6% of dyslexics think employers recognise that their unique skills, such as problem-solving and creative thinking, fit well with in-demand skills.

Dyslexic thinkers

Making meaningful change for dyslexic employees

Dyslexia and neurodiversity: Why are employers still afraid?

Just 14% of people with dyslexia felt their organisation understood the value of dyslexic thinking, compared with 66% of HR leaders.

To create a more dyslexic-friendly recruitment process, the report recommended offering adjustments such as allowing extra time for responses, quiet spaces for tests and asking questions as clearly as possible.

It also recommended the creation of employee resource groups or affinity networks. Sixty-four per cent of HR leaders said they had these in place, but only 13% of dyslexic thinkers have seen them.

Kate Griggs, CEO and founder of Made By Dyslexia, said the report revealed a “shocking discrepancy between HR’s perception and understanding of dyslexia in the workplace, compared to those who are dyslexic”.

Mike Smith, chief executive of Randstad Enterprise, said: “Our research shows that significant disparity exists between how well employers feel they are enabling dyslexic thinkers in the workplace and how employees feel about this topic, but there is a way forward.

“Organisations can improve how they identify and support dyslexic thinking and in doing so work better with dyslexic job candidates and employees. Organisations can make significant advances with the proper adjustments, ensuring people are treated fairly and inclusively throughout the recruitment process and providing suitable support.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“We want people to feel proud to tell us they are dyslexic, and we, as employers, need to see dyslexia as the superpower that it is.”

Made By Dyslexia is launching ‘Employ Dyslexia’, a global  mission to train every workplace to empower dyslexic thinking. They have a number of free and accessible resources for employers and employees.

D&I opportunities currently on PT Jobs


More D&I jobs
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
HCM trends and pain points – time to get back to basics? (webinar)
next post
Increasing paternity leave would shrink gender pay gap

You may also like

Police Scotland constable who can’t work in cold...

15 Aug 2025

BA crew member too anxious to fly wins...

13 Aug 2025

Stroke survivor settles discrimination case for £100k

8 Aug 2025

HR leaders back idea of wellbeing tax break

5 Aug 2025

Asset manager loses case over ‘disappointing’ £10k bonus

31 Jul 2025

Neurodiversity case exposes nuance in reasonable adjustments

25 Jul 2025

£188k tribunal award for director sacked after cardiac...

10 Jul 2025

Welfare cuts would ‘undermine workforce inclusion and business...

27 Jun 2025

WFH employee who falsified timesheets loses unfair dismissal...

16 Jun 2025

Swearing chef awarded £13,000 for disability discrimination

4 Jun 2025

  • Elevate your L&D strategy at the World of Learning 2025 SPONSORED | This October...Read more
  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise