Neurodiversity Challenges in the Workplace
The Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce (CNDCC) has pledged to bring the neurodiversity movement into more conversations within corporate America. As neurodiverse people are starting to speak out and become increasingly recognized within society, we must also look at the challenges they face through job hunting and their professional life.
Neurodivergent employees have so much they can offer to our workplace. These assets can include:
Alternative communication patterns for diverse ideas
Insight into ideas of neurodiversity or alternative methods
Heightened awareness of a neurodiversity perspective
Specialty with certain tasks or higher productivity levels
As we begin to familiarize ourselves with neurodiversity inclusion (please see our blog post 'Neurodiversity in the Workplace), we can begin to investigate the hiring process as a whole. Upon closer inspection, we see that neurodiverse individuals are struggling to find work or even open doors for opportunities.
Of autistic adults who have a college degree in the United States, 85% of them remain unemployed. Adults with autism continue to struggle to find work in this country. In a 2020 survey from the United Kingdom, 50% of hiring managers said they would not hire neurodivergent people.
Yes, you read that correctly, 50% of managers who are responsible for hiring admitted that they would not hire a neurodiverse employee. Not only does this close a lot of doors for those with autism spectrum disorder, but it narrows the job pool for all neurodivergent people.
Most recent statistics indicate that about 2% of all people living in the United States are diagnosed with autism. This number, notably, does not include any other neurological conditions that could fall under the neurodiversity umbrella. Therefore, if over 2% of our population could be considered neurodiverse employees, we need to begin changing our social models and how we include people with autism spectrum disorder (and other neurodiverse conditions).
There are a few steps that we can take in order to become more inclusive.
Embrace the Neurodiversity Movement
We should be open to communicate, discuss, and understand the challenges that face this community. Once we begin to discuss neurodivergent employees and the struggles they face in the workplace, we can begin to change the thought process of those making workplace decisions.
Align Your Company with Neurodiversity Advocates
Organizations like the CNDCC have made it their primary goal to change workplace culture. This includes supporting neurodivergent individuals, helping them find work, and understanding their differences. In this, we should all aim to not see those with neurological conditions as disabled people. Instead, we want to begin a system of empathy and understanding. As our knowledge and advocacy grows, so will opportunities.
Adapt to Change
The culture surrounding neurodiverse employees, neurodiverse people, and those who identify as having a brain difference is constantly changing. Terms, definitions, and how we address individuals within the community can differ from year to year and even month to month! With such a wide range of people that fall into the spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, we must learn to adapt and understand that information is constantly changing. We can draw parallels to challenges that the LGTBQ+ population has faced in recent years. As more and more people identify with different sexual orientations, the definition has continued to transform as to include the entire community.
Prepare for Mistakes
What defines neurodiverse people changes constantly,and we must be prepared for that. Mistakes will be made as we look to improve our workplace communities and support those with neurodevelopmental disorders. The Autism community has foregone using the term “Asperger's Syndrome” and has instead brought it under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Within the community, an individual may prefer being addressed as an 'autistic person' or a 'person with autism'. As we begin the journey to acceptance and understanding, we must also be careful to not put everyone who identifies as a neurodiverse person into a singular box. Every individual is different and we must accept all neurodivergent individuals. Mistakes are inevitable, but how we learn from them is up to us.
Seek Training & Understanding
As we aim to bring more neurodiverse people into the workforce, we must grapple with how our workplaces accommodate neurodiverse employees. As the saying goes, "If you've been one person with autism, you've met one person with autism". How can we apply a universal approach to such a broad spectrum of individuals? The answer lies within company training. Bringing in a third party to help guide us on how to support neurodiverse employees is the first step. Neurotypical employees and leadership should prepare to accept new workplace practices to accommodate neurodiverse employees.
The Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce aims to bring together employers, employees, and interested businesses to form a community rallying around neurodivergency and the social challenges faced by those who identify as neurodivergent. If you have any questions regarding our Chamber of Commerce, please feel free to reach out to our founders or stop by an event to learn more.