The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants says it is estimated that between 15-20% of the population are neurodivergent and organisations have an ethical responsibility to include and support neurodivergent individuals.
This involves creating workplace environments where everyone’s challenges are supported and strengths are celebrated so that they can thrive.
As the focus has started to shift to re-education on what neurodiversity is, and how to provide support for these individuals, organisations are now faced with the task of considering design principles for business processes that are inclusive for all – regardless of their neurotype.
Leadership plays an important role in creating neuro-inclusive environments and this also can allocate resources to implement strategy and investment to acquire external expertise for training, audit processes and supporting individuals.
Getting leadership’s sponsorship is imperative if lasting change is to be embedded within an organisation to support those who are neurodivergent.
Education is key. Raising awareness and providing training is important to ensure there is understanding of what neurodiversity means for all within an organisation.
Organisations need to be clear on key messages and highlight the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce. Training should challenge stereotypes and common misconceptions about neurodiversity, and change the narrative to focus on the strengths that those who are neurodivergent can bring to organisations.
Further, job descriptions need to be inclusive. Organisations should consider how they reflect their neuro-inclusive culture – simplify job descriptions where possible, use clear and inclusive language, and adopt a variety of communication formats.
- They should reflect an organisation’s inclusive practice through language used and demonstrate acceptance of those who are neurodivergent. This could include a paragraph about the organisation’s inclusive culture. Career websites should also reflect this – the use of stories of current employees, including leadership stories, are very powerful ways of demonstrating an organisation’s ability to create a sense of belonging and acceptance for those who are neurodivergent.
- They should differentiate between ‘required’ and ‘preferred’ skills for the role. Highlight which skills, including softer competency skills, are essential and which skills are useful but not necessary. If possible, for qualifications/technical skill sets, give optionality such as ‘two or more of the following skills’, thereby attracting a wider range of candidates to the role.
- They should use language that is clear. Avoid terms such as a ‘great team player’ or ‘excellent communication skills’ that are vague and open to interpretation.
- They should simplify the job description as much as possible – job descriptions tend to include a lot of content – what content is necessary for a person to decide whether a role is right for them?
- They should consider alternative communication formats – not everybody likes to read a lot of text, could a short video or infographic be included to provide information? Job descriptions and career sites should be accessible.
- They should offer adjustments to the process. Good practice can include providing examples of what others have been provided previously.
