The neurodiversity awareness movement has been in full swing for a few years now, and has revolutionised our understanding of individual differences at work.
Embracing neurodiversity in the workplace is crucial for fostering an inclusive environment. Understanding and supporting neurodivergent individuals through flexible adjustments can unlock their unique strengths and talents.
Neurodiversity is not a disability; it’s a form of diversity that brings unique strengths to the workplace. Personal stories and experiences highlight the impact of language and labels, and the steps needed to create inclusive environments. How do you think language and labels impact neurodivergent individuals? Have you been impacted in the workplace by them?
Professional Speaker/Consultant/Coach-Cultures of Neuroinclusion CEO, Neurobelonging|Forbes Neurodiversity Expert|Author|Host Mental Health Professional-30 years experience
It really is simple. Ask people what they need to thrive at work. Believe them when they share their access and support needs. Remember that disclosure and diagnosis intersect with privilege and many people will never be able to access a formal diagnosis or may never feel safe disclosing. You can provide the psychological safety for your employees to share their needs by asking and affirming. Then advocate for them and accommodate their needs when possible. Create cultures of neuroinclusion and accessibility. 🌟 Comment below if you agree or know of an organization that is doing this well so we can celebrate and elevate them! Reach out to me via DM or use the schedule link in my profile to connect. I would be happy to offer neuroinclusion and disability inclusion workshops at your place of work. Ring my 🔔 so as to not miss my daily educational posts. #HR #DisabilityInclusion #Neurodiversity #Accommodations #Accessibility ID: A reminder note tacked to a cork board that says "You don't have to ask your employees for a diagnosis or doctor's note before accommodating their access and support needs. Believe them."
How can organizations foster a more neurodiverse-friendly workplace? Rachel Wheeler shares actionable steps to raise awareness, promote inclusivity, and create a safe and supportive environment that will empower neurodiverse colleagues to thrive at work. Discover more in myGwork. #Diversity #Inclusion #Culture #FutureofWork
Creating an inclusive work culture requires understanding each individual's needs and the importance of context. Without this understanding, we create a disconnect, failing to recognize each person's unique challenges and perspectives, which can lead to miscommunication, feelings of exclusion, and decreased team morale and productivity. By acknowledging and valuing team members' diverse experiences, we foster a supportive and dynamic work environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Join us in celebrating diversity and empowering every individual by sharing your experiences and insights, helping us build a more inclusive future together. Tailor support to individual needs, respect social and cultural factors, consider environmental impacts, and understand historical and personal contexts. Additionally, recognize intersectionality, adapt communication preferences, be aware of sensory sensitivities, use clear language, and understand nonverbal communication challenges. Prioritizing context fosters clear, respectful, and meaningful communication, creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. #Advocacy #Neurodiversity #DevelopmentalDisabilities #Inclusion #Empowerment #MentalHealth #SelfAdvocacy #Mindfulness #CommunitySupport #InclusiveSociety #Neurodiversity #DevelopmentalDisabilities #Empowerment #Inclusion #PositiveImpact #UniqueAbilities #Mindfulness #SelfAdvocacy #MentalHealthMatters #Dyslexia #Autism #ResilientCommunities #ResilientHeartsIn #DevelopmentalDisabilities #ADHD #Autism #ResilientHearts
Founder & CEO, Stronger U; President & Founder, THRIVE Lifeline. Wellness Coach & Educator, Medical exercise practitioner, DEIA expert, Crisis support expert. 25 years working professionally with vulnerable populations.
Meeting people where they are might feel like we’re throwing darts at an unknown target and hoping for the best. Many people haven’t been taught this skill, often leading to the “golden rule” idea whereby they do for others what they wish people would do for them. In a growing culture of inclusion, those of us who are neurodiverse and living with disabilities can often face very well meaning people who conflate the idea of inclusion with this golden rule idea. Some of my most frustrating experiences have been being infantilized and ostracized by institutions that explicitly espouse inclusion. This means my day might be spent proving that I am capable and advocating for accommodations, rather than being the fully creative, high achieving, and team-minded human that I am in places where I thrive. These experiences often leave us feeling fatigued, masking or conforming, hiding the “undesirable” parts of ourselves, and focusing on surviving. We would love to be free to learn, work, and serve at our highest capacities, but burnout often leads us to change our environments. If you are a leader dedicated to improving the retention of people who are neurodiverse and living with disabilities, here are a few ways that you can meet us where we are: ◾Ask us what we need to best learn, work, and serve ◾Listen actively and reduce personal biases ◾Respect our expertise and our accommodations ◾Modify your 1:1 communication styles to match ours ◾Be transparent with what you can and can’t provide ◾Communicate clearly about your expectations ◾Be flexible to a variety of ways for us to show up ◾Problem solve with us collaboratively ◾Be consensual and uplift personal autonomy #Accessibility #TheInsider #DisabilityCommunity #NeurodiverseCommunity #Neurodiverse #Disability #DisabilitySupport #StrongerUWellness #WellnessCoach #HolisticWellness #TraumaInformedCare #Thrive #ChronicPain
Accommodations and accessibility modifications do not alone provide inclusion and belonging. Many deeper challenges prevent people with disabilities from thriving at work. Workplace cultures need to actively challenge ableism. This means addressing harmful statements and listening to and not assuming what people needs. We need processes that affirmatively assess access to events and programs for employees and the public. We need to assess and then re/construct hiring and professional development programs so that employees with disabilities are treated fairly. What workplace attitudes do you want to see change? To find out more about how Promoting Good can support your team with our DEIB services, connect with us at our website promotinggoodllc.com. #promotinggood #ada #empowerment #education #ableism #inclusion #equity #learn #pause #equitypause #july #disabilitypridemonth #dei #diversity #empower #inclusion #dei #belonging
PhD Graduate l Communications Assistant at Cardiff University I CIPR and CIM Affiliate Studying Member.
I had the opportunity to attend an insightful webinar co-delivered by Texthelp and Business Disability Forum on "Mastering Inclusive Language for Global Success." The session provided valuable insights (based on real-life examples) into using inclusive language and technology to unlock communication barriers and create a supportive workplace environment for neurodivergent individuals. Two key takeaways resonated with me: 1. The language we use should resonate with and empower people with disabilities. It's crucial to avoid words or phrases that alienate, reinforce negative stereotypes, or create negative imagery of disability. 2. Don't let fear hinder you from using inclusive language. With the right mindset and resources, we can all learn to communicate more inclusively. Creating a neuro-inclusive workplace is not just the right thing to do – it also unlocks a wealth of talents and perspectives that drive innovation and success. I'm grateful for this learning opportunity and look forward to putting these insights into practice. #continuousprofessionaldevelopment #inclusivity #inclusivelanguage #inclusivecommunication
With neurodiversity becoming a more prominent focus of diversity strategies and litigation, it may be time for employers to think differently about people who think differently. #lewissilkin #neurodiversity #DE&I #Diversity #inclusion
Principal Researcher at Incomes Data Research
2wAppreciate this is a work-related forum but those final few paragraphs (reproduced below) would apply equally to schools, students, teachers, SEND provision and EHCPs! I hope the new administration will do something about this. *** Given that research suggests that 15%-20% of the labour force is neurodivergent and current diagnosis rates are nowhere near those levels, it is time to talk about capacity. The current model of waiting for failure and helping one person at once is inefficient. We need to flip the cost model and consider how we can flex existing work routines to be more neuroinclusive from the start. Managers try their best but they need permission to adapt environments, equipment and schedules as part of everyday performance. It is high time for a strategic, universal approach to neurodiversity at work. As theologian Desmond Tutu put it: “There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.”