Neurodiversity in the Workplace
The push for better DE&I in our workplaces has expanded in recent years. Many people with neurological conditions have extraordinary skills, including pattern recognition, memory, and mathematics. Yet they often struggle to fit the profiles sought by today’s employers. Many companies benefit from having neuro-diversity in the workplace today.
What is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is a term used to describe natural variations in the human brain. It relates to differences in the way we think, process, learn and behave. Most people are neurotypical which means that the brain functions and processes in the way that society expects. 1-in-5 people are neuro-divergent, meaning their brain functions differently in one or more ways that’s considered standard or typical. These traits are often characterized as ‘neuro-diverse conditions.’
Each is Different
ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome, and others are examples of neuro-diverse conditions. Each of these neuro-diverse conditions will be experienced differently by every individual. As Dr. Stephen Shore famously said, “If you’ve met one individual with autism, you’ve met one individual with autism”. The global adult population; 10% are dyslexic, 6% are dyspraxia, 5% have ADHD, and 1-2% are autistic.
Under-Employed
Unemployment for neuro-divergent adults is as high as 30-40%. And is 3-times the rate for people with disability, and 8-times the rate for people without disability and who are neurotypical. There are no exact numbers because few resources track the unemployment specifics of the neuro-divergent population. However, even with conservative estimates, millions of neuro-divergent adults are struggling to find meaningful employment.
Employment Challenge
Neuro-divergent adults are often left out of the workforce or forced into lower skill jobs for a variety of reasons to include non-inclusive hiring and retention practices. The lack of employer education and training, skill differences or needs that don’t align with standard business operations can contribute to the problem.
Tapping New Talent
A growing number of companies have reformed their HR processes in order to include neurodiversity in the workplace. And they are seeing productivity gains, quality improvement, boosts in innovative capabilities, and increased employee morale as a result.
Companies with a culture and policies of diversity, equity, and inclusion can increase their talent pool by re-thinking and re-designing their way of doing business to include a more divergent workplace to include assistance from AI tools like ChatGPT.
The Cardinal Culture – Finding Jobs for 28 years!
Cardinal Staffing Services is not just any staffing company, it is a place you can be inspired to reach the goal of your dreams. The Cardinal Culture is about empowerment. We treat our customers and candidates with respect, dignity, and appreciation. Sometimes a person just needs to be heard. To listen and to be given a chance. We make positive decisions every day that impacts our valued clients, our candidates, and our community. We are waiting to hear from you. Contact us today!