Neurodiversity brings ‘variety of skills’
STAFF with unwavering focus, superior analytical ability and mathematical talent are gems in any workplace.
But surprisingly, many of the people who have these skills are not employed in jobs where their work can be most meaningful.
University of Otago management researcher Dr Dana Ott said they were just some of the untapped skills neurodivergent people could bring to workplaces.
She has written a report which provides practical recommendations for multinational corporations to improve their neurodiversity inclusion.
Neurodiversity refers to neurological differences in the human brain, and includes a range of conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Dr Ott said there were multiple benefits to encouraging diversity in the workplace, yet neurodivergent people were often unemployed.
‘‘Employing and supporting neurodivergent people within organisations means potentially gaining access to a variety of skills.
‘‘These include, but are not limited to, unwavering focus and pattern recognition capabilities, excellent analytical and problemsolving abilities, and memory and mathematical skills,’’ she said.
Her report recommended ways for multinational corporations to embrace neurodiversity.
The first step was for employers to forget everything they thought they knew about neurodiversity and get to know the person, she said.
‘‘This should include asking them what adjustments or accommodations will help support them to reach their full potential, but also allowing them to tell you about their skills and strengths, and the challenges they face.’’
Employers should also aim to develop ways they could allow for individualisation throughout the employee life cycle.
She said an important starting point was to ‘‘ditch’’ the traditional recruitment processes (curriculum vitae reviews and formal interviews), which could potentially disadvantage neurodivergent candidates.
‘‘It would be much more meaningful and insightful to take a strengthsbased approach and develop opportunities for each individual to demonstrate their capabilities.
‘‘Diversity is about visible and invisible uniqueness among individuals, so we cannot use the same measures and ways of evaluating all potential employees.’’
She also believed multinational corporations should develop a culture where neurodivergent employees felt safe disclosing their condition without the fear of being stigmatised or discriminated against.
‘‘These recommendations can be implemented in a range of organisations, no matter the size.
‘‘In some cases, employers of smaller companies may find it easier.’’