Celebrating Neurodiversity in the Workplace

27 March 2024  |  Blog

By Jesse, Digital Communications Coordinator 

What does it mean to be neurodivergent?

Neurodiversity Celebration Week takes place from 18th-24th March, a space to celebrate and spotlight those who are neurodivergent. Being neurodivergent refers to experiencing neurological differences to neurotypical people. It can impact how we think, move, process information, and communicate. ‘Neurodivergent’ is an umbrella term to describe these different thinking styles, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, autism, ADHD, and Tourette Syndrome. It is down to each neurodivergent individual to decide how they label or do not label themselves, for example, I refer to the term AuDHer as I am autistic and have ADHD.

Setting aside labels, neurodiversity refers to recognising those who think differently, and a world there these neurological differences are respected. One common mistake is that neurodivergent people have a ‘deficit’ or ‘disorder’ when in fact many challenges neurodivergent people face relate to being placed in an environment created by a neurotypical society that doesn’t cater to neurological differences. A big part of being neurodivergent is learning to work with your brain rather than against it. A lot of things that we have been told are deficits are just differences, and it is important to remember that we are not lacking; we just do things differently.  

Although neurodiversity should be celebrated and respected all year round, this designated week focuses on raising awareness and empowers neurodivergent people. Neurodiversity Celebration Week hosts a range of events and encourages schools, universities, students, and organisations to get involved. When speaking about neurodiversity it is important to take a person-centred approach, by trailering strategies and adjustments to everyone, as no two brains are the same. 

How to accommodate neurodiversity in a workplace

Accommodating neurodiversity in the workplace allows individuals to feel comfortable and perform at their best. Below are some differences you can make to a workspace or organisation to better cater to neurodiverse employees. A starting point could be to open meetings in which the team can share experiences and work together to effectively figure solutions. By sharing experiences and resources we are able to make others feel more comfortable to do so themselves, which helps create community and impact. Accommodations like this can help neurodiverse people provide their best work, so offering support will benefit everybody.

As every individual is different, it’s vital to communicate openly with colleagues in order to figure out practical needs that would benefit them. By starting conversations and communicating openly you are able to achieve a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, as well as encouraging others to join to the discussions, which can feel empowering as a neurodiverse person.

Having a flexible working space can help individual needs, such as providing both quiet and sociable spaces to choose from. Some brains may function better with noise cancelling headphones and a room in which they won’t be disturbed, however some may prefer to hear others’ ideas and be around movement. Offering the option to work from home is often a necessity with neurodivergent employees, as neurodiverse people can find travelling to and from an office, as well as being in a busy office space, a lot more overwhelming and mentally exhausting that neurotypical people. More accommodations that can benefit neurodiversity relate to sensory needs, such as allowing headphones to be worn, providing fidget toys, and using dim lighting.

Recommended reading

You can access all recordings of events from Neurodiversity Celebration Week here.

– Jesse, Digital Communications Producer