Did you know that you can use neurodiversity training to improve your workplace culture? Understanding different cognitive processing and neurodevelopmental conditions paves the way for a tolerant and inclusive workplace setting. Organizations enjoy a better and more competitive performance edge with a truly inclusive and tolerant setting.

After all, neurodivergence simply means that the brain functions differently to the “neurotypical” individual. This can be anything from learning and communication to social interaction styles. However, a neurodivergent individual brings in just as important a perspective and contribution to the workplace.

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity refers to when an individual processes their cognition differently from an “average” or “neurotypical” person. While there is no universally correct or standard way of thinking, neurodiversity is used to describe people whose brains function differently from the typical norm.

The term of neurodiversity encompasses the different ways that people understand, perceive, experience, and respond to the world. As we gain a better understanding of ourselves, neurodivergence is encouraged and celebrated as part of an ever-inclusive world with diverse individuals.

A recent article published by Harvard Health Publishing reiterates that neurodiversity addresses the diversity of all people. However, this term is usually associated with autism spectrum disorder and other neurological conditions, such as ADHD or learning disabilities.

Either way, a movement that stemmed from the early 1990s helped to improve views on neurodiversity, helping to boost acceptance and inclusion of all people, while embracing their differences.

Similarly, an increasing amount of neurodiversity research has helped better educate the world on these differences and to help view them just as that - differences - and not as a disability or “a problem”.

The very first step in embracing neurodivergent individuals is through language and communication. Judgmental or alienating language can push neurodivergent people to feel excluded. If you are unsure, the best recourse is to always ask.

Different Types of Neurodivergence

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Different autistic people experience the developmental condition differently. Regardless, it typically impacts communication, sensory issues, and/or social aspects. Many autistic people also exhibit repetitive or rigid pattern-based behaviors.

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD)

This condition affects the executive function of the brain, particularly in cognitive control and organization, memory, self-control, impulsivity, time management, organization, and the ability to start a task. However, people with ADHD are also excellent at focusing on the task or work they truly like or love -they can even stay late or skip lunch at work when immersed!

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects language skills, including trouble reading and writing, and/or pronunciation. While people with dyslexia take time to churn in data or experience occasional spelling issues, they also have an impressively creative mind.

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia impacts motor skills, affecting coordination, movement, or balance. This can be anything from large tasks, such as operating a vehicle, to smaller issues, like slower typing speed.

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

SPD is interdependent and usually diagnosed with another existing condition, like ADHD. As the name suggests, SPD affects the sensory system, with individuals experiencing difficulty in processing or responding to stimuli. This condition may present through irritation or other overwhelming signs. The most common sign is the individual’s sensitivity to light, smells, structures, and even clothing that may irritate their skin.

What is Neurodiversity Training?

Neurodiversity training educates participants about neurodivergence by promoting the awareness and appreciation of the cognitive differences of neurodivergent people.

In a workplace setting, neurodivergent training provides insight into the can contributions of neurodivergent folks within the organization, and how to best support and accommodate them.

Neurodiversity training comes with a wide range of benefits for both individuals and the organization. Most commonly, this awareness training does the following:

Educates about the unique cognitive processes and the different neurological conditions
Gives you an appreciative look into the lives of neurodivergent people
Explores their uniqueness and qualities
Teaches how best to support and accommodate neurodivergent people at the workplace
Helps discover how best they can benefit your organization
Opens you up to access to a wider and better talent pool
Ensures your organization is legally compliant with the existing DEI legislation in your region

While there’s more work to do, many companies are beginning to see the value of a neurodivergent talent. Further, companies are gradually changing their attitudes toward hiring neurodivergent employees, thanks to their proven positive results.

Deloitte reports a 30% increase in productivity among teams with neurodivergent members compared to those without. According to the Big 4 firm, attributes like creativity, visual thinking, attention to detail, pattern recognition, and visual memory help to drive these impressive results.

Nonetheless, neurodiversity training is the best solution for companies who want to make this shift. This is because the proper training helps equip you with the knowledge and skills to create the right recruitment, hiring, and inclusive strategy for your organization.

Beyond the knowledge you gain and brand reputational enhancement, neurodiversity training serves as an enlightening solution to eliminating biases and driving a truly neuro-inclusive workplace culture.

For hiring managers, the training helps you to easily spot and rectify both intentional and unintentional recruitment techniques that may alienate neurodiverse talent. The same training also helps managers foster employee well-being - centering it as a priority to ensure the highest job performance standards.

💡DID YOU KNOW

Focusing on hiring and retaining neurodivergent people is a win-win as studies show:

Over 30% increase in team performance and productivity

Reaching the untapped talent pool - over 30-40% of talented neurodivergent individuals are unemployed or underemployed (not fully utilizing their skills and potential)
90% better talent retention
18% higher revenue generation through innovation

As you explore neurodiversity training, know that you can complement it with additional resources and training (such as sensitivity training, etc) to gain more invaluable skills to better accommodate talent in your company.

Why is Neurodiversity Training Important?

Bridges the Employment Gap

Unfortunately, neurodivergent individuals still experience hurdles in the employment sector today. Many neurodiverse individuals struggle to find careers and jobs due to bias and miseducation among hiring managers and organizations.

Neurodivergent people make up an estimated 15% to 20% of the global population. Yet, about 30% to 40% experience unemployment. A study published by the Institute of Leadership & Management reports that half of leaders and managers would not employ neurodivergent people.

Unfortunately, this bias carried by many hiring managers and companies comes at a cost and for no true reason - limiting accessibility to the job market for neurodivergent talent. Apart from their “non-typical” cognitive processing, neurodiverse individuals are still some of the most intelligent, creative, diligent, and talented people.

An article published in UPenn’s Wharton Business School Journal suggests that nearly 1 million neurodivergent adults will be ready to join the employment market in the next 10 years. This is an estimate based on the 70,000 American teenagers with neurodivergence who enter the adult world annually.

To create a tolerant world with equal economic and employment opportunities, organizations and companies must embrace neurodivergent training to understand the true nature of the uniqueness every potential employee holds. Companies must rid themselves of the old style of thinking and embrace the fact that neurodivergent people come with their unique contributions.

Improves Workplace Culture

Neurodiversity training helps to change participants' minds and attitudes. This, in turn, equips the trainees with insights on how to accommodate neurodivergent employees. For some neurodiverse talent, unemployment isn't the only issue.

Lack of proper accommodations can also present barriers to a conducive workplace, resulting in dwindling retention rates. Like their peers, neurodivergent people also want a workplace culture that offers a sense of belonging and psychological safety. This can also encourage them to be more open to communicate and even disclose their conditions.

Therefore, proper neurodivergent training is important in helping managers learn how to create an inclusive environment, foster better communication styles, and even mitigate issues such as microaggressions and unconscious biases.

Neurodivergent talent also requires proper accommodations to thrive in the workplace. These simple adjustments create equal employment conditions for them to adequately perform their duties.

Creates a Diverse and Inclusive Culture to Celebrate

Failing to create equal employment opportunities for neurodivergent individuals can come to the detriment of the company. Neurodivergent people usually possess exemplary skills that people considered neurotypical may fail to perfect.

Team members with such incredible skills add great value to the team and overall organization. In fact, many people perceived to have a learning towards neurodivergence tend to thrive in sectors, such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and overall STEM careers where these skills are essential.

Investing in resources and tools, like neurodivergent training, is one of the simplest ways to bridge the awareness gap. Further, the training can serve as a pathway to revolutionizing your company’s recruitment strategy and focus on true diversity and inclusion.

Accommodating neurodivergent people should be an initiative invested from the start during the hiring stage and throughout the working period. It’s a two-way relationship -where the organization supports and embraces the employee and allows them to unleash their full potential and contribute to the organization’s bottom line.

Further, neurodivergent training equips companies with the know-how to properly tap into the neurodivergent talent. The training also empowers companies to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace culture to celebrate and revere.

Managers learn how to be accommodating without bias and to build an inclusive culture for different minds and talents. In today’s world, successful organizations must possess the right qualities - including true workplace diversity and inclusion - to appeal to the public and stay ahead of the competition.

With proper neurodivergent awareness training, hiring managers and company leaders can learn how to cultivate these skills and benefits from their neurodivergent talent. In fact, several large companies are a living testament to how investing in tools and resources like training can help an organization.

Companies like SAP and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) have reformed their HR processes to access neurodiverse talent. As tech-centered companies, neurodiverse talent significantly contributes to their innovative product development. These companies have extensive access to neurodiversity programs, including sensitivity training.

As a result, they don't only enjoy a reputational boost. These companies also report increased productivity, employee engagement, innovation, and better work quality.

Examples of NeuroInclusion Initiatives in the Workplace

Several major companies are taking the lead in inclusive neurodivergent workplace strategies. Here are examples of successful stories:

Microsoft’s Neurodiversity Hiring Program

Microsoft has committed itself to including neurodivergent people in their recruitment. As a technology company, Microsoft recognizes the immense contributions skilled neurodiverse employees can bring to the company.

Thus, the company launched the Microsoft Neurodiversity Hiring Program, previously known as the Inclusive Hiring and Autism Hiring Program. This internal hiring scheme attracts neurodivergent talent and trains them for success at Microsoft.

Google’s Neuro-Inclusive Design and Cloud Autism Career Program

Google goes the extra mile with more than just neurodiverse hiring. The company’s strategy incorporates neuro-inclusion into its products. The company predicts that neuro-inclusive design in its cloud system will increase user adoption by 5 times in the next 2.5 decades.

According to the company, neurodivergent design has proven to bring in strong business benefits. So, the company is encouraging more neurodiverse software engineers and designers to join them. Google runs the Google Cloud Autism Career Program intended for such talent.

Through this program, Google wants to train 500 Google Cloud managers and equip them with the know-how to support employees with autism and to create a fair and more accessible onboarding process.

Deloitte and EY’s Inclusive Hiring Strategy and Commitment to Neuroinclusion

Deloitte joins fellow big 4, Ernst &Young (EY) in their strong pursuit to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. These firms support neuroinclusion through their data reporting and recruitment strategies.

For instance, Deloitte has created specific neurodiversity learning guides that equip hiring managers and recruiters with the knowledge, confidence, and understanding of hiring neurodivergent employees.

On the other hand, EY promotes neuro inclusion by giving neurodivergent candidates equal recruitment opportunities and availing the necessary tools and resources to support them. EY has even created neurodiversity centers for excellence to foster workplace inclusion and collaboration.

Learning Outcomes of Neurodiversity Training

Neurodiversity training covers the essential conditions that fall under its canopy. This, in turn, allows participants enough working knowledge and understanding to transform their workplace.

As a framework of neurodiversity training, participants must at least have a full understanding of the following:

What neurodiversity is and why it matters

How neurodiversity affects employees and how to support/accommodate them
Different types of neurodivergence at the workplace - such as ADHD, Autism, dyslexia, etc.
Overview of cognitive approaches, perspectives, and attributes of neurodivergent people
The strength of neurodivergent talent
How to approach neuro-inclusive hiring and create a recruitment strategy
How to be an effectively inclusive manager
Effective communication - including listening and lifelong learning and improving

Neurodiversity Training Methods & Costs

Neurodiversity Workshop

Overview: Traditional in-person workplace session

Group Size: Limited capacity, best for small groups

Duration: Half or full day workshops

Cost: Starts at $10,000 and can range to $50,000+ for well-known speakers

Online Neurodiversity Training

Overview: Popular in small hybrid/remote teams and large companies

Group Size: Unlimited participants and digital recording for future learning

Duration: One to two hour sessions

Cost: Ranges from $2,500 - $5,000 depending on customization needed

Neurodiversity e-Learning Course

Overview: Module based self-paced learning for individuals

Group Size: Individual education that can be scaled as organization requires

Duration: 1 month course individually or 1 year as part of other training

Cost: From $1 / user per month

What is Neurodiversity Training?

What is Neurodiversity?