Originally publushed Feb. 22nd 2022 on Medium

This is part one of a two-part series on supporting neurodiverse employees.

As companies plan to boost their benefits and increase their wages in the coming year, embracing neurodiversity should also be a top priority in their venture to retain workers.

Giving workers a hybrid schedule with the ability for them to work from home has been one way to maintain a competitive edge during a time when employee retention is so important. Now that the hybrid workstyle is commonplace — if not expected — employers should ensure that those conditions accommodate neurodiverse individuals.

Neurodivergence is the term for when someone’s brain processes, learns or behaves differently from what is considered typical. This can include individuals with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, tourette’s syndrome and more, according to HRzone, an online publication for global HR professionals.

One in seven individuals has a neurodiverse condition, according to TextHelp, a literacy, accessibility and dyslexia software developer for employees & students with reading and writing difficulties.

Individuals who are neurodivergent often have unique strengths and characteristics, such as the ability to achieve deep focus and process information in a non-standard way that, if bolstered, can enable them to thrive at various types of work. Even governments are turning to neurodiversity. According to Great Place to Work, The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), for example, has a team staffed primarily with people on the spectrum, as they tend to see patterns in data that others cannot. And the Australian Defense Department is borrowing assessment methods from the IDF to develop a neurodiversity program in cybersecurity.

Potential Challenges of Remote Work for Neurodiverse Individuals

It’s undeniable that the way we work has been shifted forever. Working from home and hybrid working can bring about novel challenges for neurodiverse individuals including:

1. Lack of consistency — While remote or hybrid work means flexibility for some, it could mean a lack of regularity for others, according to Adjust Services, a neurodiversity training and consultancy firm.
2. Lack of a fixed desk or workplace — Having a designated workspace could be fundamental for some individuals for maintaining focus and not everyone has an at-home working setup.
3. Maintaining communication between colleagues — For some, it can be difficult to keep up consistent conversations between coworkers and managers without being in-person.
4. Stress or anxiety over isolation — While some workers have large families, or roommates to share their homes with, others may live alone which could lead to a feeling of isolation after prolonged periods of remote work.

While some employees may prefer remote working to being in the office, as a manager, it’s important to remember every individual is unique and working remotely can impact your neurodiverse employees in multiple ways. Be sure to continue to listen and seek perspective on how to best support your staff if you notice they are struggling with any of the challenges listed above.

Conclusion

While commonly seen as a perk, the hybrid work environment can pose a number of challenges for some individuals. As managers, there are a number of changes companies can make to ensure they’re supporting their neurodiverse workforce — read part two in this series for tips on ways you can support your employees in the ever changing work environment.

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