Neurodiversity and Inclusion in the Workspace

Neurodiversity is becoming the new ‘buzzword’ to pay attention to. Neurodiversity is the concept of people experience in our world differently – that there is no one right way of thinking, learning and behaving. As we learn more about neurodiversity, it’s time for the workplace to embrace the changes that come with recognizing that everybody can interpret the world and experience it differently.

3 Ways to Create Inclusion in the Workplace for Neurodiversity:

1. Prepare an agenda with the main points that will be discussed and send it out prior to the meeting. This will allow people to prepare any information they need to bring for that particular set of topics. Additionally, any accessibility requirements that will help your staff should be in place prior to the meeting. This includes closed captions on virtual meetings and sign language interpreters for large events.
2. Utilize a moderator to keep the meeting flowing in a positive direction and help keep speakers on time and within the agenda. They can also help the group understand when each topic has been closed and moving onto the next item on the agenda.
3. Presentation materials should be reviewed in advance for visual accessibility. The team should be versed in utilizing communication skills that verbalize words on a screen rather than telling people to “look” at the presentation slide.
4. At the conclusion of the meeting, ask for feedback! Feedback is a gift. Allow people a space for providing feedback to you and hands any features for future communications and meetings.

There are a ton of options for providing inclusivity for neurodivergent individuals. Everybody’s skill set and experiences should be accommodated throughout the workplace.