How can a neurodivergent workforce transform from simply surviving at the office to thriving in a fulfilling career?
Embracing the strengths of neurodivergent people isn’t just good for individual employees, but there’s a strong business case for it too – with satisfied staff who feel supported to give their all at work likely to stay put for longer in an organisation they can see themselves reflected in.
We’ve got the information to get you started, and insights from people with lived experience. Whether you’re a jobseeker empowered to find a supportive employer or a business looking to build on the strengths of neurodivergent staff, it’s all here.
South Australia is leading the nation in exploring how better support for people who are neurodivergent can also deliver wins for businesses.
The South Australian Government’s Office for Autism has Autism Works, a program for organisations and individuals to tap into the autistic strengths of employees and find out what accommodations can help support employees to not only perform at work but thrive in their professional environment.
Dr Emma Goodall, Director of Strategic Translational Research in South Australia’s Department of Premier and Cabinet – and founding director of the Office for Autism – says all employers must comply with Federal and state/territory-based legislation relating to employment and disability discrimination laws.
“Employees need to be able to do the work they are hired to do. They can ask for reasonable accommodations to make this easier and their output more effective, as long as the accommodations are possible within the context – for example, a surgeon cannot work from home whilst performing surgery,” says Emma.
However, accommodations can potentially support the entire workforce, she adds.
“The Office for Autism provides a template for an employee and employer to look at and agree on reasonable accommodations together,” she says. “This can be used for other reasons and not just for neurodivergent employees.”
Examples of accommodations could include:
Here are the resources the Office for Autism offers.
Having said all that, it doesn’t mean the path to acceptance and inclusion isn’t without twists and turns.
While disability discrimination is illegal, there’s always the risk that people who disclose their diagnosis or ask for accommodations may be subject to unconscious bias. However, Emma (who is autistic herself) says it’s vital that employers and senior staff understand the whole picture.
“It is illegal to discriminate based on disability or a range of other factors. An issue for individuals who perform better with accommodations is that their potential can sometimes be overlooked, and this can come across as discrimination,” she says.
“It is useful to ensure that managers know how the accommodations are working and the positive impact that they can have.”
Being wildly supportive of neurodivergent employees has paid dividends for Cherie Clonan of The Digital Picnic.
Cherie received an autism diagnosis as an adult and her Melbourne-based digital marketing training and management agency is welcoming of neurodivergent employees.
“I think that being a workplace designed with neurodivergence at the forefront benefits all,” she says. “Our neurotypical employees thrive in a neurodivergent workplace – it’s not harming anyone, rather, it’s radically benefitting all.”
“Our business genuinely benefits from neurodivergent strengths. For example, our content design specialists think in content and video production, I watch them and think, I could never! Our staff usually specialise in an area which is a special interest to their autistic or ADHD brain, they hyperfocus and bring intense passion… other workplaces could only dream of having someone so dedicated.
“Our clients constantly give us compliments, and when I read the bullet points from clients, every point is a neurodivergent strength.”
And Cherie’s leadership in business was also recognised at the 2024 B&T Women in Media Awards, where she won the Glass Ceiling Award and was recognised as Woman of the Year.
Cherie says The Digital Picnic’s structure of inclusion has translated into better staff retention and consistency for the business. That makes dollars and sense.
“For other businesses who want to emulate what we do, the upsides are that I have double the retention rate with every single person on my team. The industry average is two years, our minimum retention is usually four years, and our average is actually six to seven years with our business,” says Cherie.
“Think about how expensive it is to re-hire, it’s about $33,000 per person and that’s something I’ve been able to avoid when my staff are in a psychologically safe, truly inclusive setting that makes them feel good about the work they do.”
Emma agrees, saying inclusive workplaces allow people to feel safe and “bring their best selves” to the office or job site.
“When we support people to work effectively and authentically, people can bring their best selves to work. This always benefits the employer through more productive and effective staff. It can also support people’s wellbeing and promote worker retention,” says Emma.
While it’s widely understood that protections against disability discrimination exist, that doesn’t mean every employer is utopian for people who are neurodivergent.
Cherie says you don’t need to disclose your diagnosis to an employer if you don’t feel like it’s the right move for you.
“I think honour that fear. I know that what I’m describing for The Digital Picnic is not normal (for most workplaces) – it’s radical, inclusive and accepting, and that what happens when you have lived experience at the helm of a business,” says Cherie.
“It’s not the norm, there are a lot of workplaces that are genuinely unsafe to come out as neurodivergent. If you have a feeling of fear, I would honour that gut instinct. I know that neurodivergent people can clock pretty well when it’s not safe and our pattern recognition is usually spot on.
“You’re okay to not disclose, not come out if you don’t feel safe to be able to do so. It’s realistic to know that in 2024, we are not quite there at that spot where it is completely safe to come out as neurodivergent in every workspace.”
The Autism Works program has information for businesses at every step of the process, from recruitment and interviews to inductions and making reasonable workplace adjustments.
Most adjustments are simple to implement – this guide can help employers and employees to work together to find the right adjustments.
For more costly changes, financial assistance may be available. Find out more here.
And remember, just as accessibility for people with physical disability extends to helping the entire community (think about how a ramp allows wheelchair users and people with walking frames to go up the kerb, but also helps caregivers with prams, delivery people with sack trucks and travellers with rolling suitcases), adjustments designed for people who are neurodivergent can benefit a neurotypical employee as well.
Cherie says businesses looking to replicate The Digital Picnic’s success as an inclusive employer need to be committed.
“I think about workplaces that want to benefit from neurodivergent strengths, so they go all in on neuroinclusive hiring, but then the safety stops, and the workplace isn’t safe for the neurodivergent person,” says Cherie.
That’s why she says ongoing education and training for all staff is key.
“I’ve learned in my life the best way to facilitate change that you want, especially in the workplace, is through education,” says Cherie.
“What does the learning and development budget look like at a company level? Can you bring someone with lived experience in to educate in that space and teach at a leadership level how to be more neuroinclusive?
“When there is that buy-in, there is a ripple effect, and I’ve been hearing from neurodivergent folks saying that then about six to 12 months later, their workplaces have become significantly safer. Following the advice of someone with lived experience means employers know better and do better. Education is key.”
While many people recognise neurodivergent traits in themselves without ever pursuing a formal diagnosis, a formal diagnosis can be helpful. But it’s expensive – ADHD and autism diagnoses can cost thousands of dollars and wait lists are long.
That’s why The Digital Picnic funds staff to pursue an assessment if they choose.
“All I ever want to do is create the most neuroinclusive place I possibly can. This is about knowing more so you can do more, and part of that is deeply understanding who we have on our team,” says Cherie.
“For our team, they benefit from knowing what accommodation they need at work in order to thrive. A lot of our folk are exactly like me – a couple of kids have gone before them for diagnosis and that’s $4500 per child, so by the time they get to themselves they can’t afford or justify paying for an assessment, but at the same time it couldn’t be more important for them.
“Some of them have gone down that path, funded by us, and incredible things have come through that – professional and personal gains, even some being able to access NDIS funding, which has transformed their lives out of work. I’m so happy that a piece of paper has helped them get even more support outside of work.”
But for those who don’t want a formal diagnosis, Cherie says self-identified accommodations are accepted and just as valid.
“I genuinely believe there is so much privilege attached to a piece of paper, but the folks who are self-identifying are just as valid as if they had the piece of paper,” she says.
“You’re never ‘just’ someone who self-identified. We know that most people don’t wake up one day to spend hours, weeks, months, years researching if they are neurodivergent unless they have a deep feeling that it applies to them.”
Emma believes inclusion is about more than just paid work – true inclusion has wide-reaching benefits for the entire community and reframes perceptions and expectations of people with disability.
“I would like to see the positives of autism – high levels of knowledge in areas of interest, loyalty, ability to hyperfocus, autistic joy, autistic communication – as a standard for clear communication… and to do this, I think it is about sharing more stories about the good lives that many of us live as adults,” says Emma.
“However, this needs to be done sensitively and balanced with the stories about how supports help us to live those good lives. Being a volunteer is as meaningful as being in employment.
"What a good life looks like is different for everyone."
30 September 2024
