During any transformation initiative, each individual will experience change differently. And yet, in many instances, organisations continue to take a one size fits all mindset to supporting their people through change. For neurodivergent employees, periods of change can present distinct challenges as well as valuable strengths that may be overlooked by traditional approaches. Creating a more neuroinclusive experience means moving beyond one-size-fits-all change programmes and designing support, communication and development opportunities with diverse thinking styles in mind from the outset.
It is estimated that 15-20% of people are neurodivergent, meaning their brains present distinct structural and chemical differences to their neurotypical peers. While neurodivergent employees possess unique qualities that make them well suited to navigating transformation, they’re also 30% more likely to experience change-related burnout if the process is mismanaged.
Successful initiatives are shaped by how people feel about, adapt to and grow through change. Each person’s experience will be unique and should be treated as such. Unfortunately, many programmes are failing to accommodate the needs of neurodivergent talent.
During our recent webinar, we asked the audience how thoroughly they’d considered neurodivergent colleagues when they last delivered change:
- Only 2% said they embedded neuroinclusion throughout the process
- Less than half felt confident they’d given neurodiversity sufficient thought
- 1 in 5 said they hadn’t considered neurodiversity at all
These statistics aren’t outliers, they’re reflective of a long-standing systemic failure, as mentioned by our guest speaker, Sarah Castor-Perry:
“I’ve been doing people-centred change for nearly 15 years now and the entire time that I did this in full-time consulting, neurodiversity was not mentioned once…”
But the good news is that awareness and mindsets do appear to be shifting:
“… but we are now moving into a new world where this conversation is more of a conversation generally, and we are starting to think ‘what does this mean for change?’”
– Sarah Castor-Perry, Neuroinclusion and Change Consultant & ADHD and Autism Coach
Laying the foundations for change success
While organisations are making more of a conscious effort to consider their neurodivergent talent, it’s important to remember that inclusion isn’t about accommodation alone; it’s about taking an inclusive and proactive approach to designing outplacement support and change management processes.
Unfortunately, a major stumbling block for businesses remains the fact that leaders are often unaware of who in their workforce is neurodivergent. And so the very first step in taking a neuroinclusive approach should be to create a culture of psychological safety, long before any transformation initiative is even considered.
Only then will people feel comfortable disclosing their neurodiversity and speaking up about their needs – ensuring leaders can make the necessary considerations throughout the process and understand how these individuals can play an active role in supporting change.
“If you’ve got 20% of your workforce who are neurodivergent, and chances are that you have, those people are going to have some really stand-out skills that you should be using as much as you can.” – Sarah Castor-Perry
Embedding neuroinclusion throughout the entire change process
Organisations who effectively manage, support and invest in their people are:
- 6.7x more likely to engage and retain their workforce
- 4.5x more likely to outperform the competition
And so how businesses recognise, support and empower neurodivergent colleagues through each stage of the process is crucial to its success.
Before change takes place, organisational leaders should:
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Engage with their talent early – having two-way conversations to understand what within the business isn’t working and how subsequent change may impact their workforce
- Facilitate the creation of an Employee Resource Group (ERG) – where self-identified neurodivergent employees can identify opportunities for neurodivergent colleagues to contribute towards the initiative, while also acting as peer support for those affected by it
With transformation underway, leaders can then:
- Harness the strengths of neurodivergent colleagues – with the insight of an ERG, provide opportunities for neurodivergent colleagues to leverage their unique strengths and enhance the change process
“Harnessing the strengths of neurodivergent people will make the change better for everybody.” – Sarah Castor-Perry
- Create space for feedback – providing different ways and platforms for people to share their thoughts and ideas, ensuring everyone feels comfortable to do so and making sure to act upon any feedback in a timely manner
And when the programme has concluded, businesses will be able to:
- Focus on sustainability – building positive team habits and consistency in a new environment, while encouraging regular dialogue with colleagues to understand where tweaks are needed
- Leverage ERGs for the future – working with these groups to build advocacy within the organisation and ensure future initiatives work from a neuroinclusive perspective
The core principle for good change remains the same for both neurodivergent and neurotypical colleagues – take a human-centred approach that is responsive to how different individuals experience it.
If we understand our people – their strengths, ideas, and motivations – we’re better positioned to provide truly impactful outplacement support, and to mobilise talent in a way that allows everyone to positively contribute towards the success of a change programme.
"If you are involved in a change, you feel more in control, more connected to it and more willing to take it forward.” – Sarah Castor-Perry
Find out more
At Right Management, supporting individuals through change has been at the heart of our work for more than 40 years, helping people navigate career transitions, organisational change and uncertainty with support that’s personalised, inclusive and responsive to different experiences and needs.
To find out more about the unique strengths of neurodivergent talent and how your organisation can more effectively embrace neuroinclusion during times of transformation, catch up on our webinar.
