Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Celebrating Different Soft Skills

 Everyone is special in their own way. The experiences of a person's life have shaped their character and given them the tools they need to overcome obstacles; everyone's story is different (Pricope, Mazilu and Popa, 2020). Each person has their own distinct mix of abilities and needs, and the term "neurodiversity" captures this diversity in neurological traits.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2D2cN3cZg0

The concept of "neurodiversity" highlights the value of assembling a team with members from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing unique experiences, viewpoints, and skill sets to the table (Pricope, Mazilu and Popa, 2020). Creativity, fresh ideas, and innovative thinking can all benefit from neurodiversity in the workplace. The company and its employees both gain when bias and stereotypes are pushed aside so that we can appreciate each employee's distinctive strengths and give them the tools they need to thrive.

Recognizing and valuing diverse soft skills among team members

People skills lay the groundwork for technical know-how, which is essential for achieving goals. Employers used to place a higher value on a candidate's coding skills and team fit than they do on their cooperation and treatment of coworkers (Magano et al... 2020).

On the other hand, more and more leaders are now reconsidering. Soft talents, such as empathy and kindness, are becoming more valued by employers alongside hard abilities, such as analytical thinking and effective communication, as they begin to understand that methods are equally important as ends (Pricope, Mazilu and Popa, 2020). Resilient teams are those who put their bond and capacity for empathy first when times go tough (Magano et al., 2020). The competence of your sailors won't prevent the ship from capsizing if the crew isn't cohesive.

Strategies for creating an inclusive and accepting work environment for individuals with neurological types

We should be open to different ways of thinking. Businesses can do a lot to support neurodiversity, including (Doyle, 2020)

• During the employment process, making the atmosphere more accepting of persons who have neurodiversity is the first step. Please put your books away. The search for answers was conducted using Google. If you would like things to be handled more individually, you should consult with a specialist.

• Individuals who have experienced neurodiversity should be included in the process of developing protocols for communication and modalities.

• I believe that everyone, even those who have neurological differences, should be given an equal opportunity to grow in their careers and be recognized for the contributions they make to the table. The fact that they are not merely dots on a map is the reason why there are no positions that involve famous people.

• Employees receive training on how to fulfill the requirements of customers who have neurodiversity, including tactics for successful communication and constructive feedback.

Efforts to foster inclusivity go beyond these particular measures, but they serve as an excellent foundation. Despite the difficulties, the work will be worthwhile and beneficial for all parties involved (Doyle, 2020).

Success stories of companies that embrace neurodiversity in the workplace

IBM

A major participant in the IT industry, IBM, established its neurodiversity program in Australia with the aim of recruiting ten individuals with neurodiversity. Out of fifty candidates, fifteen were chosen to undergo a four-week evaluation. Out of them, ten were offered roles on the analytics and development teams (Schindelheim, 2023).

American Bancorp

In order to assist individuals with autism in securing employment, JPMorgan Chase is collaborating closely with vendors. Dozens of neurodiverse individuals are now working for this multinational financial corporation in a range of capacities, thanks to the efforts of a global neurodiversity team. According to an interview with JP Morgan, neurodiverse professionals have a 90-140 percent higher rate of success than neurotypical workers (Bank of America, n.d.).

Jonson & Jonson

Johnson & Johnson, a frontrunner in the pharmaceutical sector, recruited dozens of neurodiverse workers through its neurodiverse employment program; most of these individuals went above and beyond in their roles (Transforming the world to enable our best every day, n.d.)

Neurodiversity in the workplace: a valuable asset and how to measure its benefits

When you remove obstacles from your mind, you can see things from new angles. The advantages should accrue to businesses just as much as they do to neurodiverse workers. Therefore, neurodiverse workforce performance should be measured by employees' capabilities in memory, information processing, productivity, quality of work, reliability, and sustained attention to detail. Companies should thus use these traits as the basis for their measurements (Silver, Nittrouer and Hebl, 2023).

Conclusion

In the last five years, our perspective has changed dramatically, and we currently live in a culture where norms and restrictions are being disregarded. This new way of thinking is quickly spreading throughout the job market, and companies are starting to pay attention to abilities that were previously unrecognized. Therefore, moving forward, we need to make sure that we are inclusive in a way that helps everyone, particularly the historically underrepresented.

References

•      Bank of America. (n.d.). Supporting Neurodiversity in the Workplace & Its Competitive Advantage. [online] Available at: https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/neurodiversity-in-the-workplace.

•      Day-Duro, E., Thompson, J. and Brown, G. (2020). THINKING DIFFERENTLY: NEURODIVERSITY IN EXECUTIVE EDUCATION AND THE WORKPLACE. INTED2020 Proceedings, [online] pp.9081–9085. doi:https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2020.2486.

•      Doyle, N. (2020). Neurodiversity at work: a biopsychosocial model and the impact on working adults. British Medical Bulletin, [online] 135(1), pp.108–125. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldaa021.

•      Magano, J., Silva, C., Figueiredo, C., Vitória, A., Nogueira, T. and Pimenta Dinis, M.A. (2020). Generation Z: Fitting Project Management Soft Skills Competencies—A Mixed-Method Approach. Education Sciences, [online] 10(7), p.187. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/10/7/187.

•      Pricope, M., Mazilu, S. and Popa, F. (2020). ONLINE TOOLS FOR INTRODUCING NEURODIVERSITY IN JOB INTERVIEWS WITH ENGINEERING STUDENTS. | eLearning & Software for Education | EBSCOhost. [online] openurl.ebsco.com. Available at: https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A2%3A14553842/detailv2?sid=ebsco%3Aplink%3Ascholar&id=ebsco%3Agcd%3A145727667&crl=c [Accessed 2 Apr. 2024].

•      Schindelheim, R. (2023). IBM’s neurodiversity advancement initiative supports employees revealing their authentic self in the workplace. [online] WorkingNation. Available at: https://workingnation.com/ibms-neurodiversity-advancement-initiative-supports-employees-revealing-their-authentic-self-in-the-workplace/#:~:text=IBM%20was%20%E2%80%9Cone%20of%20the[Accessed 2 Apr. 2024].

•      Silver, E.R., Nittrouer, C.L. and Hebl, M.R. (2023). Beyond the business case: Universally designing the workplace for neurodiversity and inclusion. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, [online] 16(1), pp.45–49. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2022.99.

•      Transforming the world to enable our best every day. (n.d.). Available at: https://www.jnj.com/diversity/employee-resource-groups/alliance-for-diverse-abilities.